https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-90-The-Evolution-of-Thunder-Techniques/12586368/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-92-91-A-Fierce-Battle-and-Peaceful-Times/12586370/
Chapter 91: Rebellion Against the Celestial Master's Mansion
Chapter 91: Rebellion Against the Celestial Master's Mansion
Thunderous roars echoed, like the furious cries of dragons and tigers. The entire Dragon-Tiger Mountain seemed to tremble in response.
Above the Celestial Master's Mansion, a bolt of lightning suddenly appeared, shaking the four directions and resonating with the thunderclouds in the sky.
Inside the mansion, the Young Celestial Master, Li Zhengxuan, and his uncle, the high-achieving elder Li Ziyang, stood side by side.
Floating before them was a magical sword.
It was one of the three great treasures of the Celestial Master's Mansion—the Celestial Master's Sword.
Purple lightning crackled along the blade of the sword, transforming into a majestic glow that soared into the clouds, as if resonating with some other existence.
"The Celestial Master's Seal is of utmost importance, and we cannot afford any mishaps," the Young Celestial Master said slowly. "Uncle-Master will keep a close eye on Yu Qingling this time."
Li Ziyang's expression was solemn. "Uncle-Master's strength is beyond doubt, but we must also be wary of any unexpected tricks up Yu Qingling's sleeve."
The Young Celestial Master said resolutely, "The Celestial Master's Seal must return to the mountain today! I will bring the Celestial Master's Sword out of the mountain to assist and ensure success."
Li Ziyang nodded. "Given the circumstances, it is necessary. With you holding the Celestial Master's Sword in support, I can act without restraint."
"Thank you, Third Uncle-Master," said the Young Celestial Master.
He raised his palm, and the light around the Celestial Master's Sword, floating in mid-air, grew brighter and grander as it slowly ascended.
Dragon-Tiger Mountain trembled more violently, and the thunder in the sky grew louder.
Li Zhengxuan and Li Ziyang's figures rose along with the sword.
Outside the mountain...
Chu Yu and several other Chu clan youths gazed at the awe-inspiring Dragon-Tiger Mountain from a distance.
One of the youths turned to Chu Yu and asked, "Cousin, judging from this spectacle, could it be that..."
Dressed in hunting attire, Chu Yu stood on the hill with her hands behind her back. "The Celestial Master's Sword has left the mountain. Li Zhengxuan finally couldn't sit still any longer, but he's still being cautious."
Although the Young Celestial Master, Li Zhengxuan, had taken the Celestial Master's Sword out of the mountain, he had not ventured far from Dragon-Tiger Mountain.
That awe-inspiring lightning glow hung high in the sky, not far from Dragon-Tiger Mountain.
Li Zhengxuan and the Celestial Master's Sword were mainly there to support and intimidate, ready for any eventuality.
Thus, he was simultaneously managing several aspects and had not ventured far from the mountain gate.
Another patch of purple thundercloud flew towards the distance.
That was Li Ziyang.
Elder Li Song, the Grand Elder, was responsible for restraining Huang Tian Dao, the elderly master, while Li Ziyang took on the important task of retrieving the Celestial Master's Seal.
It was said that Li Ziyang's eldest son, Li Xuan, had tried to retrieve the Celestial Master's Seal previously but was severely injured by Yu Qingling.
Now, his father, Li Ziyang, had taken it upon himself to step in, perhaps to fulfill the mission that his son's generation had left unfinished... As Chu Yu watched the deep purple thundercloud drift away, she couldn't help but find the situation somewhat ironic.
The deep purple thundercloud passed over where Chu Yu and the others were standing.
Chu Yu could feel Li Ziyang's scrutinizing gaze.
She smiled in response.
The deep purple thundercloud did not linger and quickly disappeared into the distance.
One of the Chu clan youths beside Chu Yu asked, "Cousin, what about us?"
"Be patient for now," Chu Yu said. "This was a gamble from the start, so it won't hurt to leave a little later."
.................
Lei Jun looked up at the dense thunderclouds and the flashing lightning in the sky.
After Li Xuan's previous lesson, the powerful elders of the mansion were indeed putting in more effort this time.
Even the Celestial Master's Sword had been deployed, showing Li Zhengxuan's determination to succeed.
Conversely, Yu Qingling and the other masters on their side would most likely not give up easily either.
Even with the two imprints of the Celestial Master's Seal and the soil flag, this high-level confrontation was not something Lei Jun could get involved in at the moment.
So, he remained calmly in the mountains.
Was the Celestial Master's Seal good?
Of course.
But even the best blessing required one to stay alive to enjoy it; otherwise, everything would be in vain.
Success would bring joy, but failure could mean death.
Lei Jun was considering whether he should seize the opportunity to visit the True One Law Altar in the cave again to gain a deeper understanding of the Dao. He was also unsure if the place was still peaceful, given the ongoing scramble for treasures.
As he was deep in thought, the glowing sphere in Lei Jun's mind suddenly shone, and words appeared:
"The Ultimate Treasure Reappears, Dragons and Tigers Fight, Far Away on the Horizon, Sit and Watch the Waves."
This time, four fortunes appeared from the glowing sphere:
"Upper-middle fortune: Guard the forbidden area of the ancestral tomb in the back mountain of the Celestial Master's Mansion. Wait for an opportunity to be alone and gain a second-grade opportunity. However, the cause and effect are already deep, and there are hidden dangers. Be extremely cautious in the future. Auspicious."
"Middle fortune: Go to the Jinque Creek Ferry at the foot of Dragon-Tiger Mountain in the afternoon and gain a sixth-grade opportunity. But you must reveal your treasures and methods, and there will be hidden troubles. Neutral."
"Middle fortune: Find a place to stay outside the ancestral tomb in the back mountain, Jinque Creek Ferry, and Qingtian Peak. Destroy the two imprints of the Celestial Master's Seal. Act low-key and be safe and sound. Although there will be some losses, you will avoid hidden dangers. Neutral."
"Lower-middle fortune: Go to Qingtian Peak outside Dragon-Tiger Mountain during the day. There will be no gains, only profound dangers. The chance of survival is slim, and there will be endless troubles. Inauspicious."
】
Lei Jun read his fortune with a sense of surprise.
He glanced in the direction of the deep purple thundercloud where Elder Ziyang had disappeared.
Over there, in the direction of Qingtian Peak.
Qingtian Peak was a towering mountain just outside of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, part of the mountain range's extension, less than a hundred li away from Dragon-Tiger Mountain.
Through the two imprints of the Celestial Master's Seal, Lei Jun felt a vague sense of connection.
The place where the Celestial Master's Seal had reappeared was indeed in the direction of Qingtian Peak.
From this perspective, the Young Celestial Master and Elder Ziyang seemed to have some concrete clues, and they had indeed guessed the right direction.
As for the middle-lower fortune and its corresponding fate, it might be fraught with danger for Lei Jun, but not necessarily for Elder Ziyang.
After all, the cultivation and strength of this high-achieving elder of Dragon-Tiger Mountain far surpassed that of his son, Li Xuan.
Perhaps, if Lei Jun had truly gone to Qingtian Peak, Elder Ziyang would have been one of the reasons for his lower fortune and perilous path.
As the saying goes, when gods fight, mortals suffer.
There would undoubtedly be many powerful cultivators heading to Qingtian Peak.
There were two middle fortunes this time.
One was straightforward—do nothing, stay out of the way, and avoid getting involved in the affairs of the Celestial Master's Seal.
Giving up on the two imprints of the Celestial Master's Seal was a sensible decision.
With the scramble for the Seal at Qingtian Peak, regardless of who emerged victorious and obtained the Seal itself, they would eventually uncover clues about the two imprints in Lei Jun's possession, and the consequences would be unpredictable.
To completely avoid trouble, one had to make tough choices.
However, the second middle fortune left Lei Jun perplexed.
What was so special about the Jinque Creek Ferry? This stream was still within the boundaries of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, at the foot of the mountain, and was one of the major tributaries of the Upper Qing River, an integral part of the mountain's terrain and water veins.
Whether it was Lei Jun or any other disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion, they would pass by this area from time to time.
Could it also be related to the reappearance of the Celestial Master's Seal?
Lei Jun carefully read his fortune again, deciphering its unique implications:
By going to the Jinque Creek Ferry, he would have the opportunity to obtain a sixth-grade opportunity.
However, in addition to potential troubles, it might also expose his treasures and abilities.
In other words, he would face either strong opponents or a perilous environment.
But it wasn't a certainty.
Lei Jun speculated that the situation or event at the ferry might be flexible.
If he exerted himself and used all his cards, he could seize this sixth-grade opportunity.
But if he chose to slack off upon arriving, then he could forget about the opportunity.
"This is rather intriguing..." Lei Jun found himself growing more interested.
However...
He read the upper-middle fortune again.
This fortune was even more bizarre.
By staying within the mountain and guarding the forbidden area of the ancestral tomb in the back mountain, he could obtain a second-grade opportunity?
The first time he had crossed over and encountered the Celestial Master's Seal in the green mountains, the upper-middle fortune he received had mentioned a second-grade opportunity.
Given the current situation with the Celestial Master's Seal reappearing, Lei Jun strongly suspected that this new second-grade opportunity was, in fact, the Celestial Master's Seal itself!
Or, at the very least, it was closely related to the Seal.
But could he obtain it by remaining within the mountain? Even if he stayed, the Young Celestial Master, Li Zhengxuan, had not completely left the mountain and was keeping watch just outside.
As a high-achieving elder with the Celestial Master's Sword in his possession, Li Zhengxuan would undoubtedly be the first to sense the Seal's return, no matter how quietly it happened.
Lei Jun was curious.
However, he didn't hesitate for long and soon made up his mind.
Lei Jun went to the Hall of Duty and chose a less popular task for the day.
He opted to take a turn guarding the forbidden area of the ancestral tomb in the back mountain.
This task was not permanently assigned to any particular disciple of the Transcendent Degree.
Usually, it could be rotated, voluntarily taken on, and only when there was a shortage of disciples would the elders directly assign someone.
However, there were almost never any volunteers who insisted on staying there long-term.
The exception to this, of course, was...
"You've finally seen the light, Junior Brother!" Wang Guiyuan exclaimed with relief, grasping Lei Jun's hand.
"Well, not exactly..." Lei Jun hesitated, "I just thought that I should experience all kinds of duties, and besides, paying respects and looking after the ancestral tombs of our predecessors is something we, as disciples of the sect, should do."
Wang Guiyuan's smile was cheerful, somewhat incongruous with their surroundings: "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. This is a safe place, with our ancestors watching over us."
Lei Jun accompanied him to meet the senior disciple in charge of this area: "Senior Brother Xin, disciple Lei Zhongyun is here to heed your instructions."
Elder Xin nodded slightly: "Very well, follow me."
From Wang Guiyuan's enthusiasm for this place, one could surmise the nature of the work.
Firstly, it was extremely safe.
Even setting aside the fact that Huang Tian Dao and the Celestial Master's Mansion shared a common origin and could trace their lineage to the same ancestors, should anyone dare to attack Dragon-Tiger Mountain, they wouldn't disturb this place.
Even if the Nanhuang Witch Clan directly attacked the mountain, they wouldn't start by sweeping this neglected branch.
Of course, that didn't mean the work here was easy.
On the contrary, as it involved the successive Patriarchs, Lei Jun, Wang Guiyuan, and the others had to be careful and meticulous in their every action.
Moreover, although this place was serene and filled with abundant spiritual energy, a rare cultivation sanctuary, Lei Jun, Wang Guiyuan, and the rest couldn't take the opportunity to slack off and cultivate on their own.
"Zhongyun, as you've just arrived, Zhonggui will show you around." Elder Xin instructed.
"Yes, Master Uncle," Wang Guiyuan immediately agreed.
He led Lei Jun around to familiarize him with the surroundings, with Lei Jun quietly memorizing various points of attention.
While they were talking, they suddenly felt something amiss.
Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan turned their heads simultaneously to look outside the mountain.
From that direction came faint sounds of the mountains shaking.
It's from the direction of Qingtian Peak... Lei Jun thought to himself.
What drew even more attention was the massive thundercloud that had been hovering not far from the mountain gate, shrouding the sky. It was now flickering violently with purple light.
Amid the rolling thunder, this enormous cloud also moved towards Qingtian Peak.
Soon, even more shocking sounds came from that direction, like the shattering of the heavens, continuous and unending.
Lei Jun gazed into the distance, feeling as if half the sky in that direction had been dyed purple.
Within the purple, streaks of golden-red radiance occasionally shone through the violet clouds.
"Big Brother has taken the Celestial Master's Sword into battle?" Wang Guiyuan asked worriedly. "In that case, our mountain gate will be left vulnerable!"
Lei Jun nodded slightly.
On the other side, Elder Xin, who was in charge of guarding the ancestral tombs, also frowned slightly as he looked towards Qingtian Peak.
After a while, some related news reached Elder Xin.
Elder Xin did not avoid the disciples around him when receiving the message, so Lei Jun, Wang Guiyuan, and the others also learned about the general situation outside.
Elder Ziyang had gone to Qingtian Peak first but encountered an unexpected opponent.
The Venerable Longjia.
One of the four great elders of the Buddhist sect's Vajra Temple, one of the four great Buddhist sacred sites.
In terms of age, seniority, and cultivation, he was comparable to the previous generation's Elder Li Song of the Celestial Master's Mansion.
Such an opponent was indeed a tricky challenge for Elder Ziyang.
Among the four great Buddhist sacred sites, the Vajra Temple was located in the far west of the Tang Empire, in its westernmost frontier, and had less interaction with other forces. It was the latest to be established and the most mysterious.
In the past, there hadn't been much deep friendship or enmity between the Vajra Temple and the Celestial Master's Mansion.
No one would have expected that at this time, the great elder of the Adamantine Temple, Venerable Longjia, would suddenly appear and face off against Elder Ziyang at Qingtian Peak.
Lei Jun heard the news and fell into deep thought.
Perhaps, it was also because of the Celestial Master's Seal.
Previously, he had sensed three forces probing the True One Law Altar.
Assuming two of them were Li Zhengxuan and Chu Yu, then who was this third force?
Could it be that Venerable Longjia had obtained some clues about the Celestial Master's Seal and was taking advantage of the current chaos in the Celestial Master's Mansion to try his luck?
This unexpected formidable enemy disrupted the Young Celestial Master Li Zhengxuan's plans.
He had no choice but to bring out the Celestial Master's Sword and personally join the battle to assist his third uncle, Elder Ziyang.
Not considering the mutually restraining Elder Li Song and Elder Yu Qing, nor Chu Yu, who was also trying her luck, there were now two powerful forces engaged in a fierce battle at Qingtian Peak, shaking the heavens and the earth.
"With Zhengxuan bringing the Celestial Master's Sword out of the mountain, some petty demons and monsters may think that our mountain gate is vulnerable and try to take advantage of it."
Elder Xin said solemnly, "All disciples on the mountain must heighten their vigilance and preparedness."
Lei Jun, Wang Guiyuan, and the others acknowledged the order.
However, the ancestral tomb forbidden area in the back mountain remained peaceful for the time being.
Instead, there were indeed external enemies infiltrating other parts of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, trying to take advantage of the chaos.
All the other disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion on the mountain rose to meet the challenge.
Overall, with Li Hongyu, Yuan Mobai, Yao Yuan, Tang Xiaotang, and others guarding the perimeter, there was no chance for any enemy to take advantage of the situation.
Although another battle had broken out around Dragon-Tiger Mountain, the situation was still under control.
Until another unexpected piece of news arrived:
"There's a disciple who killed and injured several fellow disciples at the Jinque Creek Ferry before escaping!"
When Lei Jun and the others in the ancestral tomb forbidden area in the back mountain heard this news, they were all quite surprised.
Indeed, there had been precedents of traitors influenced by Huang Tian Dao among the successors of the Celestial Master's Mansion.
But after such a long battle, most of those with wavering loyalties had already revealed themselves.
Was there still an internal traitor at this time?
"It's Elder Yao's direct disciple, Chen Yi!" The messenger cried out, "All disciples of our sect, be on high alert. If you see this traitor, capture or kill him immediately!"
Some of those present also knew Chen Yi and were even more astonished upon hearing this.
Lei Jun's mind flashed back to the scene of Chen Yi displaying his Blood River Sword Qi.
(PS: Today's first update, switching to writing 3,4k words per chapter, still getting used to it, so this chapter is a bit late, please forgive me.)
(End of Chapter)
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