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Chapter 98: 97. The Grand Initiation Ceremony, Enlisted in the Celestial Bureaucracy
Chapter 98: 97. The Grand Initiation Ceremony, Enlisted in the Celestial Bureaucracy
"This junior disciple still has much to learn and faces immense pressure." Lei Jun spoke calmly, his expression belying his words. "I owe my inclusion in this list to your guidance, Master."
With each sect pulling their competitors down, their star disciples had all but drowned in the ensuing chaos.
Among the disciples of Elder Shangguan, none stood out particularly in this Grand Initiation Ceremony, and thus, they shall remain unmentioned.
As for Master Yuan's group, Lei Jun was the standout disciple.
With no one hindering him, he stood out like a solitary blossom.
However, he was not without his concerns.
As one of the only two disciples brought back to Longhu Mountain by Senior Master Xu Yuanzhen, there were plenty who sought to hinder him from her side.
However, as Master Yuan's direct disciple, everyone tacitly agreed to give Master Yuan some face.
Firstly, Master Yuan currently presided over the Myriad Methods Sect.
He would be the one personally overseeing this Grand Initiation Ceremony.
Secondly, in the current situation of the Celestial Master's Mansion, Master Yuan Mo was a pivotal figure in maintaining stability, and all factions were vying for his favor.
Hence, the bizarre scene that unfolded.
While the other sects were busy sabotaging each other, ready to roll up their sleeves and capsize each other's boats, Daoist Master Lei's group remained serene, calmly reaching the shore.
"I dare not take full credit for this," Master Yuan said with a smile, shaking his head. "It is also because of your own efforts, Heavy Cloud, in forging good relationships and assisting your fellow disciples, that you have earned this well-deserved recognition."
Master and disciple exchanged glances, sharing a smile.
Xia Qing, Tianxu Mountain, and the Blood River Palace—rescued twice by Lei Jun.
Luo Haoran, Qingxia Lake, and the Blood River Palace—rescued twice by Lei Jun.
Li Zhenchang and Chu Antong, Bilei Ridge—rescued once by Lei Jun.
Fang Jian, the eruption of the Eight Desolate Blood Caverns—rescued once by Lei Jun.
To the star disciples of other sects, Lei Jun was not a competitor but a great benefactor.
Not counting Fang Jian and the others, Qu Yong from Elder Ziyang's sect had also received Lei Jun's assistance back in the Xuan Yang Cave Heaven.
He was indeed a worthy disciple of Elder Yuan, known for his benevolence and kindness within the Mansion.
A new generation of timely rain for Longhu Mountain and a champion of justice for the Celestial Master's Mansion.
...Perhaps, there was also a chance of winning him over?
As the old saying goes, it is often difficult for many people to accomplish something.
But ruining something is not as hard as one might imagine.
On the other hand, for some, the absence of others' interference means the ability to accomplish much.
As for what Li Ming, Fang Mingyuan, Fang Lu, and the others thought, let them think as they may.
Those were unfortunate accidents, and one deeply regretted them.
However...
"Brother, aren't you...going to participate in the initiation?" Lei Jun turned to Wang Guiyuan.
Wang Guiyuan smiled. "We will participate later. There's no rush."
Lei Jun turned to look at his master, Master Yuan Mo.
Master Yuan nodded. "It was Heavy Return's own decision not to participate this time."
Lei Jun said, "Although it would indeed attract attention for the two of us to participate together, Brother, this is still the initiation..."
Wang Guiyuan shook his head repeatedly. "You don't need to feel pressured. I'm not in a hurry, and it's not that I'm intentionally yielding. Even if you didn't participate this time, it wouldn't change my mind."
Lei Jun fixed his gaze on him, then suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, Brother, may I ask how old you are this year?"
Wang Guiyuan asked, "Why the sudden interest in my age?"
Lei Jun replied, "I've never seen you worry about your lifespan or the tribulations of the Four Heavens."
Like Lei Jun, Xia Qing, Li Zhenchang, and Chu Antong, Wang Guiyuan wore an apricot-yellow Daoist robe and held the status of a transmitted disciple.
Although the Celestial Master had been in seclusion for a few years, most of the true disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion who were to receive the initiation had already reached the middle stage of the Three Heavens.
Upon attaining the Yuanfu realm, one's lifespan would double compared to the Foundation Establishment and Law Altar stages, reaching four hundred years.
Consequently, the golden years of a cultivator's journey would increase to a century.
Over the years, Lei Jun had been paying close attention.
He noticed that Wang Guiyuan's seniority was not shallow.
Many true disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion who were over fifty years old also addressed him as Senior Brother.
If Wang Guiyuan was over fifty and had not cultivated to the Yuanfu realm, it meant that he had already passed the golden window for improving his cultivation...
"According to secular calculations, I am already past sixty," Wang Guiyuan said with an unchanged expression.
Lei Jun leaned back slightly, once again sizing up his senior brother.
Wang Guiyuan's smile faded, and his demeanor turned serious.
"Some say that cultivation is a struggle against the heavens, but as disciples of the Daoist tradition, we should not constantly think about going against the natural order. Instead, we should prioritize harmony between heaven, earth, and humanity."
His expression was serene, and his tone relaxed. "Unlike you, Junior Brother Lei, or Senior Sister Xu, Senior Sister Tang, and the others, my talent for cultivation is indeed quite ordinary. If not for Master's kindness, I would not have had the opportunity to cultivate in the sacred lands."
As Lei Jun silently observed Wang Guiyuan, a myriad of thoughts raced through his mind.
Wang Guiyuan's serene smile remained unchanged as he said, "My junior brother, there is no need to worry about me. Birth, old age, sickness, and death are part of the natural order, even the stars in the heavens go through their life cycles. Compared to the vast multitude of beings in this world, we are fortunate to be able to comprehend the mysteries of the Dao, to live longer, and to pass away peacefully. Even if I were to grow old and reach the end of my lifespan, who's to say there won't be a next life where we may meet again? That would be a tale of destiny and fortune."
Lei Jun glanced at Wang Guiyuan and then at Yuan Mobai beside him. After a moment of silence, he nodded slightly. "Senior brother is right. I was being narrow-minded before."
...As if!
The more Lei Jun listened to Wang Guiyuan's words, the more he felt that something was amiss. A suspicion began to form in his mind, but since Wang Guiyuan didn't bring it up himself, Lei Jun decided not to pry further.
From then on, he refocused his attention on his own cultivation and studies. On one hand, he prepared for the tribulation of crossing from the third level to the fourth level of cultivation. On the other hand, he familiarized himself with the rituals and ceremonies of the ordination, getting ready to participate in the grand ceremony.
As the 15th of July drew near, disciples from various external branches and sub-sects who had been approved for the ordination began arriving at the Longhu Mountain headquarters as the new initiates.
After the series of storms and upheavals of the previous year, the Celestial Master's Mansion finally exuded an air of celebration and youthfulness, with a festive atmosphere surpassing that of the New Year earlier in the year.
Guests who had come to witness the ceremony also started to arrive.
The Ordination Ceremony was one of the most important events at the Longhu Mountain headquarters.
Usually, the guests who came to witness the ceremony would be of greater stature than those who attended the previous Initiation Ceremony.
However, due to the special circumstances of the Celestial Master's Mansion at this time, out of courtesy, the various powerhouses would not personally come to Longhu Mountain unless they intended to cause trouble, so as not to touch a nerve with the already sensitive members of the Mansion.
Aside from the high-profile representatives sent by the Great Tang Dynasty, most other influential families sent only their juniors with lavish gifts.
Of course, the Celestial Master's Mansion did not feel slighted by this; it was, in fact, the expected outcome of prior discussions.
To be precise, the Mansion hoped that the other top powers would treat them as insignificant at this time.
At this point, they had to once again thank their old rivals, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou.
The new generation clan head of the Lin Clan had also not been born yet, making their situation even more challenging than that of the Celestial Master's Mansion.
Compared to the Mansion, the Lin Clan had made more enemies over the years.
Not to mention other families, the Great Tang Imperial Family would certainly not let go of this golden opportunity. They kept a close eye on the clan, naturally.
With their location by the mighty river, the powerful clans of Jingxiang upstream and Suzhou and Hangzhou downstream—the Fang Clan and the Chu Clan, respectively—were also deeply concerned about the developments in the Lin Clan.
Compared to the Celestial Master's Mansion, the Lin Clan had more enemies but also a greater number of allies.
However, sometimes, having more allies was not necessarily a good thing.
The difficult birth of the new clan head of the Lin Clan had resulted in the rise of multiple powerful figures within the clan, and their current situation was inseparable from the strong assistance of their various in-laws and allies.
From the perspective of the Lin Clan as a whole, these were all friendly forces.
But when it came to the individuals within the Lin Clan, there were further distinctions to be made in terms of closeness and distance.
Compared to the Celestial Master's Mansion, the Lin Clan had deeper roots and a stronger foundation.
As a result, they attracted even more attention and concern.
Fortunately, the Lin Clan was able to maintain harmony on the surface and avoid an internal power struggle.
During this period, it was said that the elders of the clan were discussing matters together.
However, it would still take time for the dust to truly settle.
With the external environment in flux, the Celestial Master's Mansion maintained a relaxed exterior while remaining vigilant internally, proceeding with their plans to host the ordination ceremony for a new batch of initiates—an event that had not been held in over a decade.
Compared to the Initiation Ceremony, the Ordination Ceremony was even more solemn and grand.
During the Initiation Ceremony, disciples would invite three masters: their own initiation master, also known as the initiation master, as well as a supervising master and a recommending master.
The Ordination Ceremony, on the other hand, was presided over by the three grand masters—the initiation grand master, the supervising grand master, and the recommending grand master—and protected by the six Dharma protectors.
The initiation grand master was responsible for imparting the Orthodox Unity Law.
The supervising grand master ensured that the ordination process was fair and impartial.
The recommending grand master was in charge of protecting the initiates, maintaining their precepts, and safeguarding their spiritual practice.
The three grand masters presided over the entire ordination ceremony, with the esteemed and accomplished senior elders of the High Achievement Peak in Longhu Mountain assuming the roles of Transmission Master, Supervision Master, and Recommendation Master.
The six Dharma protectors included the Dharma Protection Master, the Dharma Protection Master, the Sutra Protection Master, the Altar Protection Master, the Precept Protection Master, and the Dao Protection Master, all selected from the worthy elders within the Mansion.
Usually, the current Celestial Master would serve as the Transmission Master, personally overseeing the grand ceremony.
In rare cases where the Celestial Master does not assume the role of Transmission Master, they may still participate in the ceremony as the Supervision Master.
This year's ordination ceremony was unique, as the position of the Celestial Master was temporarily vacant.
Thus, the three elders of the High Achievement Peak, Yuan Mobai, Li Hongyu, and Li Song, took on the roles of Transmission Master, Supervision Master, and Recommendation Master, respectively, to preside over the ceremony.
On the day of the ceremony, when the appointed time arrived, Yuan Mobai activated the Wanfa Zongtan, the ultimate altar of the Celestial Masters.
Countless rays of light soared into the sky, piercing through the heavens, before expanding in all four directions, resembling a luminescent curtain that enveloped the surroundings of Longhu Mountain.
Within this curtain of light, innumerable talismans whirled and danced together, emanating infinite power.
After the previous Celestial Master, Li Qingfeng, had passed away, the Wanfa Zongtan was finally activated once more.
Led by the presiding scripture masters and the ceremonial banners, Lei Jun and the other disciples participating in the ordination ceremony welcomed the three grand masters and the six Dharma protectors into the altar.
Lei Jun's position in the procession was inconspicuous, as the disciples were arranged according to the order of their initiation into the sect. Thus, Lei Jun stood at the very end.
However, he himself was exceedingly conspicuous.
At not yet twenty-six years of age, he had already achieved perfection in the Triple Heaven Law Altar realm.
Even among the first-rate factions in the sacred lands, such an achievement was rare.
Considering that he had been formally initiated into the Celestial Master's Mansion for less than six years, his progress was even more remarkable.
Unavoidably, all the guests who had come to witness the ceremony had their attention fixed solely on him.
As the only seeded player, Lei Jun thought to himself with a touch of self-deprecating humor, this was a disadvantage...
He had never been one to court attention, but in this situation, he remained unfazed, adapting to the circumstances with composure and equanimity.
From here on, everything proceeded according to the well-practiced rituals and regulations.
After Yuan Mobai and the other two grand masters, along with the six Dharma protectors, entered the Wanfa Zongtan, they paid homage to the ancestral masters of the past, revering the heavens and the earth. Lei Jun and the other disciples followed suit in worship.
Subsequently, the three grand masters and the six Dharma protectors took turns expounding on the classics and the precepts.
In this world, for disciples of the Talisman School of Taoism, the most important ceremonies were transmission and ordination.
For disciples of the Alchemy School of Taoism, it was the Capping Ceremony and the Acceptance of Precepts.
Although Lei Jun and the other disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion did not need to undergo the Triple Altar Initiation like the disciples of the Pure Yang Palace, they still had to abide by the standard precepts and regulations of their sect.
Next was the confession and supplication ritual, which involved communicating with the divine, confessing one's sins, seeking protection, and praying for longevity.
After the ceremony concluded, Lei Jun and the others were bestowed with important talismans, including the official documents (ordination talismans), scriptures, magic swords, command flags, insignia, tablets (morning tablets), ghost-capturing peach staffs, and Tianpeng rulers. They were then conferred with their official positions and duties.
Aside from the differences in personal cultivation and status within the Mansion, a significant distinction between ordained disciples and transmitted disciples was the concept of being listed in the Celestial Bureaucracy, as commonly referred to by fellow sect members.
In the early years, before the first change of the Taoist orthodoxy in Longhu Mountain, when petitioning the ancestral masters of the past to perform rituals, there was a term called the Celestial Tribunal.
Only ordained disciples who had undergone the ordination ceremony were qualified to perform rituals on behalf of the heavens, summoning spirits to carry out their bidding.
According to legends, they could command the heavens and earth, employ heavenly generals and merit officials according to their merit, ascend to immortality by following the ways of the mortal world, and forever preserve their path of life, never becoming an evil ghost or falling into the underworld.
However, due to the changes in the heavens and the earth, the Taoist orthodoxy of Longhu Mountain had also evolved, and such notions within the Celestial Master's Mansion were more a matter of customary usage and were closer to legends.
Nevertheless, some characteristics remained.
For example, ordained disciples would leave a strand of spiritual consciousness in the ancestral court of Longhu Mountain.
Before receiving their ordination, if Lei Jun and the other transmitted disciples encountered danger and perished outside the mountain, and if the distance was too great or the environment was treacherous, their mentors in the Mansion might not be able to sense it immediately.
But in the case of ordained disciples perishing outside, their senior fellows in the sect would often become aware of it in the first instance.
Depending on the specific circumstances, they might even discern the location and some details.
For Lei Jun, the most practical implication at the moment was that after successfully undergoing the ordination, as long as he remained within the confines of Longhu Mountain, he would be able to harness more spiritual energy from the heavens and the earth for his cultivation and rituals compared to when he was merely a transmitted disciple.
With the ordination talisman, Yuan Mobai could now impart to him the third volume of the Authentic Scripture of the True One Great Dao and the talisman scriptures that recorded higher-level spiritual talismans.
Lei Jun would then be fully prepared to break through the heavenly tribulation and forge the Primordial Talisman, attaining the Quadruple Heaven realm in a short period of time.
The prospect of doubled longevity beckoned to him.
The Thunder Grotto-Heaven of the Upper Clarity Thunder Mansion was calling out to him.
The True One Law Altar within the Celestial Master Seal was inviting him.
(End of Chapter)
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