Cultivation: Fortune by Lots

Zhang Luo said, "Your sect has added a great divine technique; congratulations are indeed in order. From this point forward, it will be renowned alongside the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, Pure Yang Immortal Thunder, and Xuanxiao Immortal Thunder."

Lei Jun replied, "Your Highness is too kind. These trivial tricks of mine are hardly worthy of comparison with our sect’s Nine Heavens Divine Thunder or the Sect Leader’s Pure Yang Immortal Thunder."

"Master Lei is too modest," Zhang Luo smiled.

A red-robed monk from the Western Region Buddhism standing beside them also smiled and offered Lei Jun his congratulations.

His name was Master Zongcuo. He was not a monk from the local Vajra Temple within the Great Tang Realm but rather a high monk of the Eighth Heavenly Layer from the Sumi Vajra Sect, just like Master Sangjie. After the deaths of Masters Sangjie and Longjia, Master Zongcuo had been summoned by Jiasheng Upper Master and had rushed from the Western Regions to provide reinforcements. Having heard that the Jiuli black mist had appeared again in Zhuoqing Mountain, he had come as a representative of Western Region Buddhism.

He showed no change in expression, but inwardly he sighed. Despite the various issues with the Taoist Sect lineage in this Mortal World, the current generation of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master’s Mansion lineage is truly outstanding. If we could successfully convert Xu Yuanzhen, Tang Xiaotang, and Lei Jun to Buddhism and guide them to the West, this return of Sumi to the Great Tang Realm wouldn’t be in vain. However, the limitations of our unique movement technique mean that even with special methods, our slots are extremely limited. Good steel must be used on the blade’s edge. Unfortunately, the Western Region Buddhism’s situation in the Great Tang has recently taken a sharp downturn, deteriorating suddenly and attracting unexpected enemies. In these circumstances, we really shouldn’t stir up more trouble. We have the strength, yes. But exposing it too early would undoubtedly make us a public target, especially risking the suspicion of the Tang Imperial Family. Alas, alas... How did things with Sangjie and Longjia end up so bitter? Master Zongcuo lamented inwardly.

Master Zongcuo watched Lei Jun for a long moment before retracting his gaze, setting aside whatever thoughts he had for now.

After receiving the Spirit Talisman from Yuan Mobai, Lei Jun bid farewell to Yuan Mobai, Prince Zhang, and the others before departing.

Just before he left, Yuan Mobai spoke to him privately, "Chongyun, summarize the Dharma Essence within that string of Secret Treasure Prayer Beads from Avici and leave a copy for me, your master."

Lei Jun said, "Master, rest assured, I have already prepared it."

He also passed a Spirit Talisman to Yuan Mobai.

Yuan Mobai nodded slightly. "Be careful on your way."

Lei Jun did not return to the Dragon Tiger Mountain Ancestral Court’s Altar of Wanfa Sect. Instead, using the True One Altar derived from the Celestial Master Seal, he began to refine the Spirit Talisman given by Yuan Mobai, which proved to have some effect. This arrangement between master and disciple was simply to make it easier for Lei Jun to once again slip from the public eye into secrecy.

He did not leave the Southern Wilderness immediately but instead concealed himself once more, quietly observing the unfolding situation. At the sect’s mountain gate, his fellow disciples, having received his instructions, made some arrangements, creating the appearance that Master Lei had indeed returned to the mountain.

In reality, Lei Jun, still in the Southern Wilderness, was not idle. After finding a secure and hidden location, he used the True One Altar to refine the Spirit Talisman Yuan Mobai had given him.

The Spirit Talisman flickered with a faint light, as if a morning sun were rising within it, though its aura was even more lofty, seeming to hail from beyond the universe. The light reconverged, and the Spirit Talisman disappeared. In its place was a jade seal of ancient and simple design.

A faint Golden Glow appeared on the jade seal, Tao Containment and inscriptions flowing naturally across its surface.

Sun Jade Seal.

Lei Jun felt a moment of inspiration as this name automatically surfaced in his mind.

Yuan Mobai had mentioned it offhandedly before, but the treasure from Zicha Ridge was truly extraordinary. It was an exceptional Spiritual Object in itself. As Lei Jun refined it through the True One Altar and meticulously contemplated it, he discerned even more of its profound insights. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

In Lei Jun’s consciousness, a vision of a magnificent palace appeared, standing high amidst the clouds. A staircase extended downwards, like a tangible Connecting Heaven pathway. Figures dotted the steps of this path, but none were moving or climbing upwards. All the figures stood on their respective steps, bowing towards the Heavenly Palace above. Far off, figures also seemed to be visible within the Heavenly Palace. The entire scene looked stark and orderly.

Seeing this, Lei Jun frowned to himself. Relics from the former Heavenly Palace? However, the vision is merely an illusion, less substantial than even the Heavenly Palace Chapter Tablet that was split in two. For a Mortal Tao Country, it might hold significant utility. Its principles and artistic conception involve components of the Heavenly Palace’s laws and ordinances, relating to the matter of Talisman-bestowed appointments. Yet for cultivators like me, its value mainly lies in the Sun Jade Seal itself. It’s unlikely to serve as a further clue in the search for members of the Mortal Tao Country. It could potentially be used as bait to lure them out, but Fu Dongsen and his cohorts are currently being too low-profile and cautious, no longer daring to show themselves rashly. I’ll look into it more later. Truthfully, this Spiritual Object might be of greater use to someone else... Lei Jun mused thoughtfully.

He remained in hiding, first paying attention to the current situation in the Southern Wilderness.

However, the situation had become slightly more stable than before.

Shangguan Yunbo and Ye Morong, having joined forces to investigate the Jiuli black mist beneath Zhuoqing Mountain, finally had a direct confrontation with a Jiuli expert. With the Expelling Invaders Halberd in hand, Shangguan Yunbo and Ye Morong covered each other and managed to retreat unharmed. Although they failed to kill or wound the Jiuli expert, they gained more intelligence about the Jiuli black mist and the Earth Sea fissure.

The Jiuli forces made no further attempts at expansion. For the time being, both sides fell back into a standoff, mostly probing each other.

And Fu Dongsen, after his brief appearance at Zicha Ridge, had once again vanished without a trace. The members of the Mortal Tao Country no longer dared to show their faces so easily.

Jiasheng Upper Master, Master Zongcuo, and other experts from the Western Region Buddhism kept a watchful eye on them.