Although their minds were racing with countless thoughts, both Ye Zhi and Ye Yao of Qingzhou, as well as Chu Taoyuan of Suzhou, had co to a similar conclusion.
Lei Jun and the Tianshi Mansion could very well beco a major threat in the future.
But for now, in the Eastern Sea, they must not provoke him.
Even though Chu Xiuyuan and Ye Yan were also present, both the Suzhou Chu Clan and the Qingzhou Ye Clan had currently set their sights on Tianli and the so-called Great Ming Dynasty cultivators.
"To rise with the nation, to share the emperor's burdens"— indeed, being blessed with the fortunes of the empire had its advantages.
But that also ant scholarly legacies could not be confined to just a few regions or a few clans, but had to be spread across the entire realm, collectively carrying the weight of national fortune.
For the aristocratic clans of the Tang Dynasty, such an arrangent had both advantages and risks—not sothing that could be decided lightly.
Moreover, while Neo-Confucianism and the classical studies that had sustained the great clans of the Tang stemd from the sa origins, they had since diverged significantly.
Many Tang Confucian cultivators viewed the Tianli scholars much the sa way that orthodox Buddhist sects viewed the White Lotus Sect or even the Great Void Temple.
Given this, neither the Suzhou Chu Clan nor the Qingzhou Ye Clan intended to abandon their ongoing efforts to repair their relations with the Tang imperial family.
For now, they had a common enemy, making cooperation the logical choice.
Likewise, they had no intention of stirring conflict with the Tianshi Mansion at this ti.
With Xu Yuanzhen now involved, the Tianshi Mansion had effectively joined the battle against Tianli in the Eastern Sea.
In such a situation, Lei Jun’s overwhelming strength was a problem for the Tianli side to worry about.
If there was any regret, it was that Xu Yuanzhen had mysteriously disappeared once again, catching everyone off guard.
"This Daoist Lei is not as strong as Xu Yuanzhen, but at least he's far more reliable than she is…"
Ye Zhi and Chu Taoyuan both thought the sa thing.
But when it ca to another person, their stance was entirely different.
Fang Yue.
Unlike Chu Kun of the Tianshi Mansion, Ye Dongming of Shushan Sect, or even Chu Yu, who was now the Empress’s trusted confidant,
The major clans viewed Fang Yue with far more hostility.
The reason was simple: Chu Kun and the others, even if they opposed their own clans, had not directly compromised the scholarly legacies of the Suzhou Chu Clan or the Jinzhou Ye Clan.
But Fang Yue had.
Just like Xiao Hang and Xiao Chunhui from Longxi, Fang Yue was a Confucian cultivator.
Although he hadn’t physically taken any written records with him when he went to the capital, simply teaching at the Imperial Academy ant that the scholarly archives of the Jingxiang Fang Clan had begun to leak.
For the sake of the greater political situation, the major clans had refrained from openly taking drastic action.
But many aristocratic disciples and even clan elders despised Fang Yue and Xiao Chunhui.
When the major figures gathered, their discussion naturally revolved around Tianli.
As they exchanged intelligence, though much remained unclear, a vague picture of Tianli began to take shape.
"The so-called 'Great Ming' history appears nearly identical to our Tang Dynasty's early records, with only minor discrepancies due to the passage of ti."
Ye Zhi mused, "But after the fall of the Forr Han Dynasty, everything changed—era nas, events—our two worlds began to diverge…"
That divergence coincided with the period when spiritual energy in the mortal realm began to wane and all connections with the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were severed.
From that mont on, the two realms had taken separate paths.
And now, after thousands of years, they had grown so far apart that they were practically two completely different realities.
Why had such a monuntal shift occurred?
Even the greatest aristocratic clans and Daoist Holy Lands had no answers.
This deep uncertainty made everyone even more cautious.
"Based on historical records, their Great Ming Dynasty’s tiline extends over two thousand years beyond ours."
Ye Yao stated calmly.
The two worlds were not just historically divergent—their chronologies were not even synchronized.
The distortions in ti and space were far more complex than anyone had anticipated.
Chu Taoyuan: "That world once had its own brutal martial traditions, alongside its so-called Neo-Confucianism."
Fang Yue: "Although I haven’t engaged with them much, their Neo-Confucian system does have unique strengths. However…"
He turned toward Master Miaoxin and Monk Faming of Tianlong Monastery.
"Doesn’t it seem like their philosophy has absorbed a great deal of Buddhist doctrine? The emphasis on introspection and self-realization is quite evident."
Master Miaoxin considered briefly, then nodded slightly. "Yes, but there are still significant differences between their thods and ours."
Fang Yue: "That makes sense. After all, their Neo-Confucianism has existed for over a thousand years, spanning the Liang, Qian, and Ming dynasties. Considering the upheavals during those transitions, the system has likely undergone continuous evolution."
He looked up slightly.
"If we could trace its developnt from its origins, it might help us truly understand it."
Then he shook his head.
"His Majesty has decreed that for now, we must first expel the Tianli cultivators and seal the void gateways between Tianli and the mortal world, restoring peace to the Tang Dynasty’s eastern frontier. We can study the matter further at a later ti."
With the Tang Dynasty already facing multiple external threats, the court could not afford to be attacked from both front and rear.
Even in the northwest, efforts were underway to seal the void gateways between the mortal world and the distant mountain ranges.
"By His Majesty's command."
Neither Ye Zhi nor Chu Taoyuan objected—Ye Yan and Chu Xiuyuan shared the sa judgnt.
However, artificially sealing the Tianli-Mortal Realm gateways would not be easy.
After discussion, Ye Yan, Chu Xiuyuan, and Chu Yu formulated a plan.
They personally headed to the front lines to apply direct pressure on Tianli’s top cultivators.
anwhile, Master Miaoxin, Lei Jun, Ye Zhi, and others split up, each going to different void gateway sites to perform ritual ceremonies.
Their strategy was to disrupt the balance of spiritual energy in the region, thereby severing Tianli’s connection to the mortal world—at least temporarily.
As an Eighth Heaven cultivator, Lei Jun led one of the teams.
His group included his junior brother Chu Kun, Fang Yue, Monk Faming, and several Middle-Heaven cultivators.
They departed from Mingzhou, traveling across the sea.
The void gateway linking Tianli to the mortal realm was not far from land, positioned over coastal waters.
Lei Jun’s team quickly reached their designated location.
Since the overall ritual was led by Chu Xiuyuan, their group also adopted a Confucian ceremonial approach.
Fang Yue took charge of the preparations.
As he arranged the ritual, Lei Jun silently observed, watching as literary brilliance and righteous Qi intertwined, forming a pillar of divine light that pierced through the heavens and reached the seabed, triggering spiritual turbulence.
At that mont, Lei Jun suddenly sensed sothing.
He turned his gaze to the distant horizon.
There, at the boundary between sea and sky, another colossal energy pillar rose into the heavens.
But this one was black.
Without question—Tianli scholars were deploying their own counterasures.
Such power made even Lei Jun and Chu Kun take notice.
Lei Jun watched with great interest.
Fang Yue had made a na for himself at a young age and had been renowned across the world for years.
Not only had his cultivation advanced at an astonishing pace, but his combat abilities also far surpassed his peers.
However, since he rarely engaged in direct confrontations, there were only a handful of accounts of his prowess.
Lei Jun had personally witnessed Fang Yue reciting scripture years ago.
Now, after all this ti, seeing him in action once again, Lei Jun couldn’t help but nod repeatedly in approval.
To Lei Jun, the most comndable aspect of Fang Yue’s attack—or rather, his spoken technique—was not the sheer vastness of the spiritual river he summoned, but rather his precise and ticulous control over its raging currents.
Despite the imnse force of the flood, not a single drop hard Chu Kun or the others nearby, nor did it interfere with the pure radiance that Fang Yue himself was channeling into the sky.
The surging river not only overwheld the enemy but also swept up Master Faming and Chu Kun, aiding their movents.
By riding the flow of water, Chu Kun and Master Faming's attacks beca even harder to counter.
The sheer finesse and seamless coordination of Fang Yue’s technique left a deeper impression on Lei Jun than the overwhelming force of the water itself.
Seeing Fang Yue’s strength, the other Tianli scholars hurriedly joined forces, launching a dense barrage of ink-ford characters like a teor shower.
However, the river of spiritual energy that Fang Yue had just summoned was not his only move.
Towering mountains rose, stretching skyward, suspended over the vast ocean.
Countless peaks stood side by side like an impenetrable fortress, blocking the barrage of ink characters.
From afar, Lei Jun saw the mountains being struck by the ink attacks.
Soil and rock cracked and tumbled down in small landslides, but the mountains themselves remained unshaken.
Against the Confucian Scholastic cultivators of Tianli, the lower-tier cultivators of the Great Tang held an overwhelming advantage.
At the mid-tier level, both sides were roughly evenly matched when of the sa realm.
However, at the upper-tier level, the Tianli scholars held the edge.
If the Great Tang cultivators pushed too aggressively, they risked their own downfall.
Yet, with just one move, Fang Yue seamlessly combined offense and defense.
The towering peaks, though initially unshaken by the ink attacks, suddenly trembled under Fang Yue’s command.
Mountains quaked, and entire peaks collapsed, crashing down like falling stars.
The massive rocks smashed into the approaching Tianli scholars, driving them into the sea depths below.
Had the Tianli scholars been given more ti, using Doctrine Manifestation, Ancestral Order, and Ethical Principles, their techniques would have grown exponentially stronger.
But now, they were utterly crushed before they could reach their full strength.
Fang Yue remained expressionless.
While he could defeat a fellow Seventh Heaven Confucian Grand Scholar from the Tianli school, on average, those who wielded Scholastic Doctrine and its inherited fortune were superior to most traditional Confucian reciters of the sa realm.
Though their teachings seed rigid and harsh, Tianli scholars had an extraordinary ability to perceive and adapt.
After repeated encounters, Fang Yue had co to understand their thods.
In Confucian cultivation, regardless of lineage, the First Heaven realm was universally called Enlightennt, and its cultivation thods were largely similar across traditions.
The Second Heaven realm was also commonly nad Nurturing Qi.
However, the actual cultivation processes varied depending on the lineage.
Thus, so traditions referred to the Second Heaven realm of Scholastic Reciters as the Rhythmic Attunent Stage, while Confucian Archers called it the Bow-Drawing Stage.
These terms had existed since ancient tis.
Tianli scholars followed similar structures.
However, while all traditions shared the First Heaven’s Enlightennt Stage, their Second Heaven was uniquely nad the Principle and Qi Stage.
This was the most fundantal and defining concept in Scholastic Doctrine cultivation.
Principle and Qi were inseparable—Principle as the foundation, Qi as its function.
Principle was the ultimate root of all existence, the source of all laws and phenona.
One of the core techniques of the Scholastic Doctrine was also called Principle and Qi.
In battle, its main function was to rapidly analyze an opponent’s techniques and assimilate them, deriving corresponding principles and rules.
This was one of the first life-bound techniques that nearly every Scholastic Doctrine cultivator mastered upon reaching the Second Heaven realm.
As they advanced into the Middle and Upper Heavens, this ability evolved further.
Lei Jun shared a similar perspective with Fang Yue on this matter.
Although he had many reservations about Scholastic Doctrine cultivation in this world, he still found so of its unique aspects intriguing.
Lei Jun glanced at Chu Kun and Fang Yue while his own hands moved swiftly.
Violet Yang Thunder and black Yin Thunder erged together, rging into a Yin-Yang Taiji diagram, suppressing the black mist surging from the ocean depths.
The black mist was not only stubborn but also transford upon being attacked, shifting into chains and cages that attempted to trap Lei Jun in return.
The Scholastic Ritual had strong defensive counterasures—any external interference would imdiately trigger a backlash.
What interested Lei Jun most was that at the core of this ritual was also a Taiji diagram.
However, it was not a Daoist Taiji filled with Dao principles but rather one entirely derived from Confucian Scholasticism.
This did not particularly surprise Lei Jun.
In ancient tis, Confucian recitation, Daoist Talismanic cultivation, and even the Witch Sect’s Divine Dance lineage shared overlapping elents.
As these traditions evolved into distinct systems, such similarities beca rarer—but they never disappeared entirely.
The Taiji Diagram was one such concept, present in both Daoism and Confucianism.
However, in the modern Great Tang cultivation world, it was far more common among Daoists.
Confucian scholars still used it, but infrequently.
Yet here, in the Great Ming cultivation world, Lei Jun observed that the Taiji symbol held significant prominence within the mainstream Scholastic Doctrine.
Of course, this particular ritual was not difficult for Lei Jun to overco.
He could either break it with brute force or use his own magic in combination with the power of the Heavenly Book’s Dark Side to erase it entirely.
But after carefully observing the ritual, another idea ford in his mind.
Instead of imdiately breaking it, Lei Jun condensed his violet and black Yin-Yang Taiji to directly counter the ink-ford Taiji of his opponent.
Both sides held firm, refusing to yield.
Within Lei Jun’s consciousness, subtle changes began to erge.
It felt as if ink had seeped into his mind.
The ink was not filthy, but it was persistent.
Through its presence, Lei Jun’s vision was filled with an unfamiliar world—yet its aura and the essence of Scholastic Doctrine were unmistakably similar to the ritual before him.
Although he had never been there, Lei Jun could already guess that this was Tianli—once known as Guizang, one of the Nine Heavens.
This ritual, influenced by Tianli’s fortune, had drawn upon its deep-rooted destiny to form an imnse power, obstructing the Great Tang’s attempt to "close the gate" between realms.
However, as Lei Jun continuously twisted the Taiji within the ritual, its structure grew unstable.
The black mist that had once surged skyward now scattered in all directions.
Although no one was actively controlling this Scholastic Ritual anymore, its deep ties to Tianli’s fate had seemingly granted it a will of its own, launching a desperate counterattack against Lei Jun.
The dispersed ink-like mist condensed into countless chains, reinforcing the prison that sought to bind Lei Jun.
Lei Jun did not dodge.
Nor did he shatter it outright.
Outwardly, he seed to be struggling against the prison.
Alongside his Yin-Yang Twin Thunder Dragons, even his Destined Star Avatar flared to life.
But in reality, Daoist Lei had already disrupted the ritual’s connection to the heavens and was rely stalling.
As Taiji suppressed Taiji, Lei Jun’s Destined Star Avatar struck the outer cage but remained trapped within.
Layer upon layer of inky restraints accumulated, forming a pitch-black box that was soon sealed completely.
From a distance, Chu Kun saw this and was montarily stunned before quickly realizing what was happening.
Still, he put on a look of shock and cried out, “Senior Brother!”
If outsiders recklessly approached or made contact, they too could be caught in it and sealed away.
At the very least, Fang Yue's current strength was insufficient to help Lei Jun break free or "escape" from the ritual from the outside.
With a solemn expression, he cupped his hands toward the "Black City."
"Elder Lei, please rest assured. I will do everything in my power."
Chu Kun also gazed at the Black City, a trace of worry and concern deep in his eyes.
But inwardly, he was full of doubts.
His Second Senior Brother might not be as completely "layered like an onion" as their First Senior Brother, but his abilities were so vast that even Chu Kun couldn't confidently claim to know them all.
And based on what he did know—there was no way his senior brother could be trapped by this ritual.
A mont of carelessness, a misstep?
...Who was he kidding?
Without anyone noticing, Daoist Lei had already left.
All that remained was an empty city.
At this mont, he was concealed beneath his newly refined artifact—the Taiqing Eight Sceneries Cloak.
His entire being seed to rge seamlessly with nature, becoming one with the world—as if he no longer existed.
Fang Yue was a rare genius, powerful in his own right. His cultivation followed the Recitation Lineage of Confucianism, emphasizing soul cultivation, making his spiritual perception far sharper than most cultivators of his level.
And yet—even with his heightened senses, he failed to detect that Lei Jun had already left and was right nearby.
Due to the Tang Imperial Family’s involvent, Lei Daozhang’s journey here had been open and aboveboard.
He moved freely in the Eastern Sea, interacting with people often, his whereabouts clear.
So matters could only be truly grasped from the inside.
Others, however, were best seen from the outside—a clearer perspective only possible once one stepped out of the situation.
For Lei Jun, this was a perfect opportunity to shift from light to shadow.
Everyone had seen it.
Elder Lei of Tianshi Mansion had sacrificed himself for the greater good, bravely risking his life to suppress the Principle Studies cultivators’ ritual, only to beco entangled in a deadlock, unable to escape in the short term.
So—if sothing were to happen next…
Well, it had nothing to do with him.
Only Chu Kun was inford of Lei Jun’s escape.
His reaction?
“Second Senior Brother, brilliant move!”
But—
Not brilliant enough.
The flaw?
He didn’t take Chu Daozhang with him.
Now, Chu Daozhang had to remain in the open, playing his part while supporting Lei Daozhang from a different angle.
But first, he had other matters to handle.
More Principle Studies cultivators were approaching the ritual, attempting to destroy the Chongxiao Radiant Light that Fang Yue and the others had set up.
Chu Kun, Fang Yue, and Monk Faming focused on defending the Chongxiao Radiant Light, engaging the incoming enemies head-on.
Lei Jun, having successfully left the Black City, did not imdiately depart.
He first stood by, silently observing to confirm that Chu Kun and the others were in no danger.
Standing there, he seed to have faded from existence entirely.
The incoming Principle Studies cultivators were no weaklings, but Chu Kun and Fang Yue faced them with steady composure.
As the battle raged on, Chu Kun suddenly had a feeling.
It was as if soone, from a great distance, had locked onto him with deadly intent…
A Confucian Divine Archer?
Within Principle Studies, Confucian scholars ford the dominant force, but they were not alone—other Daoist traditions still existed within their ranks.
And among them, the Divine Archery Lineage of Confucianism was one of the more commonly practiced paths.
At that mont, Fang Yue’s voice rang in Chu Kun’s ears:
"A mirror flies beneath the moon; clouds gather, forming the sea tower."
Before his words had even finished, a streak of radiant arrow-light flashed from afar, hurtling straight toward Chu Kun at incredible speed.
Then—
Moonlight suddenly cascaded down.
A treasured mirror descended from the heavens, positioning itself beside Chu Kun just in ti to intercept the lethal arrow.
The mirror did not shatter.
Instead, its surface shimred, swallowing the arrow whole.
And in the very next instant—
An identical arrow shot out from the mirror’s light, streaking back toward the attacker.
The enemy was caught off guard and let out a muffled groan.
anwhile, a nearby Grand Scholar of Principle Studies seized the mont to attack Fang Yue.
Unfortunately for him—
Clouds billowed around Fang Yue, solidifying into towering city walls upon the sea’s surface.
He was fully shielded, leaving no openings to exploit.
Monk Faming’s White Elephant Dharma Image, towering like a mountain yet swift as the wind, charged toward the distant Divine Archer.
After a fierce battle, Fang Yue and his allies successfully protected the Chongxiao Radiant Light.
For the mont, Principle Studies lacked the manpower to mount another assault.
The battlefield was scattered with skirmishes; nurous battles erupted around various Chongxiao Radiant Light pillars and dark rituals.
However—
In so places, the light pillars had already been extinguished.
“I will go there and reestablish the ritual, restoring the Chongxiao Radiant Light,” Fang Yue declared.
Gazing at a distant pillar of white light that had just dissipated, he turned to Chu Kun and Monk Faming.
"Master, I must trouble you to guard this place. Daoist Chu, please seek out other powerful cultivators to aid Elder Lei in erging as soon as possible."
Due to the overlapping rituals and the massive disturbance of spiritual energy, the sea around the void portal had beco utterly chaotic.
Because of this, long-distance communication thods were currently ineffective.
The only option was to seek aid in person.
Chu Kun remained solemn.
He did not imdiately agree.
Instead, his gaze drifted toward the towering pillar of light connecting heaven and earth.
"As my senior brother said—
The grand sche takes precedence.
A little personal risk is irrelevant to us cultivators.
I dearly wish to free my senior brother as soon as possible, but if it ans delaying the ritual, that would go against his very purpose..."
Monk Faming pressed his palms together.
“Daoist Chu, you speak wisely. But if we can free Elder Lei early, his strength would guarantee this ritual’s success.”
Chu Kun pondered briefly.
Then, with a respectful Daoist bow, he said, "Very well, I leave this place in your hands, Master."
Fang Yue also bid farewell and swiftly flew toward the distant extinguished light pillar.
And Chu Kun departed as well.
But he wasn’t going to seek reinforcents.
In fact—
He had a talisman personally refined by Lei Jun.
Even in this turbulent spiritual environnt, it still allowed for so level of long-range communication—even if the ssages would be incomplete.
But Chu Daozhang had no intention of using it.
Because his Second Senior Brother was perfectly fine.
Seeking help?
For what?
If anything, summoning people might disrupt the "Black City" prematurely.
And that—would be slightly awkward.
Given the current chaos, failing to find assistance was to be expected.
After all, Chu Daozhang was definitely putting in his best effort to look.
If he happened to run into so "unexpected trouble" and vanished for a while—
Well, that was also very possible.
"Keep in touch regularly. Stay safe," the two brothers exchanged a quick farewell.
Lei Jun lingered a mont longer.
When he saw that Principle Studies had not sent reinforcents to attack Monk Faming’s ritual, he nodded slightly and prepared to leave.
His plan was to conceal himself and approach the void portal connecting to the mortal realm.
But just then—
A light sphere flickered in his mind, forming words:
【Morning light casts inked shadows, vast as the abyss, radiant as the sun—supre good fortune.】
And along with it—three ons appeared:
(…)
Lei Jun’s gaze turned east-southeast.
That—
Was the direction Fang Yue had gone.
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