Lei Jun: "Everyone, please rise."
Lei Jun and his disciples landed, returning half a bow to the people of Yuhe Sect who were bowing to them.
He looked toward a Daoist woman in a blue robe in the crowd. "Master Zhao, it’s good to see you again."
The woman in the blue robe was Zhao Xuan, the current Sect Leader of Yuhe Sect. Lei Jun had interacted with her during past ceremonies when she visited Tianshi Mansion on Mount Longhu.
Zhao Xuan smiled. "I am doing well. Elder Lei, you’ve traveled far. The presence of Tianshi Mansion brings great honor to Yuhe Sect."
Standing behind Lei Jun, Zhuo Baoye, who was much younger in age and status, perford a formal bow. "Greetings, Master Zhao."
He then greeted the other people from Yuhe Sect, and everyone responded with their own bows.
Though Zhuo Baoye was young and of lower rank, he was a true disciple of Tianshi Mansion and a practitioner at the Fourth Heaven of the Yuanfu Realm. If he were outside Mount Longhu, he would indeed be considered an elder by the sects, and only a few of Yuhe Sect's senior Talismanic Elders would be on his level.
The rest of the Talismanic Disciples and Daoist Apprentices would, in other circumstances, greet him respectfully and even follow his orders.
After Lei Jun and his disciples exchanged formal greetings with Zhao Xuan and the others, Zhao Xuan led them toward the mountain gate of Yuhe Sect.
Upon arrival, more Yuhe Sect elders and disciples, including Talismanic Disciples and young Daoist Apprentices dressed in gray robes, ca forward to greet and pay their respects to Lei Jun.
Later that evening, Lei Jun and his disciples rested within the Yuhe Sect mountain gate.
"Master Lu Boyuan?" Lei Jun asked, turning to a disciple of Yuhe Sect accompanying him.
The man, appearing in his thirties or forties, responded respectfully: "Yes, Elder Lei."
Lu Boyuan looked a bit more mature than Lei Jun rembered, but his features hadn't changed much.
In the past, Lei Jun had encountered several disciples of Yuhe Sect when he was in Youpeng Mountain, where Lu Boyuan had been one of them.
As for the others who had been with Lu Boyuan, such as Chen Xi and He Bin, they either fell victim to the Zezhou Gao Family's sches or were eliminated by Lei Jun himself after betraying him.
At that ti, Lei Jun had warned them not to approach the peak of Youpeng Mountain, but only Lu Boyuan had heeded the advice.
Now, more than twenty years had passed, and the Zezhou Gao Family had fallen due to Lei Jun's actions, proving that ti indeed erases the past.
"Master Chen and the others went to the peak of Youpeng Mountain, but they never returned. I truly owe my survival to your advice, Elder Lei," Lu Boyuan said, recalling the events with a sense of gratitude.
At that ti, Lei Jun had been young and his cultivation low, so he had kept the matter of the Zezhou Gao Family's demise a secret. Yuhe Sect didn't know about the true cause of Chen Xi and He Bin's fate, thinking they had perished in a natural disaster at Youpeng Mountain.
But with the Zezhou Gao Family now a distant mory, Lei Jun had no intention of revisiting that part of history.
Upon hearing Lu Boyuan's ntion of the old days, he responded calmly: "The future is difficult to predict, and the forces of fate are mysterious. As cultivators, all we can do is be extra cautious."
Lu Boyuan: "Yes, I will heed Elder Lei's advice."
Zhao Xuan, the Sect Leader, smiled and nodded as well.
After sitting for a while, Zhao Xuan excused herself and the disciples, leaving them to rest. Before she left, she made a polite offer: "Elder Lei’s arrival is a rare opportunity for our disciples. May I ask if you could kindly share your teachings on the true thods of Tianshi Mansion?"
Lei Jun smiled and replied humbly: "Master Zhao, you flatter . I am rely a humble servant. This ti, I have taken on the responsibility of traveling to visit various sects and elders. I will make more trips in the future, and I would be honored to discuss the Dao with you and the other mbers of your sect when the ti is right."
Zhao Xuan smiled and lowered her head slightly: "You are always welco to visit, Elder Lei."
Afterward, Zhao Xuan and the others left.
Once they had gone, a few of the Yuhe Sect elders murmured to each other. One elder said quietly: "I’ve heard that Elder Lei's temperant is different from Master Yuan’s. He seems much more distant and aloof, just as the rumors said."
Zhao Xuan glanced at Lu Boyuan, who had co out with them, and said: "I don't see it that way."
The elders looked at each other thoughtfully.
Zhao Xuan continued, "Elder Lei’s cultivation and clear-mindedness are not surprising. He rembers Lu Boyuan and the events from the past, which is not uncommon."
She added, "What is rare is that he is willing to talk about it. While his deanor is indeed distant, he is still compassionate towards his fellow Daoists and disciples. The rumors about him caring for his fellow cultivators and showing concern for younger disciples are true."
The Yuhe Sect elders nodded in agreent: "Indeed, Master Zhao. Elder Lei is detached from the world, yet he holds his disciples and Daoist brothers in high regard."
The group did not discuss the matter any further.
However, the decision to send Lei Jun out as a High Elder for the Wind Patrol held significant symbolism.
Such a gifted individual with a peaceful and humble deanor who still cared deeply for his fellow Daoists would undoubtedly inspire respect and admiration if he were to rise to higher ranks in the future.
Lei Jun understood the thoughts of the Yuhe Sect elders, but he did not dwell on it.
During his stay at Yuhe Sect, he and his disciple Zhuo Baoye took a brief tour of the area.
Later, they prepared to leave. On the night of February 10th, they arrived at the Qingyu Mountain region on the northern bank of Yuhe River.
Standing on the eastern foothills, Lei Jun stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the distant sky where the Great Heavenly Mirror hung.
But this ti, the Great Heavenly Mirror was not necessary.
With his current cultivation level, Lei Jun was well aware of the potential anomalies in the area and could easily detect them with focused attention. Very few things could escape his perception.
Soon enough, Lei Jun found his target.
His gaze shifted to the forest, but he did not act imdiately.
As the ti ntioned in the on approached, a dry spring in the rocks suddenly erupted.
The water was chilling and clear, reflecting the bright moon in the sky. The scene was serene and cold under the moonlit night.
"Master, what is this?" Zhuo Baoye asked, surprised.
Lei Jun: "This is the Yin Moon Cold Spring. It looks like it has been dry for many years, but due to the recent changes in the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth, it has revived tonight."
Zhuo Baoye, ever curious, looked around, and then he noticed a thin white mist rising from the spring, incredibly cold.
At his Fourth Heaven cultivation, he was sensitive to the malignant energy forming. He was shocked: "Master, is that... malignant energy?"
Lei Jun nodded: "Yes, it's Ice Spring Reflecting Moon Malignant Energy. A rare cold evil energy. It seems the water vein has revived due to the change in the Earth Veins, but it's unstable, and the malignant energy has already begun to form. By tomorrow, the water vein and the energy will both be destroyed."
It appeared that the on of a moderate on was indeed ant for this mont.
The reason the on specifically ntioned "midnight on the 10th of February" was likely because, without the proper timing, one might miss the revival of the Yin Moon Cold Spring or allow it to be destroyed by the Ice Spring Reflecting Moon Malignant Energy.
Lei Jun smiled and looked at his disciple: "You have good luck."
Zhuo Baoye, usually calm, now showed excitent, eager to take action.
Under Lei Jun's careful guidance, Zhuo Baoye's path in cultivation was clear. He was progressing well and had even chosen to refine both Yin and Yangmalignant energies.
This approach was linked to his own unique heritage.
Lei Jun smiled, knowing his disciple had a bright future ahead.
Tianxu Mountain, Tianxu Sect.
Although his responsibility was to inspect all directions, as a newly appointed official, Lei Jun's first trip was mainly to familiarize himself with the various branches of the sect, et with familiar faces, and strengthen the connection between the branches of the Talisman Sect and the ancestral court of Longhu Mountain.
So, during this trip, Lei Jun didn’t plan any surprise visits. Before reaching the Tianxu Sect, he had already notified the Sect Master, Tu Guangyu, in advance.
Just like when he visited Zixiao Sect and Yuhe Sect, Tu Guangyu had already coordinated with the key mbers of the sect and set out early to greet Lei Jun.
"Lei Elder, welco, welco," Tu Guangyu greeted with a smile.
He had a good relationship with Yuan Mobai and had visited Longhu Mountain's ancestral court many tis over the years. Most of the ti, it was Lei Jun and his fellow disciples who welcod and sent him off. So, Tu Guangyu and Lei Jun were quite familiar with each other.
Lei Jun’s cultivation journey was sothing Tu Guangyu had watched closely. Looking back at the young disciple who once stayed temporarily at Tianxu Sect, Tu Guangyu felt quite sentintal.
"Tu Shibo, my Master sends his regards," Lei Jun said after their formal conversation.
Afterward, in the evening, Tu Guangyu privately invited Lei Jun to sit together. Both of them were quite casual.
When Lei Jun ntioned Yuan Mobai, Tu Guangyu smiled and asked, “Master Yuan has been kind to you. I didn’t return to the ancestral court this ti for the Talisman Conferral Ceremony. It’s been two years since I last saw Master Yuan, how is he now?"
Lei Jun responded, "Master is doing well. Please rest assured, Shibo."
Tu Guangyu nodded repeatedly, "That’s good to hear."
He looked at Lei Jun, his expression filled with emotion. "It’s like the student surpassing the teacher. I’m sure Master Yuan is very happy to have such a disciple. Ti flies; it’s been nearly thirty years since we first t. The Li Family War was more than twenty years ago."
"Indeed, ti flies," Lei Jun nodded gently.
Looking at Tu Guangyu, he calmly said, "Thinking back, those days when I listened to your teachings with Senior Sister Xia feel like they were just yesterday."
Tu Guangyu sighed, "So, you’ve already heard about it?"
Lei Jun nodded slightly, "My Master and I were looking into the whereabouts of Senior Brother Xia and Senior Sister Xia. It wasn’t aid at Tianxu Mountain."
Tu Guangyu replied, "I believe that. I can see that the Sect hasn’t made things difficult for the Xia family."
The Xia family was a local noble family under a prestigious na, and many of its mbers had joined Longhu Mountain’s Tianshi Mansion over the years. Among them, Sumr Bo, a senior brother to Yuan Mobai and Tu Guangyu, was the leader.
Sumr Bo’s nephews, Xia Xiu Shan and Xia Qing, had also been prominent figures among the younger generation of the Tianshi Mansion.
However, Sumr Bo married Li Hongyu, and the Xia family was often seen as closely tied to the Li family. As a result, during the last Li Family War, when the Li family was defeated and fled, the Xia family, including Xia Xiu Shan and Xia Qing, were implicated. They disappeared after the battle, and it had been over twenty years since then.
As for their whereabouts, Yuan Mobai had already been aware but had never brought it up publicly.
As Tu Guangyu ntioned, Longhu Mountain did not make things difficult for the Xia family. Officially, the Li family branches were treated separately from the Xia family, and no action had been taken against them. However, they had not been contacted to return to the mountain either. In essence, the matter had been handled quietly.
"Let’s not talk about Hongyu Shibo for now," Tu Guangyu continued. "Sumr Bo died in the battle at Poyang Lake. He fought the Lin family of Jiangzhou."
Lei Jun spoke, "Senior Brother Xia and Senior Sister Xia had no bad deeds, so the sect never sealed their talisman records. However, the influence of the Li family was not solely about their individual mbers. The effects they left behind would require a long ti, perhaps even decades or centuries, to erase."
Although the Li family had beco history, they had set a precedent within the Tianshi Mansion. This precedent could continuously inspire future generations to attempt the sa thing, thereby giving rise to new "Li families." Completely stopping this kind of atmosphere wasn’t sothing that could be accomplished in a short ti.
Whether Lei Jun succeeded Tang Xiaotang as the next Tianshi or not, he was confident that no such incidents would occur under his leadership. But the human heart was unpredictable. To stabilize the hearts of the people, it would take long-term efforts, and during this ti, it was important to avoid any signals being misinterpreted.
The reason for handling the Li family and Xia family issues quietly was because of this.
"I understand the effort of the Tianshi and Master Yuan," Tu Guangyu sighed. "It’s just that, thinking back to how Sumr Chongqing helped the Xia family back then, I felt compelled to lend them a hand."
Lei Jun said, "Shibo’s kindness is not wrong, but this matter still shouldn’t be made public."
Tu Guangyu nodded, "I understand."
Looking out the window, he said, "Over the years, Sumr’s descendants have had it a bit easier."
This was naturally because Longhu Mountain had grown stronger, while the Huang Tiandao had suffered a significant blow. Although Longhu Mountain didn’t pursue the matter, Huang Tiandao had initiated a manhunt for the remnants of the Li family and the Xia family. After being defeated by Lei Jun and Xu Yuanzhen, Huang Tiandao was forced to remain low-key.
The situation for the Xia family had greatly improved since then.
"Speaking of Huang Tiandao, what’s the current stance of the sect?" Tu Guangyu turned his gaze from the window and asked Lei Jun.
Lei Jun replied, "In my personal view, for those who have no blood feud and are willing to return, the sect will open its doors for them. However, each case still needs to be carefully examined."
Tu Guangyu nodded gently, recalling the entanglents with Huang Tiandao over the years. He thought about forr brothers who had joined Huang Tiandao and fought against Tianxu Mountain, and a sense of lancholy filled him. He sighed again.
After coming to his senses, Tu Guangyu nodded to Lei Jun, silently acknowledging him.
With a calm deanor and a sharp mind, Lei Jun was both efficient and warm in his approach. With such a successor, the future of Longhu Mountain looked bright.
After spending so ti at Tianxu Mountain, Lei Jun bid farewell and continued on his journey to visit other branches of the Talisman Sect.
Along the way, he traveled using the purple lightning clouds and gazed westward.
Earlier, when he spoke with Tu Guangyu, they ntioned Huang Tiandao. At present, Huang Tiandao was in a state of turmoil.
The human Dao Kingdom had been severely defeated by Longhu Mountain.
Huang Xuanpu, Fu Dongshen, Liu Dongzhuo, and others had to hide their whereabouts.
Their control over Huang Tiandao was sowhat waning.
anwhile, after years of effort, Kang Ming had completely turned the tables on Wen Zhaoqian, the forr high-ranking elder of the Pure Yang Palace, who had once tried to seize his body.
Kang Ming succeeded in his breakthrough, reaching the Yuan Ying stage of the Talisman Sect, marking him as the first person to progress from the sixth heaven to the seventh, despite still being in the realm of Talisman Sect.
For Kang Ming, reaching the Yuan Ying stage not only extended his lifespan but also gave him the confidence to face the current state of affairs.
Even with his new level of cultivation, he needed to stay low-key, but now he could start planning for more.
For instance, Huang Tiandao’s new altar.
...
Kang Ming’s movents were sothing Lei Jun would not interfere with. The man was cautious and patient, waiting for the right mont, rather than acting impulsively.
Lei Jun continued his Tur Angin, traveling smoothly with no obstacles along the way. He completed his visit to the important branches of Longhu Mountain's external territories.
After finishing the visits, Lei Jun didn’t return to the mountain right away. There were still other official matters to attend to.
This sumr solstice, the Shushan Sect was about to have a new Sect Master. Zhang Taigang, who was from the sa generation as Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang, would beco the new master of the sect.
The rise of the younger generation of cultivators was becoming more and more apparent. However, Zhang Taigang’s ascension was no easy task; he would face a huge challenge.
The Shushan Sect’s six famous treasures were now reduced to half, and this was thanks to Zhang Dongyuan retrieving the Beiming Divine Spear. Otherwise, the Shushan Sect would have even less.
Only four eighth-heaven masters remained.
The older Xu Duan, the noble Zhang Dongyuan, the younger and newly risen Zhang Taigang, and the one who had just crossed the seven-heaven tribulation, Ye Dongming, from a prestigious family.
Despite Ye Dongming separating himself from the Cangzhou Ye family, the Shushan Sect’s situation didn’t allow for further risks.
Zhang Taigang, though young, had made rapid progress, making him the only choice to lead.
Lei Jun was sent by the Tianshi Mansion to attend the ceremony.
Zhang Dongyuan, the high-ranking elder of the Shushan Sect, personally ca to greet him: "Daoist Xuanxiaozi, this way please."
Lei Jun smiled and returned the greeting: "Senior Zhang, you’re too kind. I apologize for the intrusion."
With his disciples in tow, Lei Jun was led by Zhang Dongyuan to the ancestral court of Shushan Sect on the Misty Peaks.
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