Chapter 226: Chapter 226

The current Crown Prince of the Great Tang Dynasty was named Zhang Hui, the only son of the late Emperor Zhang Qilong.

While Zhang Qilong was still alive, he had already designated Zhang Hui as the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.

However, due to the demonic uprising in the Western Regions, Zhang Qilong suffered severe injuries that never fully healed. After returning to the capital, he struggled for some time before ultimately passing away.

The late emperor was gone, but the Crown Prince was still young—only ten years old at the time.

In a world of cultivators, this was far more complex than the typical "young ruler, uncertain court" scenario.

Or rather, age wasn’t the main issue.

Even if the Crown Prince had still been an infant, as long as he had attained the Upper Heavens Realm, others would have likely accepted his ascension to the throne without question.

Unfortunately, he was not.

Upon ascending to the throne, the new Empress immediately reaffirmed Zhang Hui’s status as the Crown Prince.

Over the years, she had neither married nor borne children.

Thus, within the Tang Imperial Court, the art of imperial cultivation was currently passed down solely between Zhang Wantong and her nephew, Zhang Hui.

"By now, it's been nearly a decade since the late emperor passed away, hasn’t it?" Lei Jun mused. "Hmm, nine years. The Crown Prince should be considered an adult by now, right?"

By secular standards, at nineteen years old, Zhang Hui was certainly of age.

But in the world of Daoist cultivation, and especially within the imperial lineage, adulthood was also measured by one's cultivation realm.

Most notably, when the Empress ascended the throne, she had declared that she would one day return power to her nephew, Zhang Hui.

"I've heard from Senior Sister Shangguan that the Crown Prince isn’t particularly passionate about cultivation," Yuan Mobai said slowly. "Instead, he has a deep love for music, calligraphy, painting, and literature—especially traditional brushwork and paintings."

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow.

"In terms of cultivation, word from the capital suggests that the Crown Prince is currently at the Fourth Heaven Realm."

Lei Jun arched a brow slightly.

A cultivator at the Middle Heavens level by the age of nineteen—this would be considered an extraordinary genius even among prestigious sects or sacred lands.

The art of imperial cultivation was unique. With the support of national destiny and the blessings of the mountains and rivers, its practitioners not only surpassed other cultivators of the same realm in raw strength but also advanced through their cultivation much faster.

Even the formidable tribulations between major realms were significantly easier to overcome—a phenomenon known as "Heaven’s Blessing of the Land."

By comparing Zhang Hui’s progress to previous emperors of the Tang Dynasty, as well as recorded rulers from past dynasties, his cultivation speed was unimpressive.

Considering the recent surge in spiritual energy across the land, which had accelerated cultivation for all practitioners, Zhang Hui’s progress was even more underwhelming.

Lei Jun tapped his fingers lightly. "So, he prefers painting and calligraphy… That’s certainly… interesting."

"With talent like that, do you think the Empress will truly feel at ease passing the throne to him?" Tang Xiaotang asked curiously. "If she were to abdicate and become the Supreme Empress, how would she ensure the proper training of the next Crown Prince? Or would she simply abandon the imperial cultivation technique altogether?"

Tang Xiaotang wasn’t particularly attuned to the political undercurrents between the Tang Imperial Court and noble clans like the Ye Clan of Qingzhou.

But when it came to matters of cultivation and personal strength, she was as sharp as ever.

If Zhang Wantong insisted on continuing her imperial cultivation, yet still intended to pass the throne to her nephew, there was only one viable solution:

She would have to abdicate and become the Supreme Empress, allowing Zhang Hui to ascend.

The downside, however, was that if Zhang Hui later appointed a Crown Prince, that successor would be unable to cultivate the imperial technique—because both the Supreme Empress and the reigning Emperor would already be occupying its mantle.

Of course, Zhang Wantong could simply abandon the imperial cultivation technique and return to her original path of cultivation. This wouldn’t affect her realm, but it would weaken her combat strength against cultivators of the same level.

If Zhang Hui proved to be incapable, this could lead to an overall decline in the strength of the Tang Imperial lineage.

"This is ultimately a matter of the ruler's will," Yuan Mobai said with a smile.

He and Lei Jun exchanged glances.

Tang Xiaotang’s speculation hinged on one key assumption—that the Crown Prince and his aunt were completely aligned in their ambitions.

After all, power shapes perspective. If Zhang Hui truly became Emperor, he would inevitably seek to balance power rather than blindly favor the noble clans.

The Emperor Zhang Hui and the Crown Prince Zhang Hui would essentially be two different people.

Or even two different beings entirely…

But the real issue was that Zhang Wantong had already taken massive strides in her rule.

If the next Emperor wasn’t fully aligned with her vision, many of her policies would inevitably be compromised or even reversed.

Of course, Zhang Wantong could choose to delay passing the throne and continue ruling in her own way.

If secular dynasties could keep a Crown Prince waiting for decades, Zhang Wantong—if she wished—could keep Zhang Hui waiting for centuries…

But in that case, what would Zhang Hui think of it?

"For now, our sect should continue prioritizing recovery and stability," Yuan Mobai said softly. "We should avoid unnecessary entanglements unless absolutely necessary."

"Especially in the near future, we should keep an eye on the situation in Jiangzhou."

Tang Xiaotang suddenly frowned. "Lin Che has returned, but Senior Sister still hasn’t? That’s outrageous."

Lei Jun and his master sighed.

Tang Xiaotang sulked for a moment before suddenly grinning. "Junior Uncle, I’ll be honest—I’ve actually thought about heading to Jiangzhou myself."

Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai exchanged knowing looks.

If Lin Che’s return hadn’t disrupted her plans, Tang Xiaotang likely would have already set out for the Southern Wastelands to find them.

Now that Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai had returned safely to Mount Longhu, her restless thoughts were stirring again.

"To be honest, if not for certain concerns, I would support the Sect Master's idea this time," Yuan Mobai admitted, appearing thoughtful. "Our sect cannot afford reckless risks, but sometimes an unexpected move could catch Jiangzhou off guard—rather than allowing Lin Che to fully prepare before he moves against us."

Tang Xiaotang’s eyes lit up. "Junior Uncle, you think so too?"

Lei Jun interjected, "Senior Sister, when Master mentioned 'certain concerns,' he was referring to two things—first, the other noble clans within the Four Surnames and Six Houses, and second, the mysterious figure who attacked the previous Sect Master and later attempted to steal the Tianshi Robe."

Tang Xiaotang pouted. "That guy… his cultivation was strong, but hiding in the shadows like that is just infuriating. If it weren’t for him, the Tianshi Robe wouldn’t have been lost in the first place!"

Her expression darkened further as she recalled how that figure had used a Yin Moon Soul Stone against her.

The mere thought of it made her grit her teeth.

Since a cultivator’s life-bound artifact or magical treasure was intrinsically linked to their own vitality, most of these treasures would perish along with their owners.

Throughout history, only a few exceptionally powerful artifacts had managed to survive their original wielders’ deaths, ultimately becoming Shushan Sect’s sacred heirlooms.

This was why Shushan Sect was renowned as the holy land of artifact refinement among Daoist sects.

Despite countless generations of disciples refining an ocean of artifacts, most of which had been lost over time, the sect had still managed to preserve six top-tier magical treasures, collectively known as the Six Supreme Treasures.

Among them, two particular swords stood out as Shushan’s most powerful flying swords to date.

One was Purple Star, the other Azure Abyss—together, they were known as the Twin Swords of Shushan.

However, Purple Star Sword had gone missing years ago, and its whereabouts remained unknown.

It was a great regret for all of Shushan.

Whenever new disciples joined the sect, their seniors and instructors never failed to remind them—should they ever venture out into the world, they must always be on the lookout for any trace of the Purple Star Sword.

"May Shushan recover their Purple Star Sword soon, and may we find our Tianshi Robe as well," Lei Jun said, performing a traditional Daoist bow.

Then, he turned to Tang Xiaotang. "Senior Sister, although I still can’t summon the Tianshi Seal, I can now study the Thunder Law Talismanic Canon. Want to take a look?"

Tang Xiaotang’s eyes lit up. "That’s great! Let me see."

She wasn’t particularly interested in cultivating Thunder Law Talismanic Canon or the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.

What she really wanted was to use it as a reference to refine her self-created Pure Yang Celestial Thunder.

More than that, she was deeply curious about the changes in Lei Jun’s comprehension ability.

"How does it feel to have Clear Tranquility Comprehension?" she asked with a knowing grin.

Lei Jun sighed in realization. "Senior Sister, I finally understand the joy you used to talk about."

Tang Xiaotang burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Once she calmed down, she examined Lei Jun carefully, clicking her tongue in amusement.

"They always say that bone structure and comprehension are inborn, and that improving them is nearly impossible—one of the rarest occurrences throughout history.

"But for you, it's like snacking on peanuts."

Lei Jun shrugged. "All luck, but not simple luck."

Tang Xiaotang raised an eyebrow. "At this rate, are you going to suddenly evolve from a Sacred Physique to a Celestial Physique next?"

Lei Jun smirked. "If it were possible, I’d love to experience your full level of joy, Senior Sister. But things can’t be forced. I’ll just follow fate and take things as they come."

"This trip to the Southern Wastelands has given me some valuable insights," Yuan Mobai suddenly interjected. "I’ll need to enter seclusion for a while."

He then turned to Lei Jun. "The Crown Prince’s visit to Mount Longhu is no small matter, but as long as our sect remains firm in its stance and does not get involved in imperial affairs, we should be fine."

Zhang Hui might seem wholly devoted to art and literature, but his current departure from the capital was bound to stir speculation.

Tang Xiaotang waved a hand. "Don’t worry about it, Junior Uncle. Go ahead."

Yuan Mobai left to begin his secluded cultivation.

Lei Jun, on the other hand, returned to the Decree Pavilion to resume his duties.

Fortunately, his position was fairly relaxed—despite his long absence, his work hadn’t been disrupted.

Now that he was settled back in, Lei Jun took the time to sort through the insights he had gained during his trip to the Southern Wastelands.

In the days that followed, he focused on studying the Thunder Law Talismanic Canon with Tang Xiaotang while continuing to advance his own cultivation.

Now that his comprehension had improved, he found it much easier to keep up with Tang Xiaotang’s pace.

Though, due to his current cultivation realm, she was still the one explaining most of the time, and he was the one listening.

Still, after accumulating enough knowledge over time, Lei Jun had not only refined his Dao Seal further but had also perfected a new self-created talisman technique—something he had been developing for a long time.

This third life-bound technique had been an empty slot ever since he had attained the Dao Seal Realm, and now he was finally ready to fill it.

It was a fusion of the Thousand-Mile Transmission Talisman—a high-tier spirit talisman from Tianshi Mansion—along with his own self-created Two-Element Magnetic Mantra, combined with the spiritual energy and insight he had gained from the Heaven’s Eye Mirror.

The result was a talismanic technique that allowed him to perceive and listen to the world over vast distances.

Its name: Heaven’s Sight, Earth’s Hearing Talisman.

With this new technique as his third life-bound spell, Lei Jun continued refining and improving it.

Completely engrossed in his cultivation, time passed in a blink.

While Elder Lei Jun cultivated in peace, the outside world remained turbulent.

Only a few external matters truly caught his attention.

For instance, Crown Prince Zhang Hui had left Pure Yang Palace and, as his second destination, had chosen to travel through Guanlong into Shu, where he would visit Shushan Sect next.

Of the Three Great Daoist Holy Lands, he had deliberately left Tianshi Mansion for last.

As Yuan Mobai had said, no matter how unpredictable the world was, their sect would remain steadfast in their own course.

However, Zhang Hui’s journey had also uncovered a shocking revelation from Pure Yang Palace—one that quickly spread and caught Lei Jun’s attention.

His expression turned slightly strange as he looked at Tang Xiaotang.

"Pure Yang Palace has a new rising star with a Celestial Physique… a Pure Yin Physique, no less?"

Tang Xiaotang waved a hand nonchalantly. "She’s been in the sect for a while now. They just kept her hidden until now."

This was… black comedy at its finest.

Alright, it was only dark humor in theory. With Pure Yang Palace’s foundation as the holy land of Daoist alchemy, they certainly had ways to ensure that girl’s potential wouldn’t go to waste.

"Well, she definitely won’t be able to surpass me."

Tang Xiaotang smirked. "She’s only at the Sixth Heaven Realm right now, but her cultivation speed is already slower than when I reached the Seventh Heaven Realm."

Lei Jun nodded thoughtfully. "I wonder how high her comprehension ability is."

A young genius like Tang Xiaotang had every reason to be proud. Even among the historically recorded prodigies with Celestial Physiques and Clear Tranquility Comprehension, her cultivation speed was among the fastest.

"In the stories you’ve told me before, people like me and her would be destined rivals, right?" Tang Xiaotang scoffed.

Lei Jun glanced at her. "Or… perhaps you two are destined to be something else—the whole ‘love-hate’ dynamic and all that…"

Tang Xiaotang froze. "Did I not make myself clear? She’s a girl."

Lei Jun remained composed. "In some stories, gender isn’t really an obstacle for that kind of thing."

Tang Xiaotang’s eyes widened as she stared blankly into space, as if her brain had just short-circuited.