Chapter 227: Chapter 227

Tang Xiaotang seemed visibly dazed when she left.

Lei Jun watched her departing figure and stroked his chin. "So this actually hit her harder... Looks like I’ll have to be more careful about this in the future."

Fortunately, Tianshi Tang was quite easygoing and quickly put it behind her.

For now, Lei Jun only treated the rumors about the Pure Yin Maiden of the Pure Yang Palace as mere gossip.

Compared to that, he paid much closer attention to other news—particularly the latest updates trickling in from the Southern Wasteland.

Although Wei Anchang had escaped, the Blood River Sect had suffered heavy losses.

In recent years, they had been like a flock of carrion-feeding vultures, drawn to the scent of blood, stirring up chaos in the open and from the shadows, taking advantage of the turmoil.

And they had indeed reaped great rewards—apart from Wei Anchang himself, most Blood River cultivators had profited handsomely.

Not only had Wei Anchang finally taken the first step from the Eighth Heaven to the Ninth Heaven, but the overall strength of the Blood River Sect had surged.

Many Blood River disciples who had remained hidden in the past were now exposed. The more rampant they had been before, the more perilous their situation was now, as they were hunted down and attacked from all sides.

Following the deaths of Tu Dong, Xiong Gang, and Lian Ran, several more Blood River Elders had been surrounded and slain, with countless key figures either killed or wounded.

What caught Lei Jun’s attention slightly was news about another expert of the Blood River Sect—Xing Feng, reputed to be the top talent of the younger generation.

Unlike the rest of the sect, he had always kept a low profile, rarely engaging in wanton slaughter or provoking others.

Yet despite this, he had still risen to prominence within the Blood River Sect, a testament to his extraordinary talent and strength.

He was known for operating alone and had little interaction with the other Blood River members.

Only when the sect faced a sudden downturn did Xing Feng make occasional appearances, helping a select few Blood River disciples escape.

However, he did not extend that same aid to the sect master, Wei Anchang.

Such actions naturally led observers to speculate that things within the Blood River Sect might have become... complicated.

Meanwhile, Songlu, the Holy Master of Gepo Mountain, had suffered severe injuries during the battle at Sleeping Dragon Lake.

Li Tianqing chose to escort her back to the Holy Land of Gepo Mountain.

As a result, the Divine Dance lineage withdrew from the pursuit of the Blood River Sect.

Yuan Shanji, who had been expelled from Gepo Mountain, also escaped disaster.

Although the Divine Dance lineage did not take the opportunity to eliminate him, he had been injured in the battle at Sleeping Dragon Lake and then vanished entirely. He had not resurfaced since.

Reincarnation Abyss and Yin Mountain Grotto, led by their top experts Feng Gui and Hu Hengyuan, participated in the subsequent battles.

Apart from the Blood River Sect, Golden Castle also suffered heavy losses.

The sect’s sacred grounds, which had barely been rebuilt, were once again abandoned and destroyed. The Ghost Dao lineage was scattered, their disciples hiding and concealing their whereabouts.

Aside from Gao Pu, rumors suggested that two other Seventh Heaven Elders had fallen.

Even the "Ghost King" Zong Han, the Holy Master of Golden Castle, had sacrificed an exceptionally powerful Evil Soul just to escape.

This significantly reduced the threat they posed.

Lei Jun, upon hearing this, nodded to himself.

Zong Han and Gao Pu’s lineage had long been at odds with the Tianshi Mansion.

Thus, after Zong Han unified Golden Castle, it had become yet another enemy of the Tianshi Mansion.

Previously, when Wei Anchang led the Blood River Sect to suppress Golden Castle, they had already lost key figures like Cao Chu.

Now, with Gao Pu and others also perishing, Golden Castle was severely weakened.

Just like the Blood River Sect, they were now being hunted in the Southern Wasteland and would have to focus on survival for the foreseeable future.

Their ability to stir up trouble for the Tianshi Mansion was significantly reduced.

Moreover, those within Golden Castle who had previously been forced into submission by Zong Han and Gao Pu might now be having second thoughts, leading to internal instability in what had once been a unified sect.

Wei Anchang and the Blood River Sect had been gravely wounded, and the Sui imperial remnants were in just as dire straits.

It had always been difficult for them to cultivate talent, and now Crown Prince Yang Yuqi had nearly been left without any followers.

In this situation, their dream of restoration seemed even more unattainable—a mirage.

Even if Yang Yuqi himself could persist, how many of his remaining followers would still have the determination and confidence to continue?

From this perspective, the Tang imperial family had achieved their initial goal, even if they had failed to eliminate Wei Anchang and Yang Yuqi.

After all, Empress Zhang Wantong and the other imperial powerhouses had not even needed to head south.

Of course, there had been losses as well.

Aside from the earlier death of Shangguan Peng, the Tang Divine Strategy Army had lost another Seventh Heaven martial expert.

Many others were injured, including top generals like Shangguan Yunbo, who could hold his own in battle.

To preserve his own forces and safeguard the Dangkou Golden Halberd, as well as escort the fractured imperial jade seal of the Sui Dynasty back to the capital, he had to withdraw from the front lines and return north earlier than planned.

In the aftermath of the battle, however, Xiao Xueting and Shen Qubing made a name for themselves through their accomplishments.

Yet for many, the biggest mystery of this entire war was the sudden intervention of the White Lotus Sect’s Future Maitreya against Wei Anchang.

This future sect master of the White Lotus Sect rarely acted, but when he did, he showed no mercy.

He had even brought the sect’s sacred artifact, the Ninth-Grade White Jade Lotus Platform, all the way to the Southern Wasteland, personally taking part in the battle against Wei Anchang.

Yet, just as swiftly as he arrived, he disappeared without a trace after Wei Anchang fled, leaving behind a cloud of unanswered questions.

One of the few people who knew the truth—Lei Daozhang of Mount Longhu—remained calm and composed, as if he were merely listening to other people’s gossip.

"So, Suzhou is about to see some action as well?" Lei Jun asked with interest, looking at the two Daoists before him.

Both men wore deep red Daoist robes, dressed as Talismanic Daoists.

One of them looked quite young, appearing to be in his early twenties.

In reality, he was still under thirty—this was Chu Kun, a fellow disciple from Lei Jun’s own lineage.

Seated beside Chu Kun was another Daoist who appeared to be in his thirties but whose hair was already streaked with white, showing signs of hardship—Chu Andong, another member of the Suzhou Chu Clan.

Chu Andong had joined the Tianshi Mansion before both Lei Jun and Chu Kun.

Once, he had been a promising talent nurtured by the Tianshi Mansion.

Although he started slightly later than Lei Jun, he had successfully undergone the Talismanic Conferral and become a Talismanic Disciple of Mount Longhu.

But fate was unpredictable.

When he attempted to break through from the Third Heaven Altar Realm to the Fourth Heaven Primal Talisman Stage, he encountered the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation—and failed.

This tribulation was notorious for being not only difficult but extremely dangerous.

A single misstep meant no second chances.

By sheer luck, Chu Andong had survived, barely holding onto his life.

However, his cultivation was completely ruined.

Had he not been from a prestigious family like the Suzhou Chu Clan, and had his master not belonged to a Daoist Holy Land like Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion, he might not have survived at all.

Thanks to years of careful nurturing, he now appeared no different from an ordinary person.

He had not returned to the Suzhou Chu Clan, and the Tianshi Mansion had not expelled him.

Instead, his status as a Talismanic Disciple remained intact, and he was given minor responsibilities within the mansion, allowing him to continue living on the mountain.

Thus, when discussing the unfolding situation in Suzhou, his tone remained calm and steady:

"Dakong Temple has withdrawn its forces from Tianlong Temple. The Suzhou Chu Clan has joined forces with the imperial army to begin purging the rebel monks of Dakong Temple."

At first, that hadn’t been the case.

Dakong Temple had been openly flaunting its strength right at Tianlong Temple’s doorstep, completely disregarding Tianlong Temple’s deep-rooted influence and geographical advantage in Suzhou.

If the Suzhou Chu Clan hadn’t been secretly supporting them, that would have been truly bizarre.

At that time, a significant portion of the Tang imperial family’s attention was tied up in the Southern Wasteland.

But could the prosperous lands of Jiangnan really be allowed to suffer unchecked turmoil?

The Tang Dynasty swiftly deployed troops to aid Tianlong Temple.

This move was within many people’s expectations.

However, the commander leading the reinforcements shocked nearly everyone.

The general spearheading the campaign to suppress the rebellion at Tianlong Temple was none other than the Crown Prince of Prince Zhao.

Prince Zhao himself was one of the longest-standing pillars of the Tang Dynasty, guarding the northern frontier, deterring threats from minor warlords, and keeping the Lin Clan of Youzhou—one of the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans—in check.

But in recent years, the old prince’s stance had become somewhat ambiguous.

On the surface, Prince Zhao’s mansion and the Lin Clan of Youzhou remained adversaries, yet sharp-eyed observers could tell that tensions between them had considerably eased.

Moreover, Prince Zhao had reportedly maintained subtle but unclear ties with the Ye Clan of Jinzhou and even the Ye Clan of Qingzhou.

When considering the two previous imperial successions—especially the fact that Prince Zhao had been a candidate for the throne after the passing of the late emperor, Zhang Qilong, only to once again miss his chance—his current attitude raised all sorts of speculation.

And yet, despite all of this, his heir, the Crown Prince of Prince Zhao, had now been sent south by imperial decree to quell the rebellion, throwing the situation into even greater uncertainty.

"People in Suzhou were completely caught off guard," Chu Kun said in a low voice.

He had no reservations about discussing these matters in front of Lei Jun.

After all, they were all disciples of Mount Longhu.

The same went for Chu Andong.

"I heard that someone from Youzhou rushed south overnight to meet with the Suzhou Chu Clan," Chu Andong said calmly.

He spoke vaguely, but both Lei Jun and Chu Kun immediately understood—Prince Zhao’s mansion had sent an envoy to Suzhou specifically to explain the situation.

Explain what, exactly?

That the Crown Prince had acted on his own and not on Prince Zhao’s orders?

If that were the case, then this development was indeed noteworthy.

Why would the Crown Prince deliberately undermine Prince Zhao?

To put it bluntly, if Prince Zhao managed to ascend the throne and become the new ruler of the Tang Dynasty, his son would be the designated heir.

Not to mention the tremendous boost in fortune that came with the Mandate of Heaven—something every member of the imperial family dreamed of attaining.

"The conflict between Prince Zhao and his son must be extreme—perhaps to the point where the Crown Prince is at risk of being disowned and stripped of his title," Lei Jun speculated. "That scenario is highly unlikely, but given the current situation, it’s hard to dismiss entirely."

The true thoughts and motives of the Crown Prince remained a mystery.

However, his decision to lead the imperial army south had certainly unsettled the Suzhou Chu Clan.

Instead of probing deeper into the Tang imperial family's true stance, they now found themselves caught off guard by the empress's unexpected move.

The empress had played an unpredictable and unconventional move, leaving everyone guessing.

In response, the Suzhou Chu Clan had little choice but to roll with the situation—on the surface, at least, they reaffirmed their loyalty to the court and cooperated with the imperial forces in suppressing the rebellion.

As a result, Dakong Temple withdrew, lifting the siege on Tianlong Temple.

"Our empress certainly knows how to make unexpected plays," Lei Jun chuckled. "Even when stealing away allies, she wields her tricks with remarkable finesse."

Chu Andong remained composed. "Using conventional means and surprise tactics together is indeed a sound strategy, but if I may be frank, Her Majesty seems to favor surprises far more than standard methods. While this has produced unexpected victories, the openings on the board are growing smaller. In the end, a direct confrontation will be unavoidable."

Lei Jun and Chu Kun both fell into thoughtful silence.

Although Buddhism and Daoism were distinct traditions, at times, they shared similar struggles.

With Tianlong Temple now free from danger, the entire Mount Longhu also breathed a sigh of relief.

For Lei Jun, beyond keeping tabs on external developments, his main focus remained on his own cultivation and refining his Daoist arts.

That is, until an event arrived that directly involved him.

The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace—after leaving Shushan Sect—had chosen Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion as his next destination.

A special envoy had already arrived to discuss the schedule and reception arrangements.

Although the Crown Prince was of noble status, he was not the empress herself, meaning it was unnecessary for the Tianshi to personally receive him.

Instead, Elder Shangguan Ning would handle the welcome.

With Yuan Mobai in seclusion and Wang Guiyuan away, that left Lei Jun and Chu Kun as the ranking disciples of their lineage.

Under normal circumstances, once the Crown Prince arrived at Mount Longhu, they would be expected to at least make an appearance and extend their greetings.

Chu Kun hesitated. "Senior Brother, although the Crown Prince has never been interested in politics and spends most of his time indulging in the arts, his decision to leave the capital this time feels like an attempt to make his presence known."

Lei Jun nodded. "That’s a possibility."

Chu Kun had already made up his mind. "It’s best not to get involved in matters between the emperor and the heir. Should we just take this opportunity to avoid the whole thing?"

To be honest, Lei Jun had been considering the same thing.

But unexpectedly, the glowing sphere in his mind surfaced with a new message:

"With the Crown Prince's arrival, external and internal currents will stir. Face it with stillness, and fortune and misfortune shall move with the thunder."

Supreme Good Omen: During the Crown Prince’s visit, remain at Mount Longhu and actively engage with the guests. This presents an opportunity to acquire a Third-Grade Opportunity related to personal growth. No risks. No consequences. Great fortune.

Moderate Omen: Stay at Mount Longhu during the Crown Prince’s visit but avoid interacting with the guests. No gains, no losses—neutral outcome.

Lower-Moderate Omen: Leave the mountain during the Crown Prince’s visit. No immediate gains, but minor disturbances will arise. No major dangers, but hidden troubles may surface in the future. Misfortune.

It turns out that leaving might actually cause problems, while staying to receive the Crown Prince could result in great fortune?