Chapter 246: Chapter 246

The remnants of the Southern Lin Clan, after breaking out of Jiangzhou separately, gradually slowed their pace and reconnected, seeking to regroup. However, they were still shaken and unsettled.

By gathering these people and combining intelligence from Youzhou and Xinzhou, external factions gradually pieced together the “full picture” of the Battle of Jiangzhou.

“The Tianshi Sword did go to Jiangzhou, but Yuan Mobai, who is at the Eighth Heaven Realm, never left Mount Longhu. He remained guarding the Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar.”

Elder Fang Du of the Jingxiang Fang Clan and Elder Chu Peng of the Suzhou Chu Clan exchanged sighs. “A newly ascended High Priest of the Upper Heavens from the Tianshi Mansion on Mount Longhu.”

Fang Du gazed in the direction of Jiangzhou. “It’s not Zhang Jingzhen, but Lei Jun… He’s only been cultivating for just over twenty years, hasn’t he?”

Chu Peng nodded silently.

“A peerless talent!” Fang Du let out a long sigh.

Chu Peng did not refute him; he wholeheartedly agreed.

He understood that Fang Du had his own personal perspective on this matter.

He was actually slightly younger than Lei Jun from the Tianshi Mansion, and it was said that he had a promising future—expected to attain the Seventh Heaven Realm in Confucian Recitation before the age of forty.

But the issue was that Fang Yue had been hailed as a prodigy since childhood, regarded as a qilin child. At the mere age of twenty, he had already earned the title of “Master Yongshan,” becoming renowned not only in Jingxiang but across the entire region.

Yet, from the time he formally began his scholarly cultivation, he had now spent over twenty years on the path—making his progress slower than that of Lei Jun from the Tianshi Mansion.

And that wasn’t even the most frustrating part for the Jingxiang Fang Clan.

What truly pained Fang Du was that Fang Yue had gone to the capital and enrolled in the Imperial Academy.

The best crop from their own fields had been reaped by that foolish Empress, Zhang Wantong.

Meanwhile, the Tianshi Mansion in Xinzhou continued to produce outstanding talents one after another. One could only imagine Fang Du’s feelings.

He shook his head lightly. “Given Lei Chongyun’s prior rate of progress, his ascension to the Upper Heavens this time was still faster than expected.”

Chu Peng added, “Not only does this young man progress rapidly, but his combat prowess is also exceptional. Although Lin Fengxing was greatly affected by the destruction of Jiangzhou’s ancestral land, he was still a renowned scholar with deep accumulations of literary energy. Yet, he perished under the Doumu Star God Apparition…”

Fengxing was the courtesy name of Elder Lin Chi of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan.

The Battle of Jiangzhou had ended far more swiftly than Fang Du and Chu Peng had anticipated.

Even the Lin Clan itself had not foreseen how quickly they would collapse, their forces crumbling like a landslide in the blink of an eye.

Most of their members were buried under the ruins before they even had time to react.

The few who escaped were still in shock. As they recalled the events, they were filled not only with terror but also with confusion and disbelief.

The battlefield had been chaotic, making it difficult to distinguish truth from illusion.

Apart from the dazzling spectacle of Tang Xiaotang and the Tianshi Sword in the sky, even the surviving members of the Lin Clan couldn’t fully grasp who their enemies were.

Only two things stood out in their memories: a bizarre long-range attack and the Doumu Star God Apparition that appeared deep in the mountains.

Panicked and disoriented, the Lin Clan forces completely lost their morale after Lin Chi fell in battle.

Even without Lin Che’s orders, most of them would have chosen to retreat on their own.

At the time, they hadn’t even identified who was controlling the Doumu Star God Apparition, assuming it was either Yuan Mobai or Xu Yuanzhen.

After all, among the high-ranking elders of the Tianshi Mansion, Yao Yuan and Shangguan Ning were known for cultivating the Yin Fire Tiger. Only Xu Yuanzhen and Yuan Mobai cultivated the Destiny Star God.

“Based on the reports from Xinzhou, which confirm that Lei Chongyun delivered the Tianshi Sword, that Doumu Star God Apparition must have been Lei Chongyun.” Fang Du said slowly.

This implied that Lei Chongyun had likely broken through to the Seventh Heaven Realm even earlier than they had thought.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had time to practice the Tianshi Mansion’s Life Canon, let alone master the divine transformation into the Destiny Star God.

Chu Peng murmured, “Previously, we only knew that his cultivation progressed at a shocking speed, but we rarely saw him in battle. Only now do we see his true capabilities. We paid attention to his presence before, but it seems we still underestimated him.”

Fang Du nodded. “Indeed, both Yuan Mobai and Lei Jun are the type to remain silent until they make a stunning impact. Unfortunately, we don’t have more details about the battle in Jiangzhou.”

“The Lin Clan was caught off guard and overwhelmed with fear; they failed to gather clear intelligence on their enemies. But given the strange methods used to break through their ancestral land’s defenses, their panic is understandable.”

Chu Peng frowned deeply. “Now we at least know that Lei Chongyun was responsible for the Doumu Star God Apparition. But aside from that, what about those eerie long-range arrows and the mysterious magical treasures?”

He exchanged glances with Fang Du and added, “According to reports from Youzhou, Shu Yin is currently in the north.”

If Chu Yu had also come to Jiangzhou, then everything would have been easy to explain.

After all, he was an Eighth Heaven Realm Grand Scholar of the Divine Archery lineage.

But Chu Yu had split off from Tang Xiaotang, pursuing Lin Yuwei and Lin Che before meeting up with Prince Huayang Zhang Rui and heading to Youzhou. He had never traveled south.

“Perhaps it was the imperial clan.” Fang Du shook his head slowly.

The Four Great Surnames and Six Noble Houses were currently united and had no intention of sabotaging one another.

The Xiao Clan from Longxi did not have a Grand Scholar of the Divine Archery lineage in the Upper Heavens.

But the imperial family did.

Still, despite these suspicions, even Fang Du could not be certain.

Regardless of what was happening with the Tianshi Mansion, the imperial court’s swift and decisive response suggested they had long been prepared.

Someone high up within the Four Great Surnames and Six Noble Houses must have leaked information…

“I will investigate the court’s movements.” Chu Peng said. “As for Shushan, I’ll have to trouble Brother Kuanze.”

“I’ve already sent word to my elder brother.”

At first, Fang Du had assumed that with Fang Huansheng and other elite members of the Fang Clan monitoring the situation, Shushan wouldn’t have the capacity to send reinforcements to Jiangzhou.

But now, even he was unsure.

Not only Lin Chou but also Lin Che, who wielded the Dragon Serpent Brush, had reportedly fallen in battle.

Clearly, there were powerful forces assisting the Tianshi Mansion’s assault on Jiangzhou.

Shushan? The imperial court? Or someone else entirely?

The former ancestral land of the Northern Lin Clan had also been reduced to ruins.

The once-radiant Scholarly Aura, which had shone unceasingly, was now completely extinguished—signaling the severance of the Youzhou Lin Clan’s literary heritage.

Unlike Jiangzhou, the casualties were not as severe in Youzhou.

But they had still lost elders such as Lin Litao and Lin Likong.

Standing amid the rubble, Ye Moquan, the clan leader of the Ye Clan from Jinzhou, and Ye Yan, his counterpart from Qingzhou, remained solemn.

“In the coming years, even Jade Capital will struggle to reach the Ninth Heaven Realm and pacify the world.” Ye Moquan, an elderly man, said.

Ye Yan, a middle-aged scholar, sighed silently.

The tides of spiritual energy surged.

The young generation was rising.

And yet, within this era of opportunity, danger lurked beneath the surface.

Lei Jun was now rising at an astonishing pace.

And that was without counting Zhang Jingzhen, who was currently in seclusion, waiting to take the final step forward.

At present, only Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu held such overwhelming dominance. But what about the future?

With spiritual energy surging across the land, cultivation was becoming more favorable for all cultivators. In such an expanding environment, Daoist Holy Lands like Tianshi Mansion had a distinct advantage over noble clans that thrived on family lineage.

Even though aristocratic families like the Ye Clan of Jinzhou continued to expand their branches and absorb fresh blood through marriage alliances, their talent pool was still somewhat narrower compared to sects like Tianshi Mansion.

If the current trend persisted, this gap would likely become even more pronounced…

“Has His Highness, Prince Zhao, received the news?” Ye Moquan suddenly broke the silence.

Ye Feishan replied, “Yes, after stabilizing the situation with the Lin Clan of Youzhou, we immediately sent someone to Zhao Prince's residence.”

Ye Moquan nodded. “Deliver my visiting card to request an audience with His Highness. Later, I will personally visit him.”

“Yes, Grandfather.” Ye Feishan bowed and withdrew.

The former clan patriarch, Chu Xiuyuan, had returned to the ancestral grounds of Suzhou along with the senior members of the Chu Clan.

The moment he arrived, he entered the inner residence, with only his third son, Chu Zhe, accompanying him. The rest of the Chu Clan members remained outside in the courtyard.

“Jiangzhou fell too quickly,” someone sighed.

Another person nearby spoke in a low voice, “Perhaps we pressured the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou too hard alongside the Fang Clan of Jingxiang…”

The first person gave a bitter smile.

For years, the three major noble families of the south—the Fang Clan of Jingxiang, the Chu Clan of Suzhou, and the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou—had been locked in a delicate power struggle along the Great River’s banks.

The Fang and Chu Clans often allied through marriage and political maneuvering to suppress the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou.

At one point, they had even cooperated with Tianshi Mansion, preferring to keep the Lin Clan pinned down as a convenient rival.

Tianshi Mansion had suffered from internal strife for years. If a strong external force had also threatened them at that time, the situation could have become far worse.

Yet neither the Fang Clan nor the Chu Clan had anticipated the shocking outcome of this battle in Jiangzhou.

Everyone had heard about the exceptional potential of the younger generation in Tianshi Mansion—but even so, the results were beyond their expectations.

Now, one couldn't help but wonder: if Tianshi Mansion had not suffered centuries of internal conflicts, what would they be like today?

Fate was unpredictable, and human nature was fickle.

If Tianshi Mansion had truly been united all along, rising so swiftly, perhaps it wouldn’t have been the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou being surrounded and crushed. Instead, it could have been the Fang, Lin, and Chu Clans collectively besieging Mount Longhu.

After all, Huangtian Sect had only survived this long because someone in the shadows had been helping them, hoping to use them as a counterweight.

“The Lin Clan of Youzhou was stronger than the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, but their fate wasn’t much better,” an elder of the Chu Clan shook his head. “Even Lin Yuqing, despite reaching the Ninth Heaven, still suffered a major setback this time.”

Under normal circumstances, with the protection of their ancestral land, a grand sacrificial ritual, and the clan's treasured artifact—the Northwind Sword—even though Lin Huan had yet to break through the chasm between the Eighth and Ninth Heavens, she wouldn’t have feared an enemy of the Ninth Heaven.

Moreover, the Lin Clan of Youzhou had more high-level cultivators than their Jiangzhou counterparts.

With Lin Huan holding the Northwind Sword to withstand the brunt of the assault, the others could leverage their ancestral grounds to influence the battle.

But no one had expected their strongest fortress—their own homeland—to become a trap that doomed Lin Huan and the others instead.

“In my place, go to Tianlong Monastery,” Chu Guolao said calmly from the back hall.

“Yes, Father,” Chu Zhe replied.

Xu Yuanzhen had surpassed her master, the former Tianshi, Li Qingfeng, reaching the Ninth Heaven and restoring the presence of a Great Ascension cultivator within the Talismanic Branch of Daoism.

This alone would elevate the influence of Tianshi Mansion significantly.

The mansion’s numbers were currently small, but with Xu Yuanzhen, Tang Xiaotang, and Lei Jun emerging one after another, it truly seemed like life was returning to barren wood.

The "barbarian" threat had not diminished, and the ruins of Jiangzhou remained. This made it difficult for the great noble families to act recklessly for now.

Yet, as always, there were multiple sides to any situation.

With Xu Yuanzhen’s rapid advancement, combined with the presence of Huang Xuanpu, the Sect Master of Pure Yang Palace, the Daoist sects now had two Ninth Heaven cultivators standing together.

Their simultaneous attacks in Jiangzhou and Youzhou had not only dealt a heavy blow to the Confucian noble families but also put pressure on the Buddhist sects.

Previously, Daoist and Buddhist sects had formed an uneasy alliance with imperial support to counter the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans of the Confucian tradition.

But harmony between Daoism and Buddhism was never absolute.

They had united against a common enemy, but now that the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans were in decline, Daoism was growing stronger.

At the same time, Buddhism lacked a Ninth Heaven master to stabilize their position, and one of their Four Great Holy Lands—Bodhi Monastery—had nearly been annihilated.

Would Buddhism really be content to live under the shadow of Daoism?

Certainly, their relations with the noble families were even more strained.

But that didn’t mean those ties couldn’t be mended—at least as a temporary measure.

Without pressure from the Chu Clan of Suzhou, Tianlong Monastery would have far more freedom than before.

The Southern Sect of Bodhi Monastery would also find it easier to establish itself.

Meanwhile, Xuanyan Temple had long been cultivated by the Ye Clan of Jinzhou.

As for Vajra Monastery, their long-standing nemesis had always been the Xiao Clan of Longxi. Among the Four Great Buddhist Holy Lands, they had the weakest ties with the Tang imperial family.

However, they were also the most distant from the noble families.

Chu Xiuyuan had once discussed this matter with Ye Moquan.

Both of them harbored suspicions about Vajra Monastery.

That temple had always been low-key, yet it seemed to conceal great secrets.

“I will personally speak with Vast Void Temple,” Chu Guolao said. “I’ve heard that the new abbot of Vajra Monastery has grown significantly in power after undergoing the Great Empowerment Ritual.”

The noble families sought to ease tensions with Buddhism.

But Vast Void Temple and Orthodox Buddhism were mortal enemies.

Luckily, Buddhism itself was not a monolithic entity.

If they could redirect Vast Void Temple’s focus from Tianlong Monastery to Vajra Monastery, they might uncover what Vajra Monastery had been hiding all these years.

“We might also consider reaching out to Fu Dongsen, the Sect Master of Shushan,” Chu Zhe said softly. “Now that both the Daoist Alchemical Sect and the Talismanic Branch have Great Ascension cultivators, Shushan’s stance may no longer be what it once was. And as for the noble families… the Shangguan clan and other aristocratic elites…”

Chu Guolao shook his head lightly. “Leave that to the others. No single family can control everything.”

“Yes, Father,” Chu Zhe replied.

“Xu Yuanzhen is not only supremely talented but also sharp-eyed,” Chu Xiuyuan mused. “As far as I know, she has only ever brought two people back to Mount Longhu—Tang Xiaotang and Lei Jun.”

Chu Zhe nodded. “Yes.”

“Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang both took about twelve years to ascend from the Seventh Heaven to the Eighth Heaven,” Chu Guolao smiled. “I wonder how long Lei Jun will take?”

Chu Zhe thought for a moment. “His cultivation path is somewhat similar to Xu Yuanzhen’s. Compared to those naturally gifted from youth, I suspect both of them greatly enhanced their aptitude through external means…”

Tang Xiaotang: “Senior Sister, you’d better focus on preparing for your duel with that old fox from Jinzhou. Leave everything else to me.”

Judging by the words alone, it sounded like she was showing concern.

But the tone? It was unmistakably like a child unwilling to share their favorite toy.

Xu Yuanzhen remained unbothered. “I’m actually looking forward to seeing what new tricks that old fox has up his sleeve.”

Tang Xiaotang stared at her for a moment before suddenly speaking: “Senior Sister, after your fight with that old fox from Jinzhou, how about we have a match too?”

It was an alarming statement, but neither Lei Jun nor his master found it surprising.

Back in the day, Tang Tianshi had three major aspirations:

By some twist of fate, she skipped the first two steps entirely and jumped straight to the third—and she actually made it happen.

She no longer cared about the first goal.

But the second? She never forgot about it.

In other words, her target was standing right in front of her—Xu Yuanzhen!

Xu Yuanzhen remained indifferent. “I don’t mind, but you’ll have to work hard. Even if I suppress my cultivation to the Eighth Heaven, I’ve still walked a path you haven’t. We’re not the same.”

Tang Xiaotang snorted. “We’ll see about that!”

Xu Yuanzhen then turned to Lei Jun. “I heard you mention earlier that you gathered a good amount of Xuanwu Heavy Iron from Jiangzhou?”

Lei Jun nodded. “Yeah, quite a bit. It should be the result of the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou’s long-term accumulation.”

Xu Yuanzhen nodded. “Give it to me. I’ll refine something with it.”

Lei Jun had no objections—he was actually a little curious.

Unlike Tang Xiaotang, who rarely ever refined artifacts or treasures, Xu Yuanzhen also didn’t do it often. So the fact that she seemed to have something in mind this time was a rare occasion.

Tang Tianshi, however, was visibly displeased. “Nothing in there caught my eye!”

Lei Jun smiled. “Later, I’ll check the Celestial Starry Universe of the Heavenly Book. Maybe I can trade some of my materials for something you need, Little Senior Sister.”

Tang Xiaotang didn’t have high hopes but waved her hand. “Might as well try your luck.”

Nearby, Yuan Mobai chuckled. “Chongyun has successfully stepped into the Upper Three Heavens. That’s quite the achievement.”

Lei Jun replied, “It’s all thanks to Master’s past teachings—and some good luck this time. I got to ride on Eldest Senior Sister’s coattails.”

Previously, he was concerned that if they went to the Northern Frontier, they might return too late and miss the Initiation Ceremony on January 15th of the following year.

However, a series of unexpected events led to the war ending far sooner than anyone had predicted—all thanks to Xu Yuanzhen’s two “barbarians.”

Now, Lei Jun and the others had returned to the mountain just in time for the New Year.

On the first day of the New Year, Tianshi Mansion would hold a grand celebration.

And with Lei Jun officially reaching the Seventh Heaven, it marked a significant milestone for Tianshi Mansion—a new High Priest had been born.

From now on, before his Elder title, two additional words would be added—High Priest.

This meant that Elder Lei had officially entered the inner circle of Tianshi Mansion’s core leadership.

His appointment ceremony was scheduled for the New Year, and afterward, on January 15th, he would participate in the Initiation Ceremony.

Thanks to his master's efforts, a certain chubby panda would officially enter the mansion—not as an ordinary direct disciple, but as the direct disciple of a High Priest Elder.

After leaving Tianshi Hall and returning to his residence, Lei Jun took in the familiar surroundings, feeling a wave of nostalgia.

More than twenty years had passed—a blink of an eye.

He had walked a path that, before transmigrating, he had never even imagined.

Yet, on the long road of cultivation, this was merely the beginning.

He was only just getting started.

Lei Jun smiled slightly and sat cross-legged in his courtyard, beginning to breathe and meditate.

Since he had already revealed himself during the Battle of Jiangzhou, there was no need to hold back any longer.

As he entered meditation, a towering pillar of light erupted from his body, piercing straight through the roof and reaching toward the sky. It connected with the thunderclouds over Mount Longhu, resonating in a magnificent display.

Rumors about the Battle of Jiangzhou had already begun circulating within Tianshi Mansion.

And now, as Lei Jun’s Transcendent Radiance appeared, his cultivation realm was laid bare for all to see.

The Seventh Heaven of the Daoist Talismanic Sect.

The Transcendent Realm!

After Tang Xiaotang, Tianshi Mansion had gained another High Priest at the Upper Three Heavens level.

Seeing this celestial radiance, the disciples of the mansion were filled with awe and admiration.

Some felt complicated emotions, but most were mentally prepared.

No one doubted that Elder Lei would one day reach the Seventh Heaven—it was just a matter of time.

What shocked everyone was how fast he had done it.

Many had thought that the next to ascend would be Zhang Jingzhen, who had been in seclusion.

But in the end, it was Lei Jun.

Those who knew him best were the most emotional about it.

When Lei Jun first arrived at Mount Longhu with Xu Yuanzhen, Zhang Jingzhen had already reached the Sixth Heaven Dao Seal Realm.

No one would have guessed that while Zhang Jingzhen remained at the same level, Lei Jun had already broken through.

It wasn’t that Zhang Jingzhen was slow.

It was that Lei Jun was simply too fast!

With his initial emotions settled, Lei Jun returned to his usual calm state of mind.

Revealing his cultivation level was mainly to facilitate the aftermath of the Battle of Jiangzhou.

Later, he retracted his celestial radiance, and life returned to normal.

He continued his duties at the Decree Pavilion during the day, and at night, he focused on his cultivation.

With his breakthrough, his three core talismans had also evolved:

While refining his techniques, Lei Jun made an adjustment—his previously healed forehead now revealed a faint mark.

He combined his Heaven’s Eye Mirror with the Heaven-Penetrating Earth-Piercing Talisman, integrating them with the Starry Frost he had obtained from the Lin Clan’s ancestral land.

As a result, a small glimmering point appeared on his forehead before vanishing.

His eyes, however, now reflected the glow of talismans deep within.

“Not bad. I’ll refine it further in the future.”

With that, Lei Jun resumed his preparations.

The grand Tianshi Mansion celebration began.

One of the most important events was Lei Jun’s High Priest ordination.

Having reached the Seventh Heaven, he was granted his Fourth Talismanic Conferral—The Three Caves Five Thunder Talisman—along with an official Second-Grade Daoist title.

He officially became a High Priest Elder.

As Lei Jun entered the Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar, Tianshi Li Zhengxuan personally conducted the ceremony.

When he received the talisman, the disciples and elders of Tianshi Mansion bowed respectfully.

“Congratulations, Elder Lei, on attaining the Dao and achieving perfection.”