Chapter 303: Chapter 303

Above the firmament, the Grand Celestial Law Mirror inherited the characteristics of the Illusory Profound Mirror, rendering itself nearly transparent and hidden within the void. Moreover, its vast distance from the Eastern Sea below made it nearly impossible for mortal cultivators to detect.

Under the flow of its mirrored light, the scenery over a vast expanse of the Eastern Sea was projected into Lei Jun’s field of vision through the Heavenly Ground-Through Talisman.

Currently, the observation range was still limited to a coastal region of the Eastern Sea near the mainland. However, whether land or ocean, this world was vast beyond measure.

The area covered by the Grand Celestial Law Mirror was already immense—at the very least, the vast sea surrounding the Void Gateway between Tianli and the mortal realm was now within Lei Jun’s field of view.

With a thought, the mirrored light of the Grand Celestial Law Mirror began to shift automatically across the sky.

The light was nearly imperceptible; any slight traces were seamlessly blended into the sunlight, appearing as nothing more than a part of the sun’s natural illumination.

When the light condensed, Lei Jun’s field of vision narrowed, but the clarity of observation within this focused range increased significantly.

Despite the great physical distance between him and his targets, the Grand Celestial Law Mirror allowed Lei Jun to capture intricate details of the people and events unfolding in this part of the sea.

The battle between the Tang cultivators and the Tianli cultivators was still raging.

The Tianli cultivators who had entered the Tang realm this time were of varying ages, both old and young.

However, two distinct patterns emerged:

Firstly, as Lei Jun had previously noted, Tianli’s mid-to-high-realm cultivators performed significantly better in actual combat. The higher their realm, the stronger the fate supporting them.

Meanwhile, Tianli’s lower-realm cultivators were often weaker than Tang cultivators of the same level.

As for the second pattern…

Lei Jun did not find any particularly young high-realm Confucian Grand Scholars from Tianli.

Among those of high cultivation realms, none were young.

Since he wasn’t interacting with them directly, Lei Jun had initially worried that he might be mistaken. But after closely observing multiple individuals for a long time, he finally confirmed his findings.

Confucian Grand Scholars at the Upper Three Heavens level were all at least over four hundred years old, with many even reaching five or six hundred years of age.

Those at the Middle Three Heavens level were generally two to three hundred years old, with many surpassing three hundred years.

Indeed, they were very different from cultivators of other Daoist traditions.

After an initial assessment, Lei Jun deduced that their lifespan limits were roughly the same as those of other Daoist traditions:

Yet these Confucian scholars did not seem affected by the natural aging process—they lacked the usual golden age of cultivation, plateau phase, declining period, or late-stage deterioration that other cultivators experienced.

Even at advanced ages, they could continue accumulating knowledge and eventually rise through the ranks, like a young daughter-in-law enduring hardships until she finally became the matriarch of the household.

However, the trade-off was that their overall cultivation progress was slow.

Among them, there were no prodigies who could reach the Seventh Heaven before the age of one hundred.

Or rather, in Confucian cultivation, “youthful success” seemed to mean achieving prominence at two or three hundred years old.

To them, being four to five hundred years old was considered the prime of life.

Those who were six or seven hundred years old were seen as highly experienced, esteemed, and revered figures of great influence.

The only uncertainty Lei Jun had was—what happened to these Confucian scholars when they neared their life limits at seven hundred or even seven hundred and fifty years old?

Would they contribute a final burst of effort?

Would the older ones refuse to step aside, leaving the younger ones without opportunities to rise?

Due to their slow cultivation progression, their numbers at Upper Three Heavens were not excessively high despite their longevity.

But this raised another question.

Lei Jun rotated the Grand Celestial Law Mirror, surveying the vast ocean.

Among the Tianli cultivators who had entered Tang territory, the majority were Confucian scholars, but not exclusively so.

A quick glance revealed that Tianli had also sent Martial Dao cultivators, Divine Archery cultivators, and Confucian Recitation cultivators into battle.

Although these branches practiced methods distinct from their Tang counterparts, their progression did not display the same aging anomaly as the Confucian scholars.

Thus, within Tianli, these traditions naturally held an advantage in young cultivator talent compared to Confucian scholars.

Yet despite this, Tianli still prioritized Confucianism, relegating other traditions to a supporting role.

Their fundamental principle was clear:

"All pursuits are inferior; only scholarship reigns supreme."

However, such stark contrasts could undermine Confucianism’s foundation, as its talent pipeline was inherently weaker than those of other traditions.

Then why did Confucianism still hold dominance in Tianli?

“Fathers govern sons, teachers govern disciples, so naturally… rulers govern ministers.”

Lei Jun’s voice was unusually cold and expressionless.

These Confucian Grand Scholars were also ministers.

But with national fortune binding the empire together, they and the Emperor formed a stable hierarchical system.

Because fate encompassed the entire nation, this grand system encompassed all cultivators within Tianli, ensuring its absolute control.

While the Confucian Grand Scholars maintained the system, they also assisted the Emperor and, in turn, benefited from imperial authority—thus suppressing and even controlling cultivators from other traditions.

This was a relationship that transcended even familial or master-disciple bonds.

"Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, Teachers."

The ruler’s position was absolute and unchallengeable.

As for the Emperor of Tianli, what role did he play in all of this?

Though Lei Jun had yet to meet him in person, after observing so many Confucian scholars, he began to form a theory:

“The ruler governs his ministers.”

Perhaps it was a past Emperor, or a succession of Emperors, who had established this system to enforce absolute control over the realm.

If the Emperor was powerful, he suppressed his ministers.

If the Emperor was weak, then a Saintly Son of Heaven ruling effortlessly through delegation became the ideal state for these Confucian scholars.

As long as the nation did not collapse, this system could run indefinitely.

All other traditions—Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism (non-Legalist branches), Martial Dao, even the Witch Sect—were all woven into this structure and forced into submission.

Until the nation crumbled and the dynasty changed once again.

For individual Confucian scholars, it might still mean absolute obedience to the ruler, where "when the ruler demands a minister’s life, the minister has no choice but to comply."

But in this endless power struggle, the Emperor was not battling an individual—he was contending with an entire system of Confucian governance that he himself had constructed.

Which meant… a constant struggle for dominance.

"Sounds frustrating for the Emperor?"

"A ruler is like a father. A father to the whole realm."

Lei Jun held nothing but contempt for such figures.

Unlike his Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen, he didn’t go out of his way to oppose authority.

But if he were to rebel, he wouldn’t just oppose the nobles while leaving the Emperor untouched.

Especially a ruler who wanted to be everyone’s father.

However, the Ye Clan leader was not entirely without worries.

According to their agreement, his clan brother, Ye Zhi, should have already returned near the Void Gateway by now, but there was still no sign of him.

With formidable enemies battling ahead and the surrounding spiritual energy in chaos, Ye Yan found himself unable to contact Ye Zhi.

Given the complexity of the environment, unexpected delays were understandable—travelers might not always arrive precisely on time. Yet, Ye Yan, with his sharp cultivation senses, couldn’t shake off a feeling of unease when he thought about Ye Zhi.

A foreboding sense of doom caused Ye Yan’s brow to furrow.

But at this moment, he had no time for distractions. He could only focus on fighting the Tinali cultivator before him, hoping that Ye Zhi would be blessed with good fortune.

Lei Jun adjusted the Grand Celestial Mirror, first looking at Ye Yan, then at Chu Xiuyuan.

Seeing the latter secretly preparing a ritual formation, Lei Jun confirmed his earlier suspicions—Great Tang was indeed setting a trap, luring the enemy deeper in.

Now, the only suspense was whether Tinali would take the bait.

Such an arrangement didn’t depend solely on one side but also on the opponent’s reaction.

More Tinali cultivators were emerging from the Void Gateway, stepping into Great Tang’s mortal realm.

Lei Jun had encountered fewer of them personally, and most were unfamiliar to him.

Fortunately, thanks to previous battles, Tang cultivators had recorded detailed sketches of some Tinali cultivators. Lei Jun now cross-referenced those drawings, identifying several of them.

Currently, the Tinali Court was divided into three major factions:

From Great Tang’s intelligence, the Tinali Court’s Grand Chancellor seat was currently vacant, making it a prize that all three factions coveted.

While they maneuvered for power, they also worked to undercut each other.

Wu Faction’s former key figure, Wang Feng, had experienced this firsthand—unfortunately, he was no longer around to protest his grievances.

At present, those overseeing Tinali’s operations in Great Tang were mainly Wu Faction members, though Gan Faction and Chu Faction had also sent capable figures.

Whether they were seeking merit or plotting something else remained unknown—only they knew their true intentions.

What was certain was that Wu Faction members were just as wary of their own factional rivals as they were of Great Tang cultivators.

A middle-aged official, appearing to be in his early forties, had a refined yet commanding presence. Even without displaying anger, he carried an air of authority—the very image of a noble official.

He was clad in the Third-Rank Court Robes of the Great Ming, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. In a deep voice, he muttered:

“Qingxiao has arrived as well…”

Behind him, a battle-armored general—of equal rank—knelt on one knee and respectfully reported:

“Lord Huang arrived this morning.”

The middle-aged official nodded slightly, saying no more. Instead, he instructed:

“Stay vigilant, but do not let it delay our progress. By sunset today, we must seize this sea territory!”

The armored general, named Qin Wu, hesitated momentarily. “My lord, we must also guard against potential deception…”

The official’s tone remained calm.

“Crossing a half-finished bridge—strike at the center. The same logic applies in reverse. As long as we move swiftly, even if they intended to set a trap, they will not have enough time. Instead, they will be trampled underfoot and thrown into disarray.”

Qin Wu swallowed his words and replied firmly, “Understood, my lord.”

This middle-aged official was named Gu Hai, a rising star in the Wu Faction and a direct disciple of Grand Elder Song.

While Confucian cultivators valued seniority, they also cultivated successors early on.

Though Gu Hai’s age would be considered advanced in other Daoist lineages, he was still in his prime among Confucian scholars.

The unexpected death of Wu Faction elder Wang Feng had left their faction reeling.

To prevent the Gan Faction and Chu Faction from taking advantage, Gu Hai was the ideal candidate to fill the void.

However, his seniority and prestige were still lacking.

This campaign was a crucial opportunity—if successful, it would solidify his position.

As for the Huang Lord mentioned earlier, he was a new powerhouse of the Gan Faction—Huang Tian, courtesy name Qingxiao.

He and Gu Hai were of similar age and had ascended the ranks at nearly the same pace. Their competition had always been fierce.

Now, Huang Tian had also arrived in Great Tang, with both men eyeing military achievements here.

Suddenly, Gu Hai’s expression turned more serious.

“What of that demonic Daoist who killed Minister Wang?”

Qin Wu replied, “He hasn’t been seen in the past two days. He may be somewhere near the ritual sites.”

Gu Hai instructed, “The rebel army is our priority. For now, put him aside—but keep searching. By tomorrow, I want his whereabouts. Once the main rebel force is crushed, we will hunt him down. He must not escape.”

Qin Wu: “Yes, my lord.”

Lei Jun’s Grand Celestial Mirror displayed images of Great Tang and Tinali cultivators alike.

However, it had one flaw—it captured only images, not sound.

Lei Jun sighed inwardly.

His Heaven’s Sight & Earth’s Hearing Talisman hadn’t been dispersed yet, so he lacked a way to collect audio.

Still, from Gu Hai’s confident demeanor, it seemed likely that Great Tang’s plan would succeed.

The only exception was Qin Wu, who appeared hesitant.

Lei Jun analyzed his posture and expression—a scholar commanding a military general?

Lei Jun pondered this, then resumed scanning other areas with the Grand Celestial Mirror.

After completing his first sweep, Lei Jun failed to locate Tang Imperial General Chu Yu.

He hadn’t overlooked anything—the situation suggested that Chu Yu was deliberately staying hidden.

Lei Jun moved his position, adjusting the mirror’s angle for a better perspective.

Still, Chu Yu remained elusive.

Lei Jun looked toward the vast ocean before him.

Indeed, Chu Yu was currently beneath the Eastern Sea, secretly meeting someone.

A tall, middle-aged man clad in armor over his court robes appeared.

Chu Yu greeted him with a smile.

“General Qi, I’ve long admired your name.”

This man, Qi Haowei, was not a Great Tang officer—he was a Tinali cultivator.

However, unlike Confucian scholars or martial artists, he was a Confucian Divine Archer, just like Chu Yu.

Unfortunately, even within Confucianism, the Divine Archery lineage was considered inferior to Confucian orthodoxy.

Breaking away from Tinali was difficult.

This land was unfamiliar to Qi Haowei.

Yet, it was a land of hope.

But he did not come alone—his decisions carried weight for many. Thus, he remained cautious.

After a secret discussion, the two parted ways.

Chu Yu resurfaced through the waves.

Chu Yu had once served as a confidante to the Empress, holding the rank of Imperial Secretary.

She now wielded considerable power in court, balancing the influence of her elder brother, Grand Chancellor Chu Lin.

Seeing the woman, she smiled.

This was Zhang Ziyin, daughter of Prince Changshan, Zhang Junhai. She had accompanied Chu Yu to study governance.

As they walked, Zhang Ziyin asked, “Do you truly believe Qi Haowei will defect?”

Chu Yu: “Too early to tell. But if he does, it will be a decisive blow.”

Zhang Ziyin marveled.

“Tinali’s internal strife is even worse than ours…”

Lei Jun had left behind a Heavenly Sight and Earthly Hearing Talisman, allowing him to clearly hear the conversation between Monk Faming and Zhang Ziyin.

"Be careful, Your Highness. If you accidentally touch the black mist, you may be pulled in as well," Monk Faming warned.

Like Chu Yu, she was also a cultivator of the Confucian Divine Archery Lineage.

She didn't move forward but instead drew her bow and shot three arrows in quick succession.

The arrows hit their target but were blocked by the black mist.

As expected, the arrows lingering in the mist were soon swallowed up, disappearing without a trace.

Seeing this, Zhang Ziyin had no choice but to let Monk Faming continue protecting the white spiritual light, while also watching over the sealed Lei Jun.

She herself hurried back to see Chu Yu.

"I'm currently tied up and can't leave," Chu Yu said after a brief thought. He then gathered his Hao Ran Qi and Divine Edge Light, condensing them into three long arrows before handing them to Zhang Ziyin.

Zhang Ziyin immediately set off again.

Returning to the place where Lei Jun was "sealed", she greeted Monk Faming before nocking an arrow to her bow. The arrowhead flickered with spiritual light as she aimed straight ahead.

Since Chu Yu wasn’t taking the shot himself, and Zhang Ziyin’s cultivation was lower than his, she had no confidence that these three arrows alone could break the seal.

Her goal was to use the three arrows to weaken the seal, giving Lei Jun an opportunity to break out from within.

With coordinated efforts from both inside and out, Lei Jun’s escape would become much easier.

The arrows flew out like streaks of light, reaching the cage-like black mist in an instant.

The black mist churned violently. Though powerful, it began to roil after taking the first hit from Zhang Ziyin’s arrow.

Before it could settle, the second and third arrows followed.

From afar, Lei Jun used the Grand Celestial Mirror to take a quick glance.

He had no intention of going back.

Just like how Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen had once left behind an Yin Fire Tiger in the Green Mountains, Lei Jun, though he had slipped out of the seal silently, also left something behind before leaving.

A Xuanxiao Five Thunder Talisman.

Inside the dark cage, everything was silent and empty.

Then suddenly, a massive surge of black lightning appeared, forming into a silent yet imposing Yin Thunder Dragon.

The Yin Thunder Dragon did not lash out aggressively. Instead, under Lei Jun’s control, it expanded its energy, working with the black mist rather than against it, further isolating the scene from external sight.

To Zhang Ziyin, Monk Faming, and the others outside, it appeared as if Lei Jun had noticed their efforts and was gathering his strength to break out.

Naturally, they assumed that Daoist Xuanxiao was using all his power to escape.

With this teamwork, a successful breakout seemed likely.

But what they didn’t know was that Lei Jun had already left.

Not only that—he had deliberately set the talisman against potential allies.

The Yin Thunder Dragon showed no intention of breaking through the inky black cage. Instead, under Lei Jun’s manipulation, it reinforced the cage and stabilized it, preventing its collapse.

This level of precise and delicate control wasn’t something a Yang Thunder Dragon could achieve.

Rather, the Yin Thunder Dragon reacted like the black mist itself—meeting force with greater force.

It locked down the three arrows, swallowed them, and erased them completely.

Zhang Ziyin sighed at the sight. "Such a powerful seal. No wonder even Elder Lei couldn't escape for the time being.

"Anyone else would be completely suppressed by this dark ink, crushed to death. Only Elder Lei, with his immense mana and mystical abilities, could endure it—making it seem more like a proper seal than a death trap."

Monk Faming pressed his palms together and recited a Buddhist mantra: "Amitabha. Your Highness speaks wisely."

"My cultivation is insufficient. I shouldn't act recklessly and make things harder for Elder Lei," Zhang Ziyin said, deciding to return to Chu Yu.

At this moment, however, another fierce battle erupted between the Great Tang cultivators and the Tianli Sect cultivators.

The Tianli Sect, holding the advantage, launched a new wave of attacks.

Meanwhile, Lei Jun's Grand Celestial Mirror continued scanning battlefield details across different areas.

Just then, inside his mind, the Light Sphere suddenly flared up, displaying a set of words:

"Purple Lingzhi flourishes under moonlight; sky and sea turn upside down, jade mist rises."

Immediately after, three new omen lots emerged.

Lei Jun glanced at them and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

These omens had the exact same layout as the ones from his last divination when he had used Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity:

Did my luck just explode?!

Lei Jun couldn't help but wonder.

Both this time and last time, when he used Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity, he actually managed to get two consecutive Supreme Good Omens?

From what he remembered, that had only happened once before.

And this time, the Supreme Good Omen pointed to a Second-Grade Opportunity.