Chapter 311: Chapter 311

The peaks of Xiaoding stood tall and verdant, piercing the clouds, enshrouded in mist and haze year-round, like an ethereal paradise.

This time, Lei Jun arrived at the ancestral grounds of the Shushan Sect’s mountain gate for the first time, using his true identity.

However, this once-mystical realm was no longer the same.

Years ago, an internal war had ravaged Xiaoding, stripping it of its former grandeur.

Then, a few years back, when Fu Dongsen and others severed ties with the Shushan Sect and left, they triggered a catastrophe unseen in decades.

The supreme treasure, Qingxiao Hall, which was almost one with Xiaoding, detached and sank into the earth’s veins.

The Taiyi Innate Tower, which had stood atop Xiaoding for countless years, also mysteriously vanished.

The resulting upheaval nearly caused the entire Xiaoding to collapse into the ground.

It was only through the tireless efforts of those who remained—Xu Duan, Zhang Taigang, and others—that the ancestral grounds of the mountain gate did not completely fall into ruin.

However, the once-vibrant spiritual energy of this sacred land had significantly weakened compared to before.

Restoring it to its former splendor would require continuous effort and long-term restoration by Zhang Taigang and the others.

But what pained the Shushan cultivators most was that, ever since the catastrophe, the legendary sight of the Taiyi Innate Tower radiating divine light atop Xiaoding had never appeared again.

Lei Jun had visited Xiaoding once before, under the guise of Chen Donglou.

Now, though its mystical aura was diminished, the flow of spiritual energy at least seemed more stable than before.

Trailing behind him was a certain panda, walking upright with impeccable manners, exuding an air of discipline.

The only exception was its small, beady eyes, darting around with an uncanny liveliness.

Lei Jun and his disciple followed Zhang Dongyuan and the others to the foot of Xiaoding.

As they approached, Lei Jun remained composed on the surface, but inwardly, he was deep in thought.

The land of Shushan was peaceful for now.

But the deeper underground spiritual veins had undergone drastic changes.

It was evident that the Shushan Sect was doing its best to suppress these shifts, yet the situation suggested that as time passed, the disturbances would only grow more severe.

Still, there should be no immediate danger… Lei Jun mused.

At the mountain gate, two figures were already waiting.

It was He Dongxing and his disciple Ji Chuan.

After exchanging greetings, Zhang Dongyuan smiled, “The preparations for the ceremony are keeping me busy, so I will be heading over to Uncle Master Xu. I’ll leave the hospitality for Daoist Lei from Tianshi Mansion in your hands, Brother He.”

He Dongxing nodded. “Don’t worry, Junior Brother Zhang. I’ve got this.”

After bidding farewell to Lei Jun, Zhang Dongyuan left.

He Dongxing and Ji Chuan then led Lei Jun and his disciple to a guest residence to rest.

Now that only a few of them remained, the atmosphere was noticeably more relaxed.

Despite his age, He Dongxing had a carefree nature. Stroking his beard with a smile, he glanced between Lei Jun and his disciple.

“Xuanxiazi truly has a deep connection with Shu,” the old Daoist chuckled.

Lei Jun replied casually, “Pure coincidence.”

Ji Chuan turned his face away, his shoulders subtly shaking.

Meanwhile, a certain fluffy panda remained completely composed.

He had rarely left the mountain before, but he had heard rumors outside Mount Longhu.

In today’s Great Tang, one of the most renowned figures was undoubtedly Xuanxiazi of Tianshi Mansion.

It wasn’t just his astonishing talent and formidable strength—it was also the countless tales about him.

Among the three legendary geniuses of Tianshi Mansion, who shook all of Great Tang, both Lei Jun and the current Tianshi, Tang Xiaotang, had been guided into Daoism by Xu Yuanzhen.

The intricate ties between them led many to marvel at whether Tianshi Mansion’s fortune had truly reached its peak.

By common convention, regardless of whether one followed the Talismanic Branch, the Artifact Refining Branch, or the Daoist Alchemical Sect of Pure Yang Palace, the Daoist tradition dictated that the one who introduced a disciple to the path would be their Initiation Master.

By that logic, Lei Jun should have been an inner disciple of Xu Yuanzhen.

However, due to certain personal reasons, Lei Jun ultimately became the disciple of Yuan Mobai.

Yes—his master was a Daoist panda.

Standing quietly behind Lei Jun was Zhuo Baojie.

As Lei Jun’s only direct disciple, he was—coincidentally—also a panda.

With this panda master and panda disciple, it was hard for outsiders not to wonder—

Could Daoist Lei be…?

No, stop—respect for teachers is paramount, respect for teachers is paramount…

A certain panda maintained a serious, upright expression, full of discipline and etiquette, yet his eyes curved in an unmistakably human-like smile.

“After attending Brother Zhang’s succession ceremony, my disciple and I plan to travel across Bashu,” Lei Jun said, turning to look at his disciple.

He gently placed his hand on the panda’s head, his usual calm demeanor showing a rare trace of warmth.

“My disciple was born here but has never returned since following me to Mount Longhu for his Daoist training. This journey will allow him to reconnect with his homeland. I hope the Shushan Sect will be accommodating.”

He Dongxing laughed, “Of course! You are most welcome.”

Ji Chuan also smiled. “If you need a guide, I’d be happy to accompany you.”

Lei Jun nodded. “That would be a great help, Brother Ji. I recall you guiding me through Bashu in the past—it would be a joy to relive those memories.”

The three chatted warmly.

However, a certain panda disciple gazed at his master and suddenly had an ominous feeling…

Lei Jun and his disciple settled at Xiaoding, waiting for the summer solstice ceremony.

Before the grand event, he met several senior elders of the Shushan Sect.

Among them were Zhang Taigang, the soon-to-be sect leader, and Xu Duan, the most senior elder of the sect.

“Congratulations, Brother Zhang,” Lei Jun offered his respects.

Zhang Taigang was the foremost figure of Shushan’s younger generation, appearing to be only in his late twenties or early thirties.

He had a refined, scholarly appearance and wore Daoist robes, though he looked more like a Confucian scholar.

Despite this, he was an Eighth Heaven cultivator of the Artifact Refining Branch, firmly establishing himself as a high-ranking Daoist master.

Though not a sword cultivator, his lifebound artifact, the Emei Golden Seal, was renowned for its offensive and defensive capabilities.

In daily life, Zhang Taigang was courteous and mild-mannered, never revealing any sharpness.

However, Lei Jun, upon interacting with him, could sense that beneath his calm exterior lay a meticulous and upright nature.

Interestingly, aside from his lifebound artifact, Zhang Taigang had a personal hobby—carving Daoist seals.

“My sect has suffered misfortune, and I have been entrusted with this responsibility. I can only do my best, hoping not to let down our ancestors and fellow disciples,” Zhang Taigang said solemnly.

“Five years ago, during the Battle of Mount Longhu, you and your sect fought against the Mortal Dao Nation, restoring peace to the world. I have always admired that.”

“The remnants of the Mortal Dao Nation still lurk in the shadows, waiting for their chance to rise again.

I hope our three great Daoist sects can remain united and completely eliminate threats like Huang Xuanpu, Fu Dongsen, Hong Jie, and Gu Han.”

Lei Jun nodded. “I completely agree. My sect shares the same resolve.”

He glanced at a red-robed Daoist nun beside him.

“Sister Guo will return to Mount Longhu soon, but another of our disciples will take her place here at Shushan. I hope you will look after them.”

The red-robed nun, Guo Yan, bowed to Zhang Taigang and Ji Chuan. “I truly appreciate all the guidance you have given me over these years.”

Zhang Taigang and Ji Chuan both humbly replied, “It was nothing at all.”

"Daoist Xuanxiao, I have something to ask you." Ye Dongming conversed with Lei Jun, delving into a deeper topic. "Have there been any recent updates on Senior Brother Chen?"

"Your sect’s Elder Chen has not shown himself for a long time, and my sect has no further information either," Lei Jun replied without any change in expression.

It wasn't that the Shushan Sect suspected him.

Rather, when the great battle at Mount Longhu took place, Chen Donglou was absent. Since then, the Shushan Sect had requested the Tianshi Mansion to keep an eye out for any news of him.

Lei Jun continued, "Our sect's Sect Master Senior Sister and Eldest Senior Sister have been traveling in recent years, searching for remnants of the Mortal Dao Nation, but they have not encountered your sect’s Elder Chen."

Ye Dongming nodded. "We appreciate the efforts of your sect’s Tianshi and Elder Xu."

Shushan was indeed in a dire state at the moment.

If Chen Donglou were to return, he might have a chance at claiming the sect master position he had once longed for. Even Zhang Taigang himself would be more than willing to step aside.

However, since Chen Donglou had disappeared again without a trace, Zhang Taigang had no choice but to take up the mantle.

That being said, knowing Chen Donglou’s temperament, if he were still alive, whether he would return to Shushan was uncertain. Moreover, given the current circumstances, he might not even accept the position of sect master.

Lei Jun, of course, had no intention of impersonating Chen Donglou to deceive Shushan and take its leadership.

Leaving aside the risk of being exposed, his temporary use of Chen Donglou’s identity was purely to counter the threat posed by the Mortal Dao Nation.

He would not use this identity openly against anyone outside the Mortal Dao Nation—otherwise, he could flee as a Daoist, but Shushan would be left to bear the consequences.

So today, apart from congratulating Zhang Taigang, Lei Jun had no other thoughts on the matter.

"I hope Senior Brother Chen returns soon," Ye Dongming sighed.

"I will keep an eye out for any clues or news while I travel," Lei Jun replied.

"For that, I thank you in advance," Ye Dongming said.

After chatting for a while longer, Ye Dongming bid farewell and left.

Instead of returning to his residence, he went to another cave dwelling atop Xiaoding.

Inside, Shushan’s Supreme Elder Xu Duan welcomed him to take a seat.

Ye Dongming shook his head. "Still no news of Senior Brother Chen."

Xu Duan said, "Chen Donglou had been missing for years before. Let us not worry just yet. For now, we should focus on stabilizing our sect and regaining our strength in silence."

"Yes," Ye Dongming agreed.

Despite their words, their expressions remained tense.

The threat of the Mortal Dao Nation had not yet been fully eliminated.

On the surface, the Fang Clan of Jingxiang had been relatively quiet lately, but in the distant western regions, the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru remained a massive force that Shushan could not ignore.

In recent years, the Vajra Division had maintained a low profile in the Tang Dynasty, appearing harmless.

Yet, Shushan had caught wind that they had been making moves toward the Snowy Plateau.

With the Sichuan Snow Mountains bordering the plateau, Shushan had every reason to be wary.

Unfortunately, the sect had suffered heavy losses and lacked the strength to take any action. All they could do was watch and bide their time while attempting to recover.

But that was easier said than done.

At least in the short term, rebuilding their strength would be extremely difficult.

The past two years had been unusually peaceful. If this stability could last, it would be a blessing. However, the world and the times were always changing.

"Martial Uncle, the fluctuations in the earth veins beneath Xiaoding seem to be getting more frequent," Ye Dongming said in a hushed tone.

Xu Duan frowned deeply. "Yes, this old Daoist has noticed it too."

He let out a long sigh.

The departure of the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall from Xiaoding had caused massive disruptions to the earth veins.

True, these two had not been part of Shushan since its founding.

But after years of refinement and integration with the mountain’s energy, their sudden removal had far greater repercussions than initially expected.

Unexpected changes had arisen.

"Martial Uncle…" Ye Dongming’s expression grew even more solemn. "Could that be… the aura of Huangquan?"

Xu Duan’s face turned grave. "This old Daoist believes… it is."

Ye Dongming lowered his head slightly, gazing downward. "Then I believe it would be best to seal it."

Xu Duan did not respond immediately but instead looked out the window.

After a long pause, he withdrew his gaze. "Yes. Our sect desperately needs opportunities to recover, but Huangquan is unlike Kunlun or Penglai—it holds unimaginable dangers. Given our current foundation, we cannot afford the risk of losing this gamble. That is also the Sect Master’s decision."

Ye Dongming silently nodded.

Beneath Shushan, hidden currents surged.

Above the mountain, as the summer solstice approached, more guests arrived.

The ceremony for the new Shushan Sect Master’s inauguration was about to begin.

It was a significant event, with representatives from various factions attending, including the Tang imperial court.

Even the Fang Clan of Jingxiang, which had recently been improving relations with the Tang court and Shushan, sent representatives.

The clan’s second-in-command, the esteemed Elder Fang Huansheng, personally attended.

"My ninth brother has been secluded in study since winter and could not come to congratulate in person. I hope the Daoists here will forgive him," Fang Huansheng said.

"You are too courteous," Zhang Taigang replied. "Our sect is already deeply grateful for the support we’ve received from the Fang Clan of Jingxiang."

During the great battle that led to Shushan’s schism, the Fang Clan’s leader, Fang Jingsheng, had fought under the Empress’s orders. Alongside Xu Duan, Chu Yu, Zhang Dongyuan, and Zhang Taigang, they had successfully repelled Fu Dongsen, Hong Jie, and Wei Qiyue.

Shushan had officially credited this favor to the Empress.

But since Fang Huansheng had come to offer congratulations, Zhang Taigang, Xu Duan, and others naturally extended him proper courtesy.

They invited the Fang Clan representatives to their seats.

Fang Huansheng noticed that the Tang imperial court’s representative was none other than Prince Xiang, Zhang Luo, who had only returned from the Southern Wasteland two years ago.

The Jingxiang and Xiang regions often interacted, so they were not strangers to each other.

Now that they had met, they exchanged pleasantries.

Before long, both of them unconsciously shifted their gazes toward the same direction.

Seated there was a tall, slender Daoist clad in a purple robe.

Noticing their looks, the purple-robed young Daoist turned his head toward them.

Prince Xiang, Zhang Luo, smiled and nodded in greeting. "It has been some time since our last meeting in the Southern Wasteland. Daoist, I trust you have been well?"

Fang Huansheng followed suit. "Daoist Lei, greetings. I am Fang Huansheng of Jingxiang."

Lei Jun returned the gesture. "Prince Xiang. Layman Fang."

With guests coming and going at Xiaoding, Pure Yang Palace, one of the three great Daoist sects alongside the Tianshi Mansion and Shushan, had also sent a representative.

Pure Yang Palace was currently more short-handed than Shushan. Neither Lü Jinduan nor Wang Xuan could leave.

Although young, Jiang Yu already held considerable weight within the sect.

Nowadays, Yue Xiling no longer had to remain in seclusion, but to avoid suspicion, he refrained from holding any official position in Pure Yang Palace. Instead, he went straight to Chang’an to serve as the sect’s representative there, placing himself under the Empress’s direct scrutiny as a gesture of transparency.

After the sect’s severe internal strife, Jiang Yu was nearly the only young genius disciple left.

Even if Lü Jinduan and Wang Xuan wanted her to focus on cultivation, she had no choice but to take on responsibilities.

Fortunately, despite her cool and distant demeanor, she quickly adapted to her role.

"Daoist Xuanxiao." After greeting the Shushan elders, Jiang Yu approached Lei Jun and performed a Daoist bow.

Lei Jun returned the courtesy.

She then said, "Our sect is holding its Grand Ordination Ceremony this year and sincerely invites your sect’s Daoists to attend. The invitation has already been sent to Mount Longhu, but since I happened to meet you here at Xiaoding, I hope you don’t mind my direct invitation. Would you be interested in visiting Zhongnan Mountain as a guest?"

However, they had already decided to send an Eighth Heaven Realm High Priest Elder to Mount Zhongnan to observe the ceremony. The only question was whether it would be Zhang Dongyuan or Ye Dongming.

As a matter of etiquette, Zhang Luo, Fang Huansheng, and others had also received invitations from Pure Yang Palace, and naturally, they all responded positively.

Another positive respondent was Suo Yang, the young abbot of Vajra Monastery from the Western Region Buddhist Sect.

The strength of Mount Sumeru’s Vajra Division made the Shushan Sect wary, but so far, the two sides had not clashed.

Regardless of whether it was out of courtesy or other considerations, Shushan Sect would invite them to the ceremony.

Perhaps to avoid making Mount Sumeru’s Vajra Division appear too overbearing, the Western Region Buddhist Sect sent Suo Yang, a Seventh Heaven Realm cultivator, to observe the ceremony. Though his cultivation level wasn’t too eye-catching, as the abbot of Vajra Monastery, his status carried enough weight.

When dealing with other factions and high-ranking Daoist figures like Zhang Taigang and Jiang Yu, Suo Yang felt no pressure.

But he did have a headache—facing Lei Jun from Tianshi Mansion.

Lei Daozhang didn’t speak harshly or show any stern expressions. His demeanor remained calm, his face as still as a tranquil lake:

“If the esteemed monks of Vajra Monastery come across a Tianshi Robe, please retrieve it and help return it to Tianshi Mansion. The entire sect will be profoundly grateful and will certainly offer a generous reward.”

Suo Yang could already recite this line by heart.

Tianshi Mansion had reached out to the Western Region Buddhist Sect about this matter countless times, and even the Tang Imperial Family had attempted mediation.

Yet, no matter how many times he had heard this from other Tianshi Mansion representatives, including Zhang Jingzhen, it had never felt as oppressive as it did coming from Lei Jun.

Even though Lei Jun’s tone was consistently even—neither anxious nor angry—Suo Yang felt suffocated.

That kind of pressure was far beyond what an ordinary person could withstand.

But how was Suo Yang supposed to conjure a Tianshi Robe out of thin air?

At this moment, he wished he could avoid Lei Jun and the other Tianshi Mansion Daoists entirely.

However, in the current setting, Suo Yang couldn’t be rude. Instead, he solemnly said, “Rest assured, Daoist Xuanxiao, our sect will do its utmost to search for Hong Jie’s whereabouts and assist in retrieving your Tianshi Robe.”

“…I hope for good news soon.”

Lei Jun silently stared at Suo Yang for a moment before finally speaking.

Suo Yang sighed inwardly but maintained a composed expression, bringing his palms together in a respectful gesture.

“Our sect sincerely hopes to advance alongside Tianshi Mansion.”

Lei Jun: “I hope so too.”

The grand ceremony of Shushan Sect proceeded as scheduled.

For now, Lei Jun and his disciples could simply observe the proceedings.

To be fair, there were some imperfections in Zhang Taigang’s succession ceremony as the new sect master.

It was widely known that Shushan Sect in the mortal realm possessed six great treasures, all renowned throughout Great Tang.

However, these treasures were not typically all held by the sect master at once.

Most of the time, the Shushan Sect Master directly wielded two of them:

These two artifacts weren’t necessarily symbols of the sect master’s authority, but in most cases, seeing the treasures meant seeing the master.

Yet, the embarrassing reality was that neither of these two treasures was currently in Shushan Sect.

…At least Shushan Sect’s Ancestral Tomb was still intact atop the mountain. Otherwise, it would’ve been difficult to determine who truly held the Shushan Sect’s orthodox lineage.

But according to Lei Jun’s knowledge, despite lacking these two artifacts, Shushan Sect still intended to establish a new sect master.

As expected, Shushan Sect emphasized that retrieving the missing treasures was an essential goal, using it as motivation to inspire the disciples.

During the ceremony, Fang Huansheng scanned the crowd.

Suo Yang was indeed talented, but he did not represent the peak of Mount Sumeru’s Vajra Division.

Thanks to a secret empowerment ritual, his cultivation had surged to the Seventh Heaven Realm, but from here on, his progress would slow, depending more on his own efforts.

In contrast, Lei Jun, Zhang Taigang, and Jiang Yu were all outstanding figures of the Daoist sects in Great Tang.

Among them, Lei Jun, the Xuanxiao Master, stood out the most.

Not to mention that Jiang Yu was still young—if she had been the same age as Lei Jun, his brilliance would likely still have overshadowed her.

Even Yue Xiling, a peerless genius, fell slightly short when compared to Lei Jun.

There was no doubt that Zhang Taigang was a prodigy, taking over Shushan Sect at such a young age, becoming yet another powerful leader following Yuanmie, Tang Xiaotang, and Xiao Hang.

However, in Fang Huansheng’s view, even Zhang Taigang was still slightly inferior to Lei Jun from Tianshi Mansion.

And he was sure he wasn’t the only one who thought so.

Fortunately, due to the Daoist Holy Lands maintaining closer ties during these turbulent times, Lei Jun’s presence was more of a show of support.

Otherwise, if this were an era of peace, where Zhang Taigang’s succession was the grand event of the moment, but Lei Jun ended up stealing the spotlight, it would have been an uncomfortable situation.

Once again, Fang Huansheng couldn’t help but sigh—Mount Longhu had indeed risen from its past decline.

With prodigies like Lei Jun, it was astounding that Tianshi Mansion actually had two others of similar caliber…

Outwardly, Fang Huansheng remained composed, but internally, he lamented the Fang Clan’s precarious position—stuck between Shushan Sect upstream and Mount Longhu downstream.

After the ceremony, Lei Jun and his disciples departed Xiaoding and traveled through Bashu.

Ji Chuan once again acted as their guide.

During the journey, Zhuo Huajie finally realized why his master had been so kind to him that day on Xiaoding.

Whether in the mountains or the valleys, Lei Jun continuously praised his first disciple in front of Ji Chuan, portraying him as a mature, diligent, and disciplined prodigy.

As they traveled through Southern Shu Bamboo Forest, the little panda had to endure meal after meal of bland, ascetic fare—until his Dao Heart nearly crumbled.

“Do you realize your mistake?”

Lei Jun playfully ruffled his disciple’s fluffy ears.

Zhuo Huajie: “Because Master is petty… no, because this disciple failed to uphold the conduct of a true student and disrespected his elders. Please punish me, Master.”

Lei Jun: “Knowing your mistake is the first step to improvement. Fine, go find your own food—but if Ji Chuan catches you, that’s on you. You still need to maintain your public image.”

With a cheer, Zhuo Huajie dashed into the bamboo forest.

He didn’t care about returning home in triumph—he cared about tasting the flavors of home.

Lei Jun chuckled as he watched his round little disciple dive into the bamboo groves with a perfect fish-leap posture.

A light sphere flashed in Lei Jun’s mind, revealing a cryptic omen:

"The earth shifts, the Forgotten River surges, dragons and serpents rise, the North and South dance together."

And with it, three fortune readings…

Three fortune readings appeared before Lei Jun:

The first thing Lei Jun focused on was the phrase “Forgotten River surges”.

The Yellow Springs of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths?

He recalled that when he first arrived at Xiaoding, he had sensed something unusual in the underground energy flow.

At the time, due to the multiple layers of Shushan Sect’s powerful suppressive formations, he hadn’t investigated further.

Now, looking at these fortune readings, he realized—so that’s where the disturbance was coming from.

Fortunately, from the readings, it seemed that Shushan Sect was well-prepared for this.

They had three to four Eighth Heaven Realm cultivators, along with three of their Great Treasures:

With these resources, Shushan Sect should be able to handle the situation—there may be danger, but it won’t be catastrophic.

However, Bailu Peak was a different matter.

Are the Yellow Springs of the Forgotten River going to rise in two places at the same time?