Chapter 411: Chapter 411

From the Venus Luminary’s Future Maitreya, Lei Jun obtained the Purple Jadewood Disc.

From the Saturn Earth Luminary Fang Yue, Lei Jun obtained the Phoenix Plume Stone.

Once Sun Li from the Southern Wasteland supplied a large amount of Black Pine Rock, Lei Jun would have all the materials ready to refine the new array diagram into a Three-Tiered Altar.

He began the final preparation and refinement.

This formation evolved from the Grand Two-Element Inverse-End Age Immortal Array. In terms of principle and intent, it had already unified the dual elements into one.

To a great extent, Lei Jun also integrated his own insights into the future evolution of the Two Elements.

Although his current Two-Element Celestial Physique had yet to evolve into the Taiji Dao Body, Lei Jun continued to comprehend the principles of heaven and earth naturally, gaining deeper insights along the way.

Overall, Lei Jun’s current progress was going smoothly.

But on the other hand, his little senior sister Tang Xiaotang, who was in the Mortal Realm of the Khanate, wasn’t in the best mood.

As a Grand Shaman at the perfected Ninth Heaven Realm in the Gu Master tradition, Li Yuanheng possessed numerous life-saving and resurrection techniques, along with strange and unpredictable mystical Daoist abilities. That was part of the issue.

Last time, Tang Xiaotang had caught him off guard with Lei Jun’s Upper Qing Jade Celestial Bamboo, dealing a heavy blow to Li Yuanheng’s soul. She had almost forced him into a dead end.

With her Heavenly Heart Insight Talisman becoming increasingly refined, Tang Xiaotang could now track her enemies much more easily than before.

However, someone else had suddenly intervened, giving Li Yuanheng a chance to catch his breath, which left Tang Xiaotang fuming with rage.

“Is it Kong Sang?” Lei Jun murmured.

In this Mortal Realm once ruled by the Great Song and now occupied by the foreign Khanate, powerful figures appeared one after another.

After the descent and subsequent closure of the Youyin Realm due to internal strife, there had been no reconnection with this Mortal Realm for years.

The Gui Ruins had once reopened, but now it was sealed again.

But in the south, another domain of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths had now opened a Void Gateway to descend into this Mortal Realm.

Together with Luo Abyss, Youyin, Gui Ruins, the Land-Sea, the Great Wilderness, and others, it made up the "Ten Earths".

As far as Lei Jun knew, before the Great Cataclysm and the severance of ties between the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths and the Mortal Realm, Kong Sang had not been under the control of human cultivators.

Like the Gui Ruins, it was once a paradise of the demon clans.

But this time, as it reappeared in the Mortal Realm of the foreign Khanate and disrupted Tang Xiaotang’s pursuit, those who emerged were human cultivators.

More precisely, Grand Shamans.

“Well, that’s ironic...”

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow. “Luo Abyss, rumored to be under the control of the Witch Sect, is now full of demons. Kong Sang, once a demon stronghold, is now occupied by the Witch Sect.”

A certain State Preceptor of Great Tang was not amused.

Given her nature, Tang Xiaotang’s focus often shifted, but this prolonged game of cat and mouse with Li Yuanheng had brought her no satisfaction—only frustration.

If she really managed to corner him next time, she might very well vent her fury by desecrating his corpse.

Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen remained calm:

“They always say a few setbacks are good for Xiaotang, but honestly, this time it’s not her fault. She’s just been incredibly unlucky.”

Lei Jun: “Did you actually say that to her face?”

Xu Yuanzhen: “Of course, I was trying to comfort her.”

Lei Jun: “Then I’m sure it made her feel even worse.”

Perhaps returning the Tianshi Sword to her would cheer Tang Zhenren up a bit.

But for now, Lei Jun still needed to continue nurturing the Three Treasures of the Tianshi within the array, so she’d have to bear with it a little longer.

Later that day, Lei Jun suddenly felt a subtle shift in his mind.

The Heavenly Ground-Through Talisman shimmered in his eyes, and a radiant glow flashed across the clearing before him.

That light condensed into a ritual formation, with numerous luminous talismans floating through the air.

These sparkling talismans gradually formed the outline of a faintly visible treasure pagoda.

Staring at the ethereal pagoda, Lei Jun murmured,

“The Taiyi Innate Tower, huh?”

This treasure had been lost for years.

Back when Huang Xuanpu used force to dislodge the treasure, it collided with Han Qingtao’s Taiyi Severing Sword—both artifacts of equal power, filled with the mysteries of the Void.

As a result, the Taiyi Innate Tower vanished into the Void, removed from the Great Tang Mortal Realm.

Although Lei Jun had acquired a few leads over the years, he had never pinpointed its exact location.

He had heard vague rumors that the tower had entered the Ming Mortal Realm.

But since Lei Jun hadn’t visited the Ming realm, he couldn’t confirm it.

Now, however, it was clear that someone or something had stirred this treasured artifact of the Shushan Sect.

“...Han Qingtao, perhaps?” Lei Jun pondered.

Observing more closely, he found that the Taiyi Innate Tower hadn’t yet been claimed by anyone.

But with the Void now disturbed, its whereabouts had become easier to discern.

This made it possible to trace its location.

His junior martial brother Chu Kun had recently been focused on cultivating the Supreme Azure Crystal, so his intel gathering on the Ming realm had waned.

Fortunately, Lei Jun had other sources.

Through Meng Shaojie and Ji Chuan, Lei Jun learned that the Ming Mortal Realm had recently seen another major upheaval.

The previous Western Expedition to Sumeru had severely crippled the Ming Dynasty.

Although the Wise One of Compassion didn’t descend upon the Mortal Realm, and the Sumeru Karma Division Chief Jatiluo didn’t lead a counterattack, the Ming court was forced to focus most of its resources on the Western Region.

That left other fronts vulnerable.

Which is exactly how Han Qingtao, now the sovereign of the Mortal Daoist Nation, managed to seize the opportunity and strike.

The details were still vague—Meng Shaojie, Ji Dongquan, and others only had fragments of the whole story.

But one thing was clear: a sect treasure formerly confiscated from the Ming Shushan Sect had now fallen into Han Qingtao’s hands.

Its name: Void-Crossing Shuttle.

Another top-tier artifact of the Void.

Given Han Qingtao’s own Taiyi Severing Sword, Lei Jun could deduce the rest.

Back when her identity had yet to be fully exposed, even holding both artifacts hadn’t helped her locate the Taiyi Innate Tower—likely due to missing leads.

But now, she had gained something new.

Although the tower hadn’t yet been taken, clues had emerged, and she would likely find it soon—assuming no interference.

However, Han Qingtao’s recent seizure of the Void-Crossing Shuttle had sparked outrage within the Ming court.

The court assembled numerous elite cultivators—several Grand Academicians personally joined the hunt.

Right now, the Ming Mortal Realm was in turmoil.

Ji Dongquan, elder of the Great Tang Shushan Sect, was already there.

Now that the Taiyi Innate Tower had begun reacting, he too had taken notice.

Secretly sent to liaise with Ming Shushan counterparts, Ji was also tasked with recovering this sect treasure.

Among the Six Treasures of the Great Tang Shushan Sect, only the Taiyi Innate Tower remained lost.

Upon receiving his report, the entire sect was stirred.

After much discussion, Sect Leader Zhang Taigang requested Martial Uncle Ye Dongming to bring the Northern Abyss Divine Spear and secretly travel through the Gui Storage Path to support Ji.

According to reports, Ming elder Li Miaozhen had also pledged her aid.

The Ming Shushan Sect’s position had grown precarious.

Han Qingtao had become a notorious traitor, leading defectors into the Mortal Daoist Nation.

Mu Chunyang, who had joined the expedition to Sumeru, was reportedly killed by the Wise One of Compassion.

The Ming Daoist legacy had undoubtedly entered a slump.

As a result, the Ming court now watched over True Martial Monastery and Shushan Sect with heightened scrutiny.

But the new Ming sect leader Yuan Qingci remained resolute.

Under his arrangements, ties between the Ming and Great Tang Shushan Sects had grown stronger.

Yuan Qingci himself stayed hidden in the sect’s summit, Shaoding, but his senior elder Li Miaozhen had long been secretly meeting Ji Dongquan and other Tang cultivators.

“This is an opportunity for Han Qingtao—but also for us,” Lei Jun said to his master Yuan Mobai.

“They’re always eyeing our Tianshi Seal and Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar. Instead of playing defense, we might as well hit back hard.”

Although Empress Zhang Wantong was currently abroad, the situation in the Great Tang had improved.

So Lei Jun formally left the mountain, carrying the Three Treasures of the Tianshi.

He also summoned the Jade Pure Celestial Mirror instead of leaving it behind.

Once he arrived in the Ming realm, he set the mirror aloft to observe the terrain and adapt to the local spiritual energy.

“The spiritual flow here in the Ming realm is quite different from the Great Tang,” Lei Jun noted.

After adjusting the Jade Pure Celestial Mirror, he began tracking the Taiyi Innate Tower.

Simultaneously, he turned the mirror’s gaze to Chu Kun.

Chu Kun was deep in the wilderness, using a specially prepared formation to nurture the Supreme Azure Crystal.

The array was subtle and concealed both light and truth, shielding the process from detection.

But Lei Jun noticed several Ming officials and cultivators approaching.

Even a Ninth Heaven Confucian Scholar was drawing near.

By appearance, he was unfamiliar.

But hearing others call him “Grand Academician Xi,” Lei Jun recognized him.

Xi Zhichang—formerly the lowest-ranked member of the Ming Grand Secretariat, and a direct protégé of the current Chief Minister, Zhou Mingzhe.

After the disastrous western campaign, the Ming court underwent massive reshuffling.

Zhou rose to prominence, and Xi was promoted into the cabinet.

No longer a rising star, Xi Zhichang was now an established heavyweight.

And as a scholar of the Peace Under Heaven Ninth Heaven Realm, he was no easy opponent.

Lei Jun watched with interest.

Chu Kun’s refinement of the crystal was nearly complete—just as danger struck.

Yet Lei Jun didn’t intervene.

He knew his junior brother could handle it.

The earlier approach of Ming cultivators had already alerted Chu Kun.

Even though lower-realm opponents couldn’t detect his formations, Chu Kun didn’t hesitate—he activated a magic treasure.

As it unfurled, night fell over the mountains, moon and stars vanishing in an instant.

He and the crystal vanished into this darkness—silent, undetectable.

This treasure was the Starless Moonless Banner, forged after Chu Kun ascended to the Upper Three Heavens.

As night blanketed the area, the entire region seemed untouched—no trace of Chu Kun or the event remained.

Even Grand Academician Xi failed to detect anything.

Lei Jun watched in amusement.

Back when the treasure was in its infancy, Chu Kun had exchanged insights with Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan.

But compared to its early prototype, the Starless Moonless Banner was now far more effective.

Even Lei Jun had to focus intensely, using both his Jade Pure Celestial Mirror and Heavenly Ground-Through Talisman, to pierce its illusion.

In terms of concealment alone, Chu Kun’s treasure now nearly rivaled Lei Jun’s Eight Sceneries Treasure Mantle of Supreme Purity.

Clearly, he had invested significant effort into its refinement.

With good fortune on his side, he had also obtained many superior heavenly and earthly treasures to aid in its crafting.

Now, his work had paid off.

Even Xi Zhichang, a Ninth Heaven Confucian Scholar at the Peace Under Heaven Realm, would have missed it—unless he had been specifically tipped off and conducted a meticulous, blanket-style search.

In truth, Xi Zhichang and the other Ming cultivators hadn’t come for Chu Kun at all.

Elder Chu Chongguang was simply collateral damage.

Fortunately, his pond was deep enough, and even when fire broke out at the city gate, it didn’t reach him.

“The demonic Daoist Han Qingtao has a clear goal in her movements.”

Xi Zhichang instructed the others, “She dares act so recklessly—that itself plants the seeds of her own destruction. Everyone, search carefully. Do not let her escape. If she is found, I, Elder Zeng, and Abbot Guangshu will arrive at once.”

The group responded in unison.

Chu Kun, being unfamiliar, could easily go unnoticed.

She was raised within the Ming Dynasty’s Confucian system.

Even so, she was still a Ninth Heaven Daoist cultivator—Xi Zhichang didn’t dare lower his guard.

The primary force tasked with tracking her was composed of Ninth Heaven experts like himself.

A nearby Ming official whispered, “Grand Academician, it's confirmed—besides seizing the Shushan treasure Void-Crossing Shuttle, the demonic Daoist Han Qingtao also stole several other powerful artifacts, including the Ink Blade used to suppress evil.”

Xi Zhichang’s expression darkened. “Inform Elder Zeng. There’s no need to hide this from Abbot Guangshu.”

Lei Jun watched coldly from afar.

While the Jade Pure Celestial Mirror could only observe and not transmit sound, his Heavenly Ground-Through Talisman could intermittently pick up bits of conversation at this distance—enough to infer the general situation.

It seemed Han Qingtao had obtained quite a bit this time.

Besides the Void-Crossing Shuttle, she had seized other significant treasures.

No wonder the Ming Dynasty was in uproar, mobilizing multiple high-ranking officials to hunt her down.

This was yet another consequence of their failed expedition to Sumeru.

If not for the heavy blow suffered there, Han Qingtao would never have had such an opportunity.

Seeing that Chu Kun was now safe and the Ming cultivators were gradually retreating, Lei Jun relaxed.

He notified Chu Kun, then quietly left, continuing his search for the Taiyi Innate Tower using his Heavenly Ground-Through Talisman.

When it came to concealing his whereabouts, Lei Jun was even better than Chu Kun.

Even without the Eight Sceneries Treasure Mantle, his own mystical abilities allowed him to move undetected unless confronted by a Ninth Heaven master skilled in perception and detection.

Along the way, Lei Jun saw many Ming cultivators.

They weren’t just from the court.

Among them was a young Shushan cultivator, dressed in plain robes and straw sandals, appearing about twenty but indeed quite young.

Judging by his vitality and cultivation level, he was a prodigy—one of the most prized disciples in the Ming Shushan Sect.

He was currently traveling with a group of Ming officials and cultivators.

The group clearly followed the lead of a middle-aged official.

Though the man treated a robed nobleman beside him with utmost respect, it was the official whose opinion took precedence—even the young Shushan prodigy deferred to him.

“Much appreciation to the Marquis for your efforts,” said the middle-aged official named Ying Bang. “And to Daoist Qi of the Shushan Sect as well.”

The nobleman, Han Shijing, a member of the Ming royal family, responded gravely, “I only hope this mission ends with the traitor Han Qingtao brought to justice, as a warning to others.”

Han Qingtao herself was of royal blood, which was why the Ming court had involved many of the imperial clan in this campaign against the Mortal Daoist Nation.

Yet in recent years, the imperial clan had produced few true talents.

Han Shijing was a rare exception.

The Shushan cultivator added, “The Marquis and Lord Ying speak the truth.”

His surname was Qi, so he must be Qi Junshou… Lei Jun recalled.

Ji Dongquan and Ji Chuan had mentioned him before.

Indeed, he was one of the brightest young talents of the Ming Shushan Sect.

However, he wasn’t aligned with Yuan Qingci or Li Miaozhen.

Many within the Ming Shushan Sect leaned heavily toward the Ming court.

Yuan Qingci merely turned a blind eye.

Given the court’s continued dominance, division within the sect was inevitable.

Lei Jun glanced at them briefly but paid no further mind.

He resumed his focus on searching for Han Qingtao and the Taiyi Innate Tower.

Before long, he had results.

In his eyes, a six-tiered pagoda appeared.

Lei Jun halted, nodding slightly.

Han Qingtao was moving quickly—she was just about to succeed.

Lei Jun raised his hand and swept through the air.

Countless talismans sparkled into view, hovering in midair.

These star-like talismans stirred the surrounding pure energy, exuding a primordial and ancient aura that seemed to return the world to its origin.

It was the very essence and principle of the Taiyi Innate Tower.

As its Dao aura emerged, the talismans converged into a six-tiered tower mirroring the true treasure.

At the same time, the image reflected in Lei Jun’s eyes was also displayed in the Jade Pure Celestial Mirror high above.

With this refined point of reference, the mirror adjusted quickly and accurately.

Soon, it locked onto the location.

What Lei Jun then saw was astonishing:

A thousand miles away in the Ming realm, over the ocean, the glowing six-tiered tower had reappeared amid mist and brilliance.

But the unstable void was not limited to that site.

In two other oceanic regions nearby, the space was similarly warped—as if the fabric of reality itself were unraveling.

One location featured a massive sword suspended above the sea.

The other held an enormous shuttle, floating and sinking beneath the waves.

“The Taiyi Severing Sword and the Void-Crossing Shuttle,” Lei Jun noted. “Along with the Taiyi Innate Tower.”

The three greatest void treasures stood in perfect balance.

At the center, within the encircling waters, stood Han Qingtao—the Western White Emperor.

As she activated the ritual, the Penglai Portal opened deep beneath the sea.

Ocean water rushed inward, and the three void treasures contracted together to enter the portal.

Their combined force twisted the void, enveloping the region.

Even multiple Ninth Heaven Confucian Scholars arrived but were temporarily barred by the warped space.

It seemed that as the three treasures sank, the portal would shut behind them—sealing off pursuit.

Han Qingtao had clearly planned her escape well.

But then—just as the Taiyi Innate Tower aligned with the others—it suddenly trembled violently.

Far away, Lei Jun smacked apart the illusory six-tiered tower he had formed with talismans.

In response, the real tower shook violently, slipping free of Han Qingtao’s control.

Though it still entered the Penglai portal, it transformed into a stream of light and vanished.

Han Qingtao tried to give chase, but she had to worry about herself first.

With one treasure missing, the void distortion failed to stabilize.

The Ming pursuers surged in after her.

The portal remained open, no longer sealing itself shut.

Someone had interfered from afar… Could it be a member of the Great Tang Shushan Sect? Han Qingtao was startled, but with her plan ruined, she had to face the incoming Confucian Scholars first.

Lei Jun now made his way toward the sea-floor portal.

With the Jade Pure Celestial Mirror guiding him, he observed the area.

Ming cultivators continued to flood into Penglai.

Soon, he spotted someone familiar—Elder Ji Dongquan of the Great Tang Shushan Sect.

Beside him was a relatively unfamiliar Daoist, but one matching Ji Chuan’s description: Elder Li Miaozhen of the Ming Shushan Sect.

Ji Dongquan, while moving forward, seemed to be contacting someone—likely Ye Dongming.

They had probably split up earlier to search, and now that Ji had found the lead, he was summoning support.

But just as he neared the portal, Li Miaozhen warned him—he narrowly avoided an ambush.

Li Miaozhen stared at the sea’s surface.

There stood Qi Junshou.

Soon after, Ying Bang and Han Shijing arrived with others to encircle Ji and Li.

Qi addressed Ying Bang: “My lord, I was not falsely reporting. This proves everything.”

“Ming outsiders from the Shushan Sect?”

Ying Bang barked, “Li Miaozhen, you’ve received imperial favor and owe loyalty to the throne. Yet now you collude with traitors from the False Tang?”

“Junior Brother Qi…” Li Miaozhen’s voice was flat, eyes fixed on him.

Qi Junshou, unfazed, turned back to Ying Bang. “I once suspected Uncle Yuan and Senior Brother Li were communicating with outsiders, but lacked proof. Now the truth is clear.”

Ying Bang nodded. “Arrest them.”

Han Shijing acted without a word.

As a powerful Eighth Heaven martial artist, his searing blood qi radiated like a blazing sun.

Neither Ji Dongquan nor Li Miaozhen dared let him get close—they quickly dodged.

Qi Junshou merged his soul with his life-bound treasure, the Golden Light Umbrella.

Its canopy opened, radiant with golden light, sealing off all paths.

It only needed to block them briefly for Han Shijing to close in.

Meanwhile, Ying Bang remained still, but his Confucian writings materialized into binding principles that joined the encirclement.

“Hold them off a bit longer. If necessary, retreat. Junior Brother Ye will be here with the Northern Abyss Divine Spear soon…” Ji Dongquan began—but suddenly his vision blurred.

Outside the Golden Light Umbrella, someone appeared.

Their entire form glowed faintly with golden starlight, as if wrapped in a million constellations.

Amid the light, two thunder dragons—one purple, one black—intertwined.

“A Destined Star Avatar? A Yang Thunder Dragon and…?” Ji Dongquan’s thoughts raced.

This figure did not manifest like a traditional talismanic avatar, but he was tall and imposing.

And struck the open umbrella with a single palm.

Qi Junshou saw it coming clearly, but was too slow to react.

With a muffled crash, the umbrella shattered.

The attacker’s hand crushed not only the umbrella but Qi Junshou’s soul with it.

Yet the motion didn’t stop.

With thunder roaring, the man’s palm slapped the broken umbrella—now tangled with Qi’s corpse—into Han Shijing.

Though quick to move, Han Shijing was still caught.

His body convulsed, vomiting blood as he crashed into the ruined umbrella.

Thunder continued to roar like a dragon.

Purple, black, and gold intertwined in the sky.

With a wave, the tall Daoist erased a section of space.

The three elite Ming cultivators were flung back together—already dead—into a stunned Ying Bang.

Before they even hit the sea, they were lifeless.

The remaining Ming cultivators were dumbstruck.

One palm—just one—and Qi Junshou, Ying Bang, and Han Shijing were all gone?

Was that Daoist arts? Martial arts? Something else?

Beside her, Ji Dongquan had recovered, and bowed calmly:

“Thank you, Tianshi, for your aid.”

Hearing the title, Li Miaozhen looked again.

The golden starlight and thunder faded, revealing Lei Jun—tall and poised, clad in a Nine-Colored Radiant Robe, wearing the Primordial Crown, bearing the White Jade Seal and the Purple Thunder Sword at his waist.

So this was the current Tianshi of the Great Tang Talismanic Branch...

Li Miaozhen inhaled deeply.

“No need for formalities,” Lei Jun nodded to Ji and Li.

“The treasures of your sect, including the Taiyi Innate Tower, have entered Penglai. Let’s handle matters here first, then talk.”

As he spoke, a Purple Yang Thunder Dragon reappeared, floating above and summoning a storm of violet lightning.

Thunder roared as bolts fell like rain on the Ming cultivators.

Ji Dongquan and Li Miaozhen both breathed deeply, stood firm, and performed a Daoist salute in unison:

“Tianshi speaks rightly.”

Lei Jun, hands behind his back, strode into Penglai first.