Cultivation: Fortune by Lots-Chapter 576 - 270. Under a Famous Name, the Reality Struggles to Match (Two Chapters Combined)_3
And at the Alchemy Cauldron Sect’s Sacred Land, Zhongnan Mountain’s Pure Yang Palace, although there had been periods when they were close to the imperial family, generally speaking, most Alchemy Cauldron Sect cultivators were more ascetic, preferring to cultivate quietly on their own and seldom venturing into the Red Dust.
As for the Daoist Artifact Refining Sect’s Sacred Land, the Mount Shu Sect... Lei Jun looked at Liao Jie again.
Due to geographical factors and past traditions of seclusion, the Mount Shu Sect, like the Pure Yang Palace, tended to be more withdrawn from the world, unlike the Celestial Master Mansion, which was more involved.
Even when the cultivators of Mount Shu left the Land of Bashu, they rarely took part in the lofty halls of power, preferring instead to wander far in the martial world, living freely among mortals.
But now, whether one should say times had changed, some cultivators from the Pure Yang Palace and Mount Shu Sect birthed the aspiration to establish a Mortal Tao Country and construct a Heavenly Palace and Divine Court.
Such actions, the Tang Imperial Court wouldn’t even call it an attempt to eradicate Taoism.
It would be called rebellion.
The so-called Taoist Nation was not about them becoming the state religion of Great Tang, but rather, about creating a theocratic state modeled after the Heavenly Palace...
To some extent, the old history of the White Lotus Sect in relation to the three great Sacred Lands of the Buddhist Sect was now replaying itself within the Taoist Sect.
The current situation at the Pure Yang Palace hardly needed further discussion.
And on the Mount Shu Sect’s side, judging by Liao Jie’s implications, their involvement was deeper than anticipated.
One could imagine this likely started with a few individuals within the Pure Yang Palace and Mount Shu Sect, then slowly festered in the shadows, connecting those of like minds. But who was that first person to conceive such a vision, and was there some special catalyst?
What was intriguing was that the Taoist Talisman Sect, originally closest to the Heavenly Court Officials, had, for one reason or another, become somewhat marginalized in all this.
Of course, the early discovery and destruction of the Yellow Sky Sect’s Ancestral Altar, with Taoist Taiping, Qi Shuo, and others all perishing, was something Liu Dongzhuo, Liao Jie, Zhou Peng, Gu Han, and the others hadn’t wished to see either.
For matters like this, it’s best to capture them alive; otherwise, just talking about it could easily lead to endless arguments... Lei Jun remained calm.
Since captives were needed, Master Lei didn’t plan to intervene too much. It was better to just offer some subtle support from the sidelines; there was no need to thrust himself into everyone’s focus.
So, the most appropriate method at the moment was, of course... to report to the authorities.
Lei Jun quietly watched Liao Jie and Mo Chen. In his hands, two Spirit Talismans were flickering with light.
Two Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans.
The moment Lei Jun heard the words "Mortal Tao Country," he had already activated the Spirit Talismans.
Activating Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans at such close range could easily alert Liao Jie, who specialized in cultivating the Spiritual Soul.
However, Lei Jun used his own Mana to conceal the activation, preventing Liao Jie and Mo Chen from noticing, even as the sound of their conversation was clearly transmitted afar.
The Tang Imperial Court also used such methods for long-distance communication. Besides the Confucian Sect’s common Seeing the Words as if Seeing the Person Technique, they also frequently purchased the Taoist Sect’s Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans.
Lei Jun steadily transmitted their voices.
Soon, someone was rushing over.
This time, Liao Jie’s eyes flashed, and he grew wary.
He abruptly turned his head to look into the distance.
There, in the Stone Forest, a figure was weaving through the stone pillars at an incredible speed. It was as if a shadow had merely flickered a few times before the person arrived before them.
It was none other than Shangguan Sheng, a high-ranking general of the Tang Court’s Divine Strategy Army.
Shangguan Sheng’s face was expressionless, his gaze shifting between Liao Jie and Mo Chen.
Liao Jie’s expression returned to normal. He glanced at Mo Chen, then looked at Shangguan Sheng. "General Shangguan, you’ve arrived just in time. This humble Taoist has discovered Mo Chen, a traitor of Pure Yang Palace. I suspect he might be connected to Zhou Peng and his associates, and I was just about to apprehend him for questioning."
Mo Chen remained silent, his expression one of apprehension.
Shangguan Sheng nodded. "Indeed, he needs to be thoroughly interrogated... What exactly is this ’Mortal Tao Country’ all about?"
Liao Jie was startled at first, then quickly composed himself. Perhaps he heard about it from somewhere else? "Mortal Tao Country? Is that what Mo Chen, Zhou Peng, and their group are scheming?"
"It’s what *you all* are scheming! Stop playing dumb!" a young voice suddenly called out from the distance.
Before the voice finished speaking, a tall figure, wreathed in white light, had already charged close.
The newcomer wasted no words, throwing a direct punch at Liao Jie.
The speed was so immense that Liao Jie, despite being at the Seventh Layer of Heaven Realm, could barely react.
Fortunately, having become vigilant when Shangguan Sheng suddenly appeared, Liao Jie had already been secretly on guard. At this moment, a massive surge of blue flames erupted, helping him fend off the attacker.
Simultaneously, a Pill Furnace appeared above Liao Jie’s head—it was his Lifebound Magic Treasure, the Southern Ming Furnace.
This treasure was one Liao Jie had crafted by following the methods of the South Bright Separation Fire Cauldron, one of the Mount Shu Sect’s six great treasures. He had gathered numerous Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, harmonized them with his own Spiritual Soul, and finally refined it into his Lifebound Magic Treasure. It contained the South Bright Separation Fire, a rare marvel possessed by the Mount Shu Sect, renowned throughout the world alongside the Nine Abyss True Fire of Dragon Tiger Mountain.
Unlike the ferociously offensive Nine Abyss True Fire, it was better suited for Alchemy and Artifact Refining. Its fire was neither Yin nor Yang, yet encompassed both, possessing truly marvelous qualities.
The moment the Southern Ming Furnace appeared, Liao Jie’s entire being transformed into a streak of light, merging into the Magical Treasure, becoming indistinguishable from it.
The Seventh Heavenly Layer of cultivation in the Daoist Refinement Sect was known as Pill Resolution.
Upon reaching this realm, cultivators of the Refinement Sect completely shed their mortal, fleshly bodies, their Spiritual Souls able to transform at will.
Any subsequent appearance of their original form was purely a solidified, external manifestation of their transformed Spiritual Soul.
Now, as Liao Jie merged with his Southern Ming Furnace, man and Magical Treasure became one, mutually empowering each other, causing the Mana within to surge dramatically.
The already churning blue flames gushed out from it, instantly becoming a vast sea of fire.
But the attacker rushing from the distance, enveloped in white light, launched an assault too sharp to be denied. It forcefully tore through the blue sea of fire formed by the South Bright Separation Fire and, in an instant, reached the Southern Ming Furnace!
CLANG!
