Cultivation: Fortune by Lots-Chapter 586 - 272. Return the property to its rightful owner, repay the debt with one’s life (Two Chapters combined)_4
A major disruption could once again interrupt the revival efforts of the Celestial Master Mansion. The Pure Yang Palace earlier, and now the Mount Shu Sect, are both such cases.
"Right, there is one more thing."
Zhang Jingzhen said, "According to Master Chu, this might not be the first time the Taiyi Primordial Tower has left the Mount Shu Summit!"
Lei Jun raised his eyebrows upon hearing this. "What do you mean?"
Zhang Jingzhen replied, "We are still examining the original site of the treasure tower on the Summit, but according to Elder Zhang Dongyuan, the Taiyi Primordial Tower might have been moved more than once. He also found it unbelievable, as there had been no prior indications of such movements."
Although not as closely connected to the Summit as Qingxiao Manor—which is almost regarded as a part of Mount Shu—the Taiyi Primordial Tower is similarly integral to the Mount Shu Sect’s Portal. For such a paramount treasure to move away from Mount Shu would hardly go unnoticed.
Especially by the Sect’s own members, like Zhang Dongyuan and other Upper Three Heavens Cultivators, who would likely sense it.
Upon hearing this news, Lei Jun fell into deep thought.
After meeting and conversing with Shangguan Yunbo, Chu Yu, Yue Xiling, Zhang Dongyuan, and others, Lei Jun also entered the earth veins to pursue the fleeing Qingxiao Manor.
Chu Yu temporarily remained in the Bashu region. Representing the Tang Imperial Court, he acted as the central liaison, coordinating efforts from all directions to help the Mount Shu Sect quickly stabilize the situation.
Zhang Jingzhen’s half of the Heavenly Palace Charter was highly regarded by Chu Yu. However, he did not take it directly. Instead, he requested that Zhang Jingzhen personally make a trip, taking the treasure to the old capital Chang’an in Guanzhong to present it before the Empress for her divine adjudication.
Lei Jun then stated that the matter was substantially more critical than anticipated and that he needed to report in person to his Sect. After visiting acquaintances like Ji Chuan, He Dongxing, and Ji Dongquan, he bid farewell to Bashu and returned to Dragon Tiger Mountain in Xinzhou.
Yuan Mobai and Shangguan Ning had previously received messages, first from Lei Jun and then from Zhang Jingzhen. Hearing Lei Jun explain the situation in person now, both wore very serious expressions.
"The Mortal Tao Country... Did they weaken our Sect and support the Yellow Sky Sect in preparation for this?" Yuan Mobai mused, his usually smiling face now uncharacteristically somber.
Shangguan Ning’s expression was even more grave. "The Sect Leader is in reclusive meditation and cannot be disturbed, and Yuan Zhen is overseas," she stated. "Nevertheless, this matter is of utmost importance. We must try our best to convey the message to them."
Yuan Mobai nodded. "Elder Sister’s words are very true."
Later, Lei Jun went to find his Junior Sister Tang Xiaotang, but she was indeed in a state of reclusive meditation. Unless she sensed a threat, she would not be disturbed. Lei Jun did not want to alarm her in such a way, as Tang Xiaotang was clearly at a crucial juncture in her cultivation.
However, he did manage to successfully contact his Senior Sister, Xu Yuanzhen, who was overseas.
"I’ve looked over Changjie Island," she said offhandedly. "It seems different from the Great Black Mountain in the Northern Border, but actually, there’s not much difference."
She had gone to the Portal on the other side.
There too lay a shattered Mortal World.
Just like the Yuhang region in Lei Jun’s current world.
It too was a land whose vibrant culture had been trampled by brutal, barbaric forces, leaving it desolate.
And from what she saw and heard on this trip, these events seemed to have occurred quite recently.
Xu Yuanzhen had also discovered other people there, though they were already dead.
One of them was Lin Jinsong. Like the other victims there, his bones now lay buried beneath wild grasses.
But the murderers were nowhere to be seen.
The once-flourishing civilization lay shattered, leaving only desolation.
"There must have been a major battle that led to the birth of this fragmented world," she speculated, her tone carrying a hint of interest.
"After the world shattered, only the final mopping up of the conflict remained here. Lin Jinsong happened to barge in at the wrong time and lost his life.
"However, those Martial Artists didn’t come through the realm’s Portal to this side, to Changjie Island. I wonder why?
"It’s a pity I didn’t encounter them. Otherwise, I could have investigated in detail. Now I don’t know where to start looking."
Then she listened without interruption as Lei Jun ran down the details concerning the Mortal Tao Country. Once Lei Jun had finished speaking, she suddenly asked, "The Taiyi Primordial Tower, had it left the Summit before?"
Her focus seemed a bit off.
Lei Jun, accustomed to her way of speaking, responded in his usual tone, "It was previously a suspicion. The elders of Mount Shu are investigating. After I return to the mountain, I’ll contact them again. They mentioned they could now confirm it; the tower indeed has left before, and they too are extremely shocked."
Xu Yuanzhen mused, "Is that so..."
Lei Jun asked, "Does Senior Sister suspect it’s related to the Thousand Leaves Butterfly King?"
Xu Yuanzhen replied, "It’s too early to say."
She suddenly laughed. "The Mortal Tao Country? People are still coveting that?"
"There might have been some catalyst," Lei Jun said.
"Very good," Xu Yuanzhen stated.
She didn’t elaborate on *why* it was good, only mentioning that she would also visit the Bashu region after leaving Changjie Island later.
After ending the call with Xu Yuanzhen, Lei Jun immediately took the Heavenly Palace Charter Upper Decree he had obtained from Chen Yi to see his Master, Yuan Mobai.
Yuan Mobai advised, "Don’t disturb the ancestral masters’ spirit tablets. First, go try the Altar of Wanfa. Jingzhen has traversed this path before, but Chongyun, you might have a different harvest."
Lei Jun complied, carrying the Charter to the Altar of Wanfa to perform the ritual.
The glowing Charter was blank, devoid of any characters.
But before Lei Jun, a faint path to the Connecting Heaven realm emerged, ascending all the way into the sky.
Through the integration of his mind and spirit with the Charter, Lei Jun felt his connection with the principles of Heaven and Earth grow even closer, smoothing his cultivation and enlightenment.
To some extent, it was as if his Comprehension had been elevated... Lei Jun nodded slightly.
Chen Yi and Zhang Jingzhen had previously benefited from a similar effect.
Lei Jun possessed a higher baseline Comprehension. Now, more deeply connected with the Charter, he even left his own imprint upon it, which in turn resonated with Heaven and Earth through the Charter.
In this interplay, man and the natural world seemed to merge into one.
Yet Lei Jun was somewhat disappointed. He hadn’t sensed the so-called Heavenly Palace.
Lei Jun held no yearning for the so-called Heavenly Palace. To be precise, he had no interest in rigidly hierarchical systems where everyone merely followed orders.
But if others were interested and sought to make it a reality, then Lei Jun felt he might as well study it.
It seems I’ll have to wait for Senior Sister Zhang to bring back the other half of the Charter, the Lower Decree, and then try again when they are combined, Lei Jun speculated.
He put away the Heavenly Palace Charter Upper Decree obtained from Chen Yi and left the Altar of Wanfa.
In the following days, aside from testing and instructing his eldest disciple, Lei Jun temporarily focused his cultivation on Magical Treasures.
However, these were not his own Magical Treasures, but rather the newly acquired set of the Seven-Star Sword.
In the meditation chamber, Lei Jun sat cross-legged. His Spiritual Soul, in a rare occurrence, detached from his physical form and hovered above his head. The seven Flying Swords formed a ring, floating around his body—indeed, the Seven-Star Sword.
After a long while, Lei Jun’s Spiritual Soul returned to his body. The seven Flying Swords remained suspended in mid-air, not falling, but slowly converging into a single line.
Lei Jun said, "Tianshu."
One sword chimed, hovering in the air.
"Tianxuan."
A second sword chimed.
"Tianji... Tianquan... Yuheng... Kaiyang... Yaoguang."
As Lei Jun softly chanted, the swords chimed in succession.
The seven Flying Swords hovered in unison, arranging themselves into the formation of the Big Dipper.
Lei Jun nodded, then beckoned, and the seven Flying Swords flew into the True One Altar Cave Heaven.
Then Lei Jun quietly departed Dragon Tiger Mountain. He headed southwest, not directly towards Nanzhao, but instead found a suitable location within the Qianshan mountains.
The area was sparsely populated, though not entirely devoid of human presence.
After checking the surroundings and confirming no one was currently present, Lei Jun waved his hand. The weakened remnant souls he had suppressed with Mysterious Thunder flew out.
Although these remnant souls were weak, freed from the containment of the Mysterious Thunder, they quickly coalesced and reformed into a weakened Immortal Soul.
It was the former Elder of Mount Shu, Wang Dongchu.
Just as Elder Wang regained his senses, seven beams of sword light suddenly descended from the sky, impaling him amidst the mountains!
The terrifying sword light shattered the mountain peaks and completely annihilated Wang Dongchu’s soul!
Elder Chen, I’ve borrowed your Magical Treasure and reputation for this. Pardon the disrespect; I shall make amends later,
Lei Jun put away the Seven-Star Sword and made a Taoist salutation towards the sword marks on the ground below. The wording and tone were deliberate; he had recently studied accounts of Chen Donglou’s life.
The handwriting did not need deliberate imitation; the same Sword Intent would naturally leave similar marks.
Eight large characters proclaimed:
Return what is due, debts repaid with life.
A smaller inscription below read:
Chen Donglou slew Wang Dongchu in Qianshan.
