Chapter 753: 308. Second Layer of the Eighth Heavenly Layer, Divine Court Intermediate Scene (Three-in-One Chapter)_7

Since this serendipity of the Moon has arisen, I should cherish it.

Even if the phrase "After extreme bad luck comes good fortune" is not always true, I’ve at least shed a piece of anxiety from my heart. With this in mind, there’s no need for me to rush into considering the Imperial Court of Great Tang in the Mortal World; it’s certainly not my first choice. Then, what about the Taoist Sect?

Nie Fang familiarized himself with the accent and writing of the Tang people while gathering information and understanding the current situation.

His first disappointment was that in Great Tang, there was no inheritance of the Yanshi Lineage.

The good news, however, was that the Great Tang Taoist School was still flourishing.

It was just that in recent years, the three Sacred Lands had each suffered some hardships.

His practice had nothing to do with the Alchemy Cauldron Sect. Though Pure Yang Palace might be in its prime, it also had no connection to him, so Nie Fang didn’t consider them.

Between the Talisman Sect and the Refinement Sect, it was said that Mount Shu of the Refinement Sect had faced severe disasters in recent years. Meanwhile, the Talisman Sect, having continually produced outstanding talents, showed signs of revival. Therefore, after some thought, Nie Fang made his way to the Ancestral Court of Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Lei Jun saw Nie Fang coming to pay his respects outside Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Nie Fang did not conceal his origin or Taoist Heritage, telling everything as it was.

Chu Kun was the first to receive him. After talking with Nie Fang, Chu Kun arranged for him to meet Lei Jun, the High Merit Elder.

"Your foundation is already set. If you wish to convert to practice our Talisman Sect’s Taoist Laws, you’ll need to start anew," Lei Jun said.

Nie Fang glanced at the bronze automaton beside him before returning his gaze.

"Responding to the Elder, this junior still plans to continue practicing the Engineer Art.

"Firstly, when I began my apprenticeship, I vowed to pass on this art. It was this very art that gave me the initial foundation to establish myself; otherwise, it would have been impossible for me to escape to Great Tang.

"Secondly, I bear karmic entanglements and intend to return to Heavenly Principle one day to seek justice for myself. If your sect’s great Tao reaches up to the heavens, it would naturally aid my quest. However, after joining the sect, it is inevitable that I would bring trouble upon it, thus I dare not hold such high hopes.

"I only hope to have a few opportunities to receive guidance from the Elder and the seniors of the Celestial Master Mansion. I will do everything in my power and await commands from the seniors.

"It’s an undue request, and I earnestly seek the Elder’s gracious permission, which I shall never forget." Nie Fang gave a deep bow.

Chu Kun glanced at Lei Jun.

Nie Fang’s intention was to establish his own lineage, even if only a small Taoist Temple, and then affiliate it under the name of the Talisman Sect.

Longhu Mountain Celestial Master’s Mansion was the Ancestral Court of the Taoist Talisman Sect of the Great Tang Dynasty. Nie Fang coming here was essentially him coming to pay tribute.

If he could obtain some cultivation resources or get advice on the classics of Taoist Laws during his cultivation, he would naturally be more than happy. Of course, he was also willing to heed the orders of the Celestial Master Mansion and serve it as one of its Disciples.

However, his roots, at least for now, were not in Great Tang, but in Great Ming—or rather, in Heavenly Principle.

He would definitely go back.

Not because of lingering attachments, but because of indignation!

"Is the person you want to take revenge on your father?" Lei Jun asked calmly.

Nie Fang knew that although filial piety in Great Tang wasn’t as strict as in Heavenly Principle with its rigorous hierarchy between ruler and minister, father and son, it was still not a derogatory term, just not as extreme.

Yet, he honestly replied, "Yes. At the very least, I want him to admit in person that he was wrong. If he never acknowledges it, I am prepared to meet him on the battlefield if necessary—but it’s not just him."

Nie Fang’s gaze was resolute, his tone calm: "My enemy is the entire system of Neo-Confucianism, its ritual propriety, and the Principle Constants of ruler and father."

Upon hearing this, Chu Kun looked on with a sideways glance.

Such ambitions, coming from Nie Fang, could easily make one question the grandiosity of his claims at first.

However, as Chu Kun looked at Nie Fang now, there was no mockery in his eyes.

Instead, he felt somewhat self-mocking:

Compared to his ambitions, I’m just a salted fish...

"You are very candid," Lei Jun nodded slightly. "Given these circumstances, it isn’t proper for me to decide on my own. I must ask our Sect Leader to make a determination. I am willing to make the introduction for you."

Nie Fang gave a deep bow, "Thank you, Elder."

For this matter, Celestial Master Tang naturally didn’t want to fuss much. "Alright, allow him to be affiliated. One more or one less makes no difference. When his Engineer Art shows some accomplishments, let me know. I’d like to see it as well."

Lei Jun smiled. "During our Young Senior Sister’s tenure as Celestial Master, our Great Tang Taoist Sect has gained a new lineage. Generously nurturing it, it might seem inconsequential at first glance, but who knows if in the future it won’t be a significant Chapter in our Daoist canons?"

"Hmm..." Tang Xiaotang imagined the scenario and couldn’t help but break into a wide smile.

On the other side, Chu Kun kept his gaze lowered, staring at the tips of his toes.

Senior Brother, that’s flattery, too much flattery! You have the very image of a sycophantic, treacherous courtier... Chu Kun felt deeply chagrined.

No matter how chagrined he felt, the matter was thus settled.

The Celestial Master Mansion prepared a special talisman for Nie Fang as an identity credential, permitting him to find a suitable location in the South to establish his own Taoist Temple.

Lei Jun entrusted Elder Chu Kun with arranging these related matters.

He himself continued to stay at the mansion, assisting Tang Xiaotang, Yuan Mobai, Shangguan Ning, and others in managing the mansion’s affairs while also continuing his own cultivation.

「Thus, time quietly passed.」

During this period, the Great Tang Dynasty did not resume military engagement with the Southern Wilderness.

The two great battles to the east and west, along with the turmoil at Dragon Tiger Mountain, had significantly drained the resources of the various powers in Great Tang.

Even from the Xumi Vajra Sect, Jiasheng Upper Master and Master Renzhu had both returned to the Western Regions.

However, the battle results they proclaimed were glorious.

The two Buddhist Masters of the Nine Heavens Realm had joined forces to slay a Ninefold Sky Great Demon of the Southern Wilderness, the Four-eyed Python Emperor.

It was said that both of them had also sustained injuries and thus returned to the Western Regions to recuperate.

Now that the threats from both east and west were temporarily cleared and the Jiuli power in the south did not continue to expand, the Great Tang supported the Witchcraft Sect in the Southern Wilderness to confront the Jiuli People. This gave Great Tang itself a rare opportunity for recovery and regeneration.

All four directions were temporarily at peace.

On Dragon Tiger Mountain, a certain Celestial Master began to grow restless.

After presiding over a Transcension Ritual and a Lecture Ceremony, respectively, during the New Year’s month for two consecutive years, Tang Xiaotang officially informed Lei Jun and the other elders that she was going to leave the mountain.

Ostensibly, like Xu Yuanzhen, it was to search for Huang Xuanpu and other remnants of the Mortal Tao Country.

As for the actual situation, on one hand, she felt a stirring after a period of calm; on the other, it had been nearly twenty years since she had taken over the position of Celestial Master.

During that time, she had presided over various ceremonies, received and sent off guests, and been congratulated by many. Although it brought her into the public eye, she had gradually grown tired of it after so many occurrences.

In Tang Xiaotang’s own words, when she was chatting privately with Lei Jun, she said:

"What I’m thinking about now is when I can wield all three of the Celestial Master’s Three Treasures at once to slay Huang Xuanpu. That would be Perfection."

The emphasis fell on "all three of the Celestial Master’s Three Treasures at once."

Tang Xiaotang was not particularly keen on the secrecy maintained by Yuan Mobai and Lei Jun (the master-disciple pair) regarding the Celestial Master Robe’s return to the mountain, but she did not press the issue.

However, as the Celestial Master, the idea of being adorned with all Three Treasures at once had clearly become a cherished wish of hers.

Lei Jun said, "Let things take their natural course. If there is a need, then strike the opponent hard; there’s no need to deliberately hide it."

So for Tang Xiaotang’s departure from the mountain this time, Lei Jun suggested she take the Celestial Master Seal directly.

Then, if needed, the Celestial Master’s Sword and Celestial Master Robe could be transmitted to her together.

However, despite what Tang Xiaotang said, when it came time to choose, she still opted for the Celestial Master’s Sword.

"If there really is a need, you or Master can bring the Celestial Master Seal to meet up with me," Celestial Master Tang said, waving her hand as she departed the mountain.

Fortunately, this did not affect the daily handling of affairs at the mansion.

With the end of the battle in the Northwest, Zhang Jingzhen also returned to the mountain, assisting Yuan Mobai, Lei Jun, and Shangguan Ning in managing the affairs within the mansion.

「As time hurriedly flowed, two years passed in the blink of an eye.」

Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang had still not returned.

There was very little news of the former circulating in the world.

Conversely, the latter’s journey was quite eventful, adding plenty of news to the generally placid atmosphere of the Great Tang Realm.

In the year Lei Jun was to turn fifty-four, he informed Yuan Mobai and his other martial brothers, then took a rare opportunity to temporarily relinquish his duties and focus on closed-door cultivation for a period.

However, his choice of cultivation locations was somewhat erratic: at night, above ground, and during the day, underground.

One day, as night turned to day in the early hours of the morning, Lei Jun, facing the faint light of dawn, emerged from the earth veins and proceeded unhurriedly to the surface.

Dressed in a Purple Robe and wearing a Taoist Crown, he appeared outwardly unchanged.

But the Divine Court Cosmos deeply hidden within him had undergone a transformation.

At this moment, Lei Jun himself was like a miniature Heaven and Earth World.

Above were the nine heavens, pitch-black like the night sky, yet with brilliantly shining starlight.

Below was the Nine Abyss, sallow like the earth, yet with visible paths of Yuan Magnetism.

Eighth Heavenly Layer, Second Layer, Divine Court Intermediate Scene—achieved today.