“A spiritual item nurtured by the
Nine Saints Frost
?”
Lei Jun’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. He carefully contemplated and felt that it was indeed as Yuan Mobai said.
He recalled something: “Just like the
Unaccomplished Cauldron
and
Jiji Stone
back then, could it be that the spiritual item nurtured by the
Nine Saints Frost
this time isn’t just any random item?”
Back then, when there was an opportunity to improve his comprehension with the
Fire Marrow Yangfish
, both Xu Yuanzhen and Yuan Mobai had told him that aside from the
Water Marrow Yinfish
—which counterbalanced the
Fire Marrow Yangfish
—at least one more spiritual item capable of harmonizing Yin and Yang was required.
Although such Yin-Yang harmonizing spiritual items were rare and precious, they weren’t limited to just one or two types.
Especially since the
Tianshi Mansion
of
Mount Longhu
, as a
Daoist Holy Land
for the
Talismanic Branch
, had always emphasized the balance of Yin and Yang, represented by the union of Dragon and Tiger.
In reality, though, there weren’t many Yin-Yang harmonizing spiritual items suitable for Lei Jun.
Ultimately, it was through a fortunate opportunity that he obtained the
Unaccomplished Cauldron
.
It’s clear that so-called opportunities are unique and can’t be forced. Just like the
Tianshi Seal
itself cannot enhance a cultivator’s innate talent.
Until this special case of the
Nine Saints Frost
appeared.
“Hmm, it should be a specific type of spiritual item, nurtured by the
Nine Saints Frost
, which can then synergize with the
True-One Altar
of the
Tianshi Seal
.”
Yuan Mobai nodded: “Moreover, it probably won’t just be these two items; at least one more is needed.”
The Daoist way has always emphasized the harmony of Heaven, Earth, and Man—the
Three Talents
.
Since Lei Jun has entered the Daoist path, his fate is guided by an invisible force. To undergo a complete transformation, three opportunities must combine.
At the very least, it’s a situation where more is better than less.
“I will keep an eye out for the third opportunity,” Lei Jun said. “If we can confirm the first two, finding the third one should be relatively clearer and simpler?”
Yuan Mobai: “At the very least, the chances will be higher.”
The first one—the
Tianshi Seal
and the
True-One Altar
—was already clear. But the second one...
“I don’t mind keeping an eye out for it,” Lei Jun frowned slightly. “But the
Nine Saints Frost
is limited; there isn’t enough to test one by one.”
Yuan Mobai smiled: “No need to worry, the
Tianshi Seal
will assist you.”
Lei Jun understood: “That’s even better.”
The master and disciple chatted for a while longer, and Lei Jun took his leave.
Just before leaving, he suddenly asked softly, “Master, when I unintentionally obtained the
Unaccomplished Cauldron
in the
Grand Alchemy Hall
, was that Senior Uncle’s handiwork?”
Although a new
Tianshi
hadn’t been appointed, since the previous
Tianshi
, Li Qingfeng, had passed away, it was inappropriate to continue addressing him as
Tianshi
or
Sect Leader
.
“I believe it was Senior Brother Qingfeng’s doing,” Yuan Mobai nodded slightly.
This wasn’t to say that Li Qingfeng specifically refined an
Unaccomplished Cauldron
for Lei Jun.
At that time, Li Qingfeng had secretly refined pills for himself. During the process, a mortar absorbed some spiritual essence, transforming into the
Unaccomplished Cauldron
.
Later, by coincidence, Lei Jun obtained this treasure before it lost its spiritual essence.
But why would the dignified
Tianshi
Li Qingfeng secretly refine pills back then?
“At first, I thought Senior Uncle deliberately revealed a flaw to mislead his enemies, making himself appear weak to lure external foes,” Lei Jun said. “But based on subsequent events, it seems his condition was genuinely not good. He was taking a risky gamble.”
Yuan Mobai: “Only Senior Brother Qingfeng himself would know the details.”
He stood up and paced slowly within the hall, with Lei Jun following behind:
“Based on what I know, Senior Brother Qingfeng’s condition was indeed poor. The
Samsara Curse
is one of the most mysterious and top-tier sinister arts of the Southern Wasteland’s
Cursing Sect
or
Gu Sect
. Although it carries a primitive savagery, its power is undeniable. Even with Senior Brother Qingfeng’s abilities, he could only suppress it, not remove it.”
Yuan Mobai paused: “Worse still, Senior Brother Qingfeng wasn’t only afflicted by the
Samsara Curse
. During that battle, he was also hit by the
Aging Gu
of the
Witch Sect
.”
Lei Jun pondered: “Our sect’s texts don’t detail the
Aging Gu
, but some references mention it...”
The
Aging Gu
and the
Samsara Curse
are both top-tier secret arts of the Southern Wasteland’s
Witch Sect
. This venomous art burns a person’s lifespan.
When used on oneself, it temporarily enhances all abilities by burning lifespan, serving as a desperate last resort. When used on an enemy, both the user and the target lose lifespan together.
“Senior Uncle’s lifespan was no longer that of a normal Upper-Heaven cultivator?” Lei Jun looked at Yuan Mobai.
Yuan Mobai nodded.
Lei Jun immediately understood.
Under normal circumstances, with Li Qingfeng’s cultivation, he could suppress the
Samsara Curse
without severe consequences.
But because the
Aging Gu
had reduced his lifespan, Li Qingfeng aged prematurely, causing his strength to decline.
Once he weakened beyond a certain point, he could no longer suppress the
Samsara Curse
.
“This matter was highly secretive. I only found out just before and after Senior Brother Qingfeng’s last battle,” Yuan Mobai sighed.
No wonder the former
Tianshi
took such a risky gamble... Lei Jun thought.
Yuan Mobai continued: “The
Witch Sect
of the Southern Wasteland is bloodthirsty and internally divided, frequently changing alliances with the outside world.
The
Samsara Abyss
, the holy land of the
Cursing Sect
, bore a grudge against our sect for years. However, most of those enemies perished, and the current master of the
Samsara Abyss
, to consolidate power, turned to us...”
Lei Jun smiled. In an environment where allegiances shifted like the wind, this wasn’t surprising.
“In that battle, our sect captured some sacred items of the Southern Wasteland’s
Witch Sect
. The master of the
Samsara Abyss
sought one of these items and, in exchange, helped Senior Brother Qingfeng remove the
Samsara Curse
and even developed a way to transfer it.”
Yuan Mobai explained: “The leader of the Lin Clan in Jiangzhou, Lin Qun, didn’t know this and suffered a huge loss.
Even though the
Samsara Curse
was lifted, some residual effects remained, and the lifespan burned by the
Aging Gu
couldn’t be restored. This made Senior Brother Qingfeng’s subsequent decisions more aggressive.”
Lei Jun’s assessment was:
The former
Tianshi
didn’t trust his successors’ wisdom.
He wanted to solve everything during his tenure.
Whether this mindset was good or bad depended on perspective.
But there was no doubt that the
Tianshi
Li Qingfeng’s mutual destruction with Lin Qun profoundly impacted the world, with the aftershocks still lingering.
After chatting with his master Yuan Mobai, Lei Jun returned to his residence.
The past was past, serving only as a lesson for the present.
For Lei Jun, there were still many things he didn’t need to worry about.
He focused on his cultivation.
While he was interested in finding a suitable spiritual item nurtured by the
Nine Saints Frost
, he let fate take its course, not forcing it.
Sharpening the axe doesn’t delay chopping firewood. Achieving the
Sacred Physique
would certainly speed up his cultivation, but Lei Jun wasn’t ready to spend excessive time searching for it.
He focused on consolidating his foundation.
Advancing from the
Third Heaven
to the
Fourth Heaven
brought significant changes. Lei Jun needed time to adapt fully, ensuring he mastered every aspect of his abilities.
He started with physical training.
In general, the transition from the
Altar Stage
to the
Primal Talisman Stage
mainly enhanced his
soul
and
spirit
, with less change to his physical body.
Still, Lei Jun’s punches and kicks were now immensely powerful.
The
Black Bear King’s Gallbladder
had further demonstrated its potential.
If he could reach the
Fifth Heaven Dao Palace Stage
, his physical strength would surge dramatically again.
After several rounds of practice, Lei Jun paused and calmly regulated his breath.
He raised his hand, and a nine-foot-tall, four-foot-wide
Primal Talisman
manifested above his head, radiating spiritual light.
This time, he effortlessly produced a basic
Spirit Talisman
—of superior grade—with just a wave of his hand, without needing an altar, brush, or ink.
“To create the highest-grade basic talisman, I still need a Talisman Brush and
Talisman Ink
,” Lei Jun noted.
Earlier, during the
Talisman Conferral Ceremony
, Yuan Mobai had taught him the third volume of the
True Canon of the Dao of Righteousness
and the
Talismanic Scriptures
for advanced talismans.
Creating advanced talismans still required proper rituals, but Lei Jun wasn’t in a hurry.
He retrieved two items: the
Breath-Taking Flag
and the
Upper Qing Golden Bamboo
.
Now, as a
Middle-Heaven
cultivator, Lei Jun could unlock more of their potential.
The
Breath-Taking Flag
, once only for defense, now had stronger protection and some offensive capabilities.
The
Upper Qing Golden Bamboo
extended its length with a thought, emitting dazzling golden light.
...Though it did look a bit strange.
“Well, a little refinement won’t hurt. I’m a dignified and righteous man...” Lei Jun nodded.
Another item, the
Dragon Horse Scale
, seemed less useful now.
“I’ll keep it for later,” he decided.
He experimented by combining the
Dragon Horse Scale
with the
Golden-threaded Robe
from Fang Yue, enhancing its defense.
Though his crafting was clumsy, Lei Jun enjoyed it.
New experiences like these fueled his passion for cultivation.
However, a few days later, he received a notice to pause his research.
“Chongyun, prepare yourself.”
Master Yuan Mobai said: “The
Upper Qing Thunder Altar Grotto-Heaven
is about to open. You and the other talismanic disciples will enter for training.”
The
Upper Qing Thunder Altar Grotto-Heaven
was the most important secret realm of
Mount Longhu
, suspended above the main peak and shrouded in thunderclouds like a celestial paradise.
Not just disciples of the
Tianshi Mansion
, but countless cultivators across the world yearned for it.