In
Yuan Mobai's
residence,
Lei Jun
opened the altar and began the ritual.
His master, Yuan Mobai, sat quietly to the side, watching his disciple perform the
Big Dipper Steps
on the altar. Besides him,
Wang Guiyuan
and
Chu Kun
stood silently.
When facing a tribulation, one could only rely on themselves; others could hardly offer assistance. Nevertheless, this was a rare experience, so Yuan Mobai arranged for Chu Kun to observe. Strictly speaking, Chu Kun was merely there to absorb the atmosphere. He held his breath and stayed silent, his expression serious.
Events like these were rare. For someone crossing a tribulation, having spectators nearby might disturb their focus. Similarly, for young disciples watching, witnessing a failure could leave a negative impression and hinder their own future cultivation.
However, Lei Jun’s mind was clear and steady. The presence of Wang Guiyuan and Chu Kun didn’t trouble him. Chu Kun, though serious, also adjusted his mindset to stay calm. Having already experienced the
Heavenly Chasm Tribulation
between the First and Second Heavens, he silently absorbed the atmosphere of Lei Jun facing a higher tribulation, refining his own spirit through the experience.
On the altar, as Lei Jun performed the
Big Dipper Steps
, points of light sparkled like stars. The light mist transformed into a beautiful
Star River
, surrounding the area.
When his figure and the third layer of the altar were entirely concealed within the
Star River
, Yuan Mobai and the others knew that the true test was about to begin.
At the top of the altar, Lei Jun stopped and sat cross-legged. Above his head, four
Primal Talismans
hovered in four directions, emitting a wondrous glow. Mysterious Daoist patterns and symbols appeared on each talisman.
The sounds of thunder and wind rose together. The
Azure Sky Divine Thunder Qi
and the
Nine Nether Yin Wind Qi
intertwined, surging between the four talismans. The
Star River
surrounding Lei Jun remained, shrouding him.
With his eyes closed, Lei Jun focused his mind. After a moment, spiritual energy began to flow from his spleen. His mana gathered steadily in his spleen—neither overly yin nor overly yang, perfectly balanced and ceaseless.
At the same time, he meditated on his journey since entering the Dao. His Dao heart was neither cold nor intense, but pure and peaceful, vast as the heavens and earth, solid and broad, merging all his essence, energy, and spirit.
With this step, Lei Jun pushed open the gate to the
Fifth Heaven Dao Palace Realm
of the
Daoist Talismanic Branch
.
The orthodox teachings of
Mount Longhu
dictated that the
Dao Palace Realm
involved nurturing the five organs, refining the five elements, cultivating the five energies, stabilizing the five directions, and establishing the five palaces. Only when the five palaces merged into one could a complete
Dao Palace
be formed, preparing a cultivator to advance toward the
Sixth Heaven
. Therefore, the
Dao Palace Realm
was divided into five stages.
The five palaces corresponded to the five organs, five elements, and five directions. For male cultivators, the journey began from the south, with the
Southern Dragon-Tiger Palace
, refining
Heart Fire
and nurturing
Yang Qi
.
Next was the
Central Three Pure Palace
, associated with the spleen and the element earth, nurturing the balanced qi of yin and yang. This was followed by the
Western Spirit Officer Palace
(lungs, metal,
Lesser Yin Qi
), the
Eastern Mysterious Altar Palace
(liver, wood,
Lesser Yang Qi
), and finally, the
Northern Profound Darkness Palace
(kidneys, water,
Greater Yin Qi
).
For female cultivators, the order was reversed, starting with the
Northern Profound Darkness Palace
to nurture
Greater Yin Qi
, followed by the
Central Three Pure Palace
for balancing yin and yang, and concluding with
Southern Dragon-Tiger Palace
.
If Lei Jun still had his
Hidden Dragon Spirit Physique
, his mana would now concentrate on his heart, refining
Heart Fire
, like the blazing midday sun. But with his physique transformed into the
Sacred Yin-Yang Physique
, his mana remained balanced, harmonizing yin and yang.
The first palace he established was the
Central Three Pure Palace
. By refining
Spleen Earth Qi
, he balanced the central energy, facilitating the establishment of the other four palaces more quickly.
But first, he had to overcome the
Heavenly Chasm Tribulation
before him. The balanced
Yin-Yang Qi
rose above his head, merging with the four
Primal Talismans
, forming the framework for his
Central Three Pure Palace
. As his
Spleen Earth Qi
fused with the talismans, a
Dao Palace
began to take shape.
At that moment, a contamination appeared beneath the palace’s foundation, like water seeping into the earth—the
Water Tribulation
had arrived.
This tribulation was subtle yet destructive, eroding the Dao foundation, body, and soul. Once it began, there was no turning back. Male cultivators relied on
Heart Fire
to counter the water, while female cultivators used
Kidney Water
.
With his
Sacred Yin-Yang Physique
, Lei Jun used
Spleen Earth Qi
to combat the water. The illusory palace resisted the seepage, holding the contamination at bay.
Yuan Mobai smiled slightly. His disciple aimed to achieve in a few years what took others a decade. Given time, Lei Jun could overcome this on his own. But for now...
Lei Jun made his next move. The glowing
Five Elements Grand Evolution Treasure Sand
entered his body. It first merged with
Lung Metal Qi
, then flowed to
Kidney Water
, then
Liver Wood
, then
Heart Fire
, and finally returned to
Spleen Earth
.
Metal generates water. Water generates wood. Wood generates fire. Fire generates earth. The five elements nurtured each other, strengthening the
Spleen Earth Qi
.
The contamination faded. Lei Jun exhaled deeply.
His
Three Pure Palace
was established!
The glow receded, and the palace solidified within the illusory mountain gate. Spiritual energy gathered around it from all directions.
Lei Jun opened his eyes. The surrounding
Star River
dissipated. Yuan Mobai smiled, and Wang Guiyuan and Chu Kun stepped forward to congratulate him.
“You’ve finally taken this step,” Lei Jun said, his face full of joy.
He descended from the altar, thanking his master, senior brother, and junior brother for their support.
“Lei-shixiong, how do you feel?” Chu Kun asked curiously.
Lei Jun replied, “I still need to stabilize my cultivation and adapt to the changes.”
His newly established
Dao Palace
had strengthened his body from within, enhancing both his physical and spiritual vitality.
Lei Jun’s
internal and external balance
refined his body, nourishing his spirit, making him feel even more energized.
Yuan Mobai waved his sleeve, and the disciples followed him to the front hall for further instruction. After the day’s lessons ended, Lei Jun returned to his residence, carefully nurturing his mana and adapting to the changes in his body.
The next day, he visited Yuan Mobai again. Yuan Mobai asked, “
Chongyun
, are you ready?”
Lei Jun nodded calmly. “I’m prepared, but whether I succeed or not depends on the approval of our sect’s elders.”
Yuan Mobai replied, “Then let’s go.”
The master and disciple left the residence and headed straight to the
High Priests’ Hall
. Lei Jun accompanied his master because he was applying for an early
Talisman Conferral
.
The
Talisman Conferral
, also known as
Second Conferral
, had specific requirements and timelines. To receive an exception, approval from the senior members of the
Tianshi Mansion
was necessary. Only after passing the review could he proceed to the
Talisman Bureau
for the conferral.
Technically, Lei Jun could have chosen not to apply for the early conferral. However, he had no desire to feign mediocrity; he preferred to follow his natural path. Moreover, without the conferral, Yuan Mobai couldn’t pass on the
Fourth Scroll of the True-One Righteous Dao Canon
to him. This would hinder his future cultivation, making his recent breakthrough to the Fifth Heaven pointless.
At this time, aside from
Xu Yuanzhen
,
Li Zhengxuan
, and the exceptional
Tang Xiaotang
, the other senior elders were all present in the mansion. Thus, Lei Jun underwent the review process before several elders simultaneously.
Lei Jun’s rapid progress astonished
Li Song
,
Li Hongyu
,
Li Ziyang
,
Yao Yuan
, and
Shangguan Ning
.
“A Fifth Heaven cultivator at just thirty years old,” Yao Yuan remarked, his gaze sweeping across the others. “Considering he started learning the Dao at eighteen, this is truly exceptional.”
Even if Lei Jun had received the
Talisman Conferral
early on, his current progress was beyond expectations.
“In terms of cultivation level, he’s undoubtedly qualified. As for the timeline…” Yao Yuan trailed off, looking to the others for consensus.
He wasn’t opposing the request; he was simply confirming whether they should grant an exception. Such exceptions weren’t unprecedented. The sect had already made numerous exceptions for
Tang Xiaotang
due to her extraordinary potential.
While Lei Jun’s potential didn’t yet surpass Tang Xiaotang’s, he had clearly outpaced many of his peers. What was once considered a promising seedling had now sprouted and grown vigorously. Compared to other talented disciples,
Lei-shizhi
had emerged as a standout.
“Chongyun is indeed excellent,” Yuan Mobai said. “But we must follow the rules.”
He continued, “However, the sect’s regulations state that if a disciple has made significant contributions, early conferral is permitted.”
Li Ziyang and Yao Yuan nodded. “That’s correct.”
Yuan Mobai turned to Lei Jun, who respectfully presented several talismans. The elders didn’t need to touch them; a mere glance revealed everything. These were various types of foundational talismans, previously unrecorded in the sect’s
Talismanic Scriptures
.
It was evident that the designs were rooted in the
Tianshi Mansion’s
orthodox talisman arts, yet they contained ingenious innovations beyond the capability of ordinary disciples.
Li Hongyu looked at Lei Jun. “Lei-shizhi, did you create these yourself, or did you obtain them from elsewhere?”
Lei Jun replied, “I created them myself—just humble attempts. Please guide me, honored elders.”
Li Hongyu shook her head. “They’re already very good.”
While it wasn’t difficult for the elders to modify or innovate basic talismans, few dedicated themselves to systematic research. Their focus was on higher-level talismans and mystical arts. For someone as young as Lei Jun, with his relatively modest cultivation level, such accomplishments were remarkable.
There was no doubt that these foundational talismans would benefit future generations of the
Tianshi Mansion’s
disciples.
This time, Lei Jun did not present his
Life-Bound Talisman
, the
Five Thunder Talisman
. Though he had elevated it to the
Yin Five Thunder True Law Talisman
, he chose to withhold it. Instead, he presented other foundational talismans like the
Chain Flame Talisman
and the
Flying Fire Talisman
. These were byproducts of his experiments before perfecting the
Five Thunder Talisman
. Their power surpassed the traditional
Flame Talisman
and
Thunder Talisman
.
Of course, these talismans consumed more mana and mental energy, especially for cultivators in the
Lower Three Heavens
. Nevertheless, their value was undeniable.
Even
Li Song
, the eldest and most senior elder present, acknowledged their worth. No one doubted that these were Lei Jun’s creations or suspected Yuan Mobai of intervening on his behalf.
The
High Priests’ Hall
approved the request without difficulty. Lei Jun’s contributions to the sect’s talismanic arts were significant, and his merit justified early conferral.
Upon leaving the
High Priests’ Hall
, Lei Jun proceeded to the
Talisman Bureau
. There, he received the
Taishang True-One Authority Talisman
, commonly known as the
Authority Talisman
. His official rank rose from Sixth Grade to Fifth Grade.
With this promotion, Lei Jun’s privileges within the sect improved accordingly. However, what he valued most was the opportunity to learn the
Fourth Scroll of the True-One Righteous Dao Canon
from Yuan Mobai.
Lei Jun’s cultivation journey was now on a fast track, and he was determined to keep advancing.
The conferral went smoothly, but like a pebble dropped into a pond, it stirred renewed attention.
“Lei-shixiong’s progress is almost too fast!”
In
Elder Shangguan Ning’s
residence, his disciple,
Shangguan Hong
, was stunned. “It’s only been three or four years since he received his first talisman conferral, right? He ascended from the Third Heaven to the Fourth Heaven, and now he’s already in the Fifth Heaven?”