Chapter 660: 290. Renowned Far and Wide Lei Chongyun (Two-in-One Chapter)_4

The Jiangzhou Lin Clan is a sworn enemy of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion. Lei Jun’s participation in the Battle of Jiangzhou is understandable.

In the battle outside the East Sea that destroyed the Yellow Sky Sect’s Ancestral Altar, there was also no question. As a High Merit Elder of the Celestial Master Mansion, Lei Jun had to be ruthless against Yellow Sky Sect Elder Qi Shuo. This was inevitable.

His subsequent trip to the Southern Wilderness to investigate the Mortal Tao Country was also perfectly understandable.

Currently, it seems all his actions closely revolve around his own Celestial Master Mansion.

He seldom interacts with the Buddhist Sect or prominent noble families.

During the Empress’s and Crown Prince Zhang Hui’s successive visits to Dragon Tiger Mountain, Lei Jun remained consistently courteous yet aloof.

It is rumored that he gets along well with Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang.

However, people are different. Even those who are close friends might hold divergent views on various matters.

"Chu Kun... he is now Chu Zhongguang first, and Chu Kun second."

Without Ye Yan needing to ask, Chu Xiuyuan had already stated frankly, "There’s no need to overthink it. The relationship between those martial brothers is quite harmonious."

The old man turned and looked back inland. "As for Master Lei," he said, "although he’s indifferent, I believe it’s best not to make rash judgments or try to test him lightly."

Ye Yan replied, "I feel the same way."

Chu Xiuyuan said, "Regarding the Crown Prince..."

Ye Yan responded, "His Highness always remains composed in the face of change."

"That’s good. That’s good," Chu Xiuyuan nodded.

Then, he turned his head back to look at the sea.

Ye Yan then asked, "How are things in Mingzhou?"

Chu Xiuyuan replied, "We should have news from there soon."

「 」

「Tianlong Temple in Suzhou.」

Two old monks were walking under a tree.

Both monks were elders of Tianlong Temple. One had the Dharma name Miaokong, and the other, Miaoyi.

"Brother Miaoyi," Elder Miaokong asked as they walked, "you’ve met Master Lei of Dragon Tiger Mountain in person. What do you think of him?"

Elder Miaoyi, who had once gone to sea with Lei Jun, Chu Yu, and Shangguan Sheng to search for the Yellow Sky Altar, pondered before answering,

"Aloof yet refined, devout in his pursuit of the Tao, yet decisive in action, employing swift and resolute methods."

Elder Miaokong nodded slightly. "The Taoist Sect has produced another remarkable figure."

Elder Miaoyi agreed.

So young, with such rapid improvement in his cultivation. His potential clearly still has depths unseen.

Someone like him has the opportunity to ascend to the Taoist Sect’s Great Vehicle Realm of the Ninth Heavenly Layer.

Moreover, his skill in Duels of Magic is exceptional. Barring any major accidents, he could support the Celestial Master Mansion for the next several hundred years.

Even if he doesn’t ascend to the position of Celestial Master, he would still be an absolute pillar of the Celestial Master Mansion.

At this thought, Elder Miaoyi suddenly sighed. "Our temple once had such a talent too."

Elder Miaokong said, "Faqing..."

Some years ago, Tianlong Temple produced an outstanding young expert named Faqing. At a young age, he reached the Eighth Heavenly Layer of the Buddhist Oath Lineage, becoming famous throughout the Great Tang, much like Lei Jun today, and attracting widespread attention both within and beyond its borders.

"But unfortunately..." Elder Miaoyi shook his head repeatedly.

Elder Miaokong fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "About Faqing... it’s hard to say..."

"Senior Brother?" Elder Miaoyi asked, astonished.

Elder Miaokong stopped walking. He gazed at the Bodhi tree before him for a long time, then spoke again, "Back then, Demon Monk Jitong of Great Void Temple was not subdued by me... He was not subdued by my Mighty Celestial Dragon."

Elder Miaoyi was shocked, then his eyes lit up. "Senior Brother, are you saying..."

Elder Miaokong was referring to when Monk Fashan, a successor of Tianlong Temple, went to the capital. He became an instructor at the Scholarly Mansion, representing the Buddhist Sect and Tianlong Temple’s support for the institution.

Tragically, he was attacked and killed by Monk Jitong of Great Void Temple.

Elder Miaokong personally left the mountain over this, and soon after, news of Monk Jitong’s death spread.

Some witnessed from afar that Monk Jitong had fallen to Tianlong Temple’s Mighty Celestial Dragon, a great divine skill of the Buddhist Oath Lineage.

Therefore, everyone believed Elder Miaokong had been the one to act.

But now, Elder Miaokong himself denied it.

"I was elsewhere at the time," Elder Miaokong said. "When I arrived, Demon Monk Jitong had already been subdued. The traces of the technique used at the scene were indeed those of our temple’s Mighty Celestial Dragon."

Elder Miaoyi pressed his palms together. "Merciful Buddha. Fashan and Faqing were always the closest of friends. If it was him..."

Elder Miaokong continued, "But if it truly was Faqing, why has he feigned death all these years and refused to return to the temple? What has he been doing outside all this time?"

Hearing this, Elder Miaoyi fell silent.

Elder Miaokong gazed at the Bodhi tree before him, his eyes deep with age. "Although Lei Chongyun is aloof, every time he has left the mountain, it has been to face tribulations and act as a protector for the Celestial Master Mansion..."

Elder Miaoyi gave a bitter smile.

Senior Brother is envious...

But there’s really no arguing with that.

Look at the geniuses other sects produce. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Sigh!

「 」

His breakthrough to the Divine Court attracted attention from all quarters outside Dragon Tiger Mountain, but Lei Jun himself remained indifferent to it.

He was currently in his quiet chamber, concentrating on his cultivation.

Azure flames now blazed fiercely around Lei Jun’s entire body.

Within the swirling Nine Abyss True Fire, streams of flame congealed above Lei Jun’s head, manifesting as an immense Talisman.

The Talisman was archaic and ever-changing, containing countless profundities.

From within the Talisman, the roars of a tiger began to emanate.

As Lei Jun’s Mana grew more condensed, a colossal, azure-flamed tiger began to poke its head out from the Talisman.

Then, the azure behemoth’s entire body emerged, its presence awe-inspiring.

It was precisely the Nine Abyss Flame Ancestral Dharma.

The Yin Fire Tiger!

Man and tiger now faced each other.

Lei Jun slowly exhaled.

I’ve managed an initial condensation of my fourth Dharma.

I have that Earth Core Flame Heart to thank. Otherwise, I couldn’t have achieved such significant results so quickly.