Chapter 691: 295. Elder Lei Speaks with Resounding Conviction (10,000-word mega Chapter)_5

Lei Jun understood. "No wonder."

Wang Guiyuan said emotionally, "Although my ties with Avici are a karmic misfortune, they have led to forming good karma with you all. Every drink and every peck is preordained; truly, fate is unpredictable. The more this is so, the more I dare not be the slightest bit careless."

Lei Jun nodded first, then suddenly asked, "Thinking about the timing, your actual age must be older than Master’s, right?"

"..." Wang Guiyuan’s surge of emotions was almost choked back by Lei Jun’s comment.

He laughed wryly. "If you put it that way, it’s not wrong. I brought my own skills when I came to the Sect, so it’s not surprising."

The two martial brothers chatted for a while longer, discussing how to continue concealing Wang Guiyuan’s identity.

Lei Jun watched as his senior martial brother left.

He indeed had no intention of relentlessly probing into his friend’s origins.

To cooperate with the plan of assaulting the experts of the Mortal Tao Country, Wang Guiyuan had also acted decisively.

Although this senior martial brother truly resembled an onion in complexity.

The simplest question:

Although Monk Faqing was plagued by Avici, he exercised such self-discipline and restraint, preventing it from harming the Mortal World.

Then why did he fake his death and leave Tianlong Temple, to be reborn as the Wang Guiyuan he was today?

Lei Jun was curious but did not inquire further.

With the reconstruction of Celestial Master Mansion underway and a multitude of tasks to handle, Lei Jun, as the High Merit Elder, needed to preside over it alongside Yao Yuan and Yuan Mobai.

As time passed, Tang Xiaotang, Xiao Xueting, Zhang Dongyuan, Zhang Junhai, and others finally returned one after another.

The hearts of Lei Jun, Yuan Mobai, and the others finally settled completely.

Zhang Dongyuan ultimately failed to retrieve Qingxiao Manor.

This Mount Shu treasured artifact had disappeared without a trace along with the earth veins.

Searching for it would require an unknown amount of time and effort.

Fortunately, the North Abyss Divine Spear was recovered by Zhang Dongyuan, which was already a great joy to everyone in the Mount Shu Sect.

Tang Xiaotang, Xiao Xueting, and Zhang Junhai failed to retrieve the Taiyi Primordial Tower.

Thwarted by Huang Xuanpu, they also lost track of Fu Dongsen.

Whether the other party could retrieve the Taiyi Primordial Tower remained unknown, but everyone was on alert.

"Hong Jie and Gu Han, their current situation is unknown," Zhang Dongyuan furrowed his brows. "The Sumi Vajra Division, aside from Jiasheng Upper Master, actually has another Master of the Ninth Heavenly Layer!"

Xiao Xueting said, "We have reported the related news to Her Majesty."

Lei Jun said, "One thing, in this battle with the Mortal Tao Country, they had really put forth their elite forces and gone all out, but in the end, I didn’t see Our Sect’s Celestial Master Robe..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xueting, Zhang Dongyuan, and Zhang Junhai looked at each other in dismay.

Earlier on, the Mortal Tao Country and the Western Region Buddhism had accused each other, both claiming the other side obtained the Celestial Master Robe from the Celestial Master Mansion and even killed their own members.

Due to public stance and channels for voicing opinions, the Western Region Buddhism was more vocal.

Most people believed that the Celestial Master Robe had ended up in the hands of the Mortal Tao Country.

But as Lei Jun pointed out, in this great battle at Dragon Tiger Mountain, not only had Huang Xuanpu personally joined the fray shirtless, but the Mortal Tao Country had also clearly lost the Taiyi Primordial Tower, Qingxiao Manor, and the North Abyss Divine Spear, yet the Celestial Master Robe was still nowhere to be seen.

This inevitably led to speculation about who had really been made the scapegoat in that initial blame game.

"Given the current situation, I ask Master Lei to be patient," Prince Changshan Zhang Junhai said. "We will also report this matter to Her Majesty."

Unlike Yuan Mobai’s gentleness or Tang Xiaotang’s unruliness, Lei Jun’s tone was deliberate and calm, neither hasty nor slow, but each word resonated with significance and gravity.

As his reputation grew and his cultivation deepened over time, even Zhang Junhai felt a degree of pressure.

But now, the Great Tang faced problems both from within and without. Even though this battle could be said to have crippled the Mortal Tao Country, they still could not afford to be negligent.

Especially now, with troubles rising in the Northwest due to the so-called Solitary Eagle Khanate.

Not only the Western Region Buddhism but also the Pure Yang Palace must be handled with the utmost caution.

Thinking of the Pure Yang Palace, Zhang Junhai inwardly shook his head slightly.

Huang Xuanpu.

Regarding the late Emperor Zhang Qilong’s grave injury back then, had this old Taoist played some role in it?

No wonder the current Empress seems to keep Huang Xuanpu and the Pure Yang Palace at arm’s length.

Previously, there had even been private discussions. Some claimed the Empress had not been caring enough towards Elder Huang and the Pure Yang Palace, favoring the petty and distancing the virtuous—actions that chilled people to the bone and were deemed those of a muddle-headed sovereign.

But now, perhaps Her Majesty had harbored suspicions even then...

"In these turbulent times, we must join forces to support the nation," Lei Jun said. "I just hope that we can clear up this matter. After all, the Celestial Master Robe is a treasured artifact of Our Sect. Everyone within the Sect eagerly wished for the Magical Treasure to return to the mountain as soon as possible."

Zhang Junhai replied, "Of course."

After more discussion, Xiao Xueting, Zhang Dongyuan, and Zhang Junhai took their leave one by one.

Within the Celestial Master Mansion, Lei Jun and others also kept in close contact with Shangguan Ning, Zhang Jingzhen, and the rest who were outside.

As time went on, news of the battle between Dragon Tiger Mountain and the Mortal Tao Country began to spread far and wide, causing shockwaves once more across the world.

Within Chang’an City, Zhang Jingzhen, representing the Celestial Master Mansion, was waiting along with several others for the imperial procession.

Among them, a young scholar, who appeared to be in his thirties, slowly commented, "Rong Guangchen, Wei Qiyue, and other traitors, including the Great Demon Thousand Leaves Butterfly King, have all been beheaded. This is indeed a cause for celebration."

Zhang Jingzhen nodded. "Thank you, Layman Fang, for your concern. Quelling a great source of chaos in the Great Tang was a joy for the entire world."

She looked at the young scholar and said, "I’ve received a message from the Sect. Fang is doing well, and he asked me to extend his regards to Layman Fang."

The young scholar said, "Taoist Fang is thoughtful."

His name was Fang Zhu, the eldest son of the Fang Clan’s great patriarch Fang Huansheng.