Opportunity to Improve Comprehension

Opportunity to Improve Comprehension

Only upon seeing Li Xuan and the others did Qu Yong's tightly strung heart finally settle completely.

Lei Jun stepped forward and explained what had happened.

He omitted the part about Qu Yong being knocked unconscious, saying only that Qu Yong had been besieged by two Yellow Heaven Path disciples, that he had stepped in to help, and that he had borrowed the power of the earth fire to destroy the two enemies.

Qu Yong shot Lei Jun a grateful look and nodded repeatedly.

"Most of the other Yellow Heaven Path fiends have also been put to death. Only a few escaped. We will continue the pursuit and cleanup shortly."

Li Xuan looked at Lei Jun and Qu Yong, then nodded slightly. "You both did very well. Rest and regulate your breathing first. Do not let the scorching yang energy invade your bodies."

Lei Jun and Qu Yong acknowledged the order, then left the Profound Yang Grotto-heaven with Li Xuan and the other Celestial Master Mansion disciples.

Outside the Cave Heaven, the Yang Mountain Separate Residence had suffered a certain degree of damage.

Fortunately, the Dao Palace had many buildings, and there were villas throughout the outer estate. Lei Jun and the others had plenty of places to stay and did not need to sleep out in the wilderness.

Lei Jun went to the villa assigned to him and quietly recuperated.

Qu Yong had it a little worse.

Three blood-swollen lumps lined the back of his head. He worried about touching them even when lying on his side, while sleeping on his back was utterly out of the question.

He could only lie facedown.

Fortunately, once they left the Cave Heaven, the Separate Mansion had fine medicine available. After applying it, Qu Yong would not have to endure such miserable days for long.

A few days later, Li Xuan summoned him for questioning.

"The Yellow Heaven Path fiends' attack was truly unexpected. You have suffered for it, but fortunately, no one was hurt."

After offering a few words of comfort, Li Xuan asked, "However, fighting an enemy to the death is different from sparring and exchanging pointers with fellow disciples. Everyone's true abilities come out. Since you have been following Junior Brother Lei all this time, what do you think of his current condition?"

Qu Yong said, "Junior Brother Lei has improved very quickly. It has only been a little over two years since he underwent Chuan Du Initiation and formally entered the mansion, yet he has already reached the Foundation Establishment High Stage.

"His attainments in talisman arts are considerable. He is skilled and refined at crafting talismans, and has accumulated quite a few Spirit Talismans.

"But Junior Brother Lei's physical condition is indeed somewhat improper. His fleshly body and vital blood are weaker than those of cultivators at the same Foundation Establishment High Stage."

He paused before continuing, "Were it not for that, the two of us could have faced those two Yellow Heaven Path fiends, who were likewise at the Foundation Establishment High Stage, two against two. We would not have needed to borrow the earth fire's power to wipe them out."

So it really was Azure Stone Ink... Li Xuan nodded thoughtfully at those words.

Over the next several days, the Celestial Master Mansion busied itself rebuilding the Yang Mountain Separate Residence and eliminating the remaining Yellow Heaven Path disciples.

Ten days later, the Celestial Master Mansion elder presiding over the area even held an Opening the Altar ceremony with great fanfare, publicly punishing some of the Yellow Heaven Path fiends they had captured alive, offering sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, and the patriarchs.

In Lei Jun's view, apart from proclaiming the Celestial Master Mansion's own orthodoxy and denouncing the Yellow Heaven Path as a crooked and heretical sect, the greater purpose of this act was to undo the adverse impact of the attack on the Yang Mountain Separate Residence.

Though it was only a Separate Mansion, it had nearly been robbed in its own home by the Yellow Heaven Path. The entire Celestial Master Mansion was undoubtedly furious.

Golden Barrier Talismans and Golden Breaking Talismans, the Yang Mountain Separate Residence's offense and defense... Before the Celestial Master Mansion completely eradicated the Yellow Heaven Path and cleaned house, there would likely be plenty more times when the two sides became wind and sand, tangling and pulling at each other back and forth.

After recuperating for a time at the Separate Mansion, Lei Jun's batch of young disciples were all sent back to the Dragon Tiger Mountain Main Mansion.

"Fortunately, it was a fright without danger."

Yuan Mobai's tone was gentle, soothing the heart like a spring breeze.

Lei Jun did not hide anything. He took out the Supreme Purity Golden Bamboo. "This disciple accidentally entered the Profound Yang Grotto-heaven this time and gained some additional harvests. In the end, it was thanks to Master's blessings."

Yuan Mobai glanced at the Supreme Purity Golden Bamboo but did not take it, merely smiling.

"Your master did indeed encounter an essence of Earth Fire Yang Flame in the Profound Yang Grotto-heaven back then.

"However, it was still weak at the time. Now, it has developed into form.

"It would be of no use to your master if I obtained it. Leaving it in the Profound Yang Grotto-heaven was originally meant to see which disciple of this sect would become its new Fated Person.

"Unexpectedly, it ended up in your hands. It seems that master and disciple truly do share a strand of fate."

After giving Lei Jun a few pointers on the essential methods and precautions for refining the Fire Marrow Yang Fish, he did not ask further.

Lei Jun returned to his own courtyard and spent several more days quietly recuperating, bringing his essence, qi, and spirit to their peak condition. Only then did he formally begin refining the Fire Marrow Yang Fish within the Supreme Purity Golden Bamboo.

Back in the grass hut outside the Profound Yang Grotto-heaven, Lei Jun and the others had bathed together in the Separate Mansion's scorching yang energy. Nurtured and cleansed by it, they had invisibly laid down a fine foundation.

Otherwise, his body would have needed much more preparation before it could adapt to the Fire Marrow Yang Fish's blazing yang heat.

Now, following Yuan Mobai's teachings, Lei Jun gradually drew the Fire Marrow Yang Fish back out of the Supreme Purity Golden Bamboo with his own Magic Power.

Before the Fire Marrow Yang Fish could turn from illusory to tangible again, Lei Jun guided that scorching yang energy into his body and deposited it upon the Dao Foundation Altar that had already begun to take shape.

At the Foundation Establishment High Stage, Lei Jun's Dao Foundation Altar already possessed Eight Gates Six Curtains.

To advance toward Foundation Establishment Perfection, he still needed to establish the Six Halls of Left and Right.

These illusory Six Halls of Left and Right were modeled after true ritual altars: the Refining and Salvation Hall, Divine Tiger Hall, Ordination Hall, Silent Hall, Universal Salvation Hall, and Scripture Recitation Hall.

At present, Lei Jun had already successfully erected the first Scripture Recitation Hall.

For now, let alone the role of the Scripture Recitation Hall on a real ritual altar.

In the cultivation of the Taoist Talisman School in this world, when a Foundation Establishment cultivator condensed a Scripture Recitation Hall upon their Dao Foundation, it allowed them to silently recite Daoist scriptures at every moment—walking, lying down, rising, and sleeping without cease—imperceptibly and steadily improving their cultivation, like a thin stream flowing long.

"To house and nurture a spiritual object, the Refining and Salvation Hall and Universal Salvation Hall would be the most suitable. For now, I'll make do with the Scripture Recitation Hall."

Under Lei Jun's control, that Golden Red Fire Marrow Yang Fish transformed into a thread of golden light and slipped into the Scripture Recitation Hall atop his Dao Foundation Altar.

Golden radiance immediately blazed throughout the illusory Daoist hall.

Lei Jun's Magic Power circulated and merged with it, instantly reaching every corner of his Four Limbs and Hundred Bones.

Yet its more obvious effect struck directly at Lei Jun's consciousness.

With Inner Vision of One's Body, he vaguely saw that his divine soul and innate spirit were gradually being plated with a layer of golden light.

With a turn of Lei Jun's Magic Power, golden radiance gathered upon the Dao Foundation Altar within him. It was unexpectedly beginning to form the outline of another Daoist hall.

Very good. This way, my cultivation speed can increase by quite a bit more... Lei Jun nodded to himself, gathered his mind, and cultivated in silence.

According to the earliest estimate, given Lei Jun's current aptitude and talent, it would take about six years for him to progress from the Foundation Establishment High Stage to Foundation Establishment Perfection.

With Azure Stone Ink's help, he was confident he could shorten that progress to around four years.

During the journey through the Profound Yang Grotto-heaven, nourished and cleansed by the aura of Earth Fire Yang Flame, the time could likely be shortened further, to somewhere between three and four years.

And now, with the Fire Marrow Yang Fish, this process would be accelerated again and again.

Barring any major accident, Lei Jun was now confident that he could halve the time once more and reach Foundation Establishment Perfection within the next year and a half or so!

He had the Mist-Wreathed Cloud Crystal in hand. Once the time came, after making further preparations, he could challenge the tribulation and heavenly chasm of the Third Heaven and break through into the Third Layer Altar Realm.

"This Supreme Good Fortune Sign really delivered." Lei Jun let out a long breath.

There was another point that concerned him.

One reason the Fire Marrow Yang Fish nurtured within his body accelerated the growth of his cultivation was that his divine soul, thoughts, and consciousness seemed more nimble than before.

Lei Jun could not help wondering whether this opportunity might be an Opportunity to Improve Comprehension.

This Fire Marrow Yang Fish alone did not seem to be enough... After carefully pondering it, Lei Jun shook his head.

But...

He recalled the contents of the sign fortune. Another matter had also remained on his mind.

The opportunity could be expanded.

This Fire Marrow Yang Fish was not alone?

Considering the image of half a Taiji Yin Yang Fish, as well as this spiritual object's supremely yang and scorching nature, Lei Jun naturally thought of something.

If there was a yang fish, could there also be a yin fish?