Celestial Master Emerges from Seclusion

Celestial Master Emerges from Seclusion

This Fire Marrow Yang Fish lay somewhere between illusion and reality. Besides nourishing Lei Jun's Dao Foundation and physical body, it also affected his soul.

If a corresponding Yin Fish truly existed, and the two could then unite yin and yang, might it genuinely improve a cultivator's comprehension?

From now on, he would need to keep an eye out for relevant news and intelligence...

Lei Jun was intrigued. Though he had no leads for the moment, he was in no hurry. With the help of the Fire Marrow Yang Fish and Azure Stone Ink, he continued to steadily cultivate and improve himself.

Until something in the outside world suddenly interrupted him.

Lei Jun was not the only one interrupted.

The entire Celestial Master Mansion was thrown into an uproar.

Because the Contemporary Celestial Master, who had been in seclusion for many years, had finally emerged.

That day, the sky was clear for ten thousand miles.

Yet thunder roared around Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Above the mountaintop, an enormous pillar of lightning shot straight into the clouds, its radiance illuminating all directions.

Lei Jun and the other disciples of the Celestial Master Mansion all heard the mingled sounds of dragon roars and tiger howls.

After a while, the thunder gradually subsided, but the lightning above the mountaintop remained for a long time.

"The Celestial Master has finally emerged from seclusion."

Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan looked together toward the mountaintop.

Yuan Mobai's gentle voice sounded beside them. "Come with your master to the Celestial Master Hall."

Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan immediately set off with their master.

When they arrived, they saw the elders at the head of the gathering. Nearly all the core disciples of the Celestial Master Mansion who were still within the mountain gate had assembled.

Yuan Mobai nodded to his two disciples, then stepped forward alone.

He and several other elders dressed in Purple Robes stood at the very front of the group.

The Contemporary Celestial Master's martial uncle, the previous generation's elder, Li Song.

The Contemporary Celestial Master's blood sister, Lei Jun and the others' Second Martial Uncle, Li Hongyu.

The Contemporary Celestial Master's blood brother, Third Martial Uncle Li Ziyang.

Fourth Martial Uncle Yao Yuan.

Fifth Martial Uncle Shangguan Ning.

Together with Yuan Mobai and Young Celestial Master Li Zhengxuan, there were seven in all.

Aside from Eldest Sister Xu Yuanzhen, who was traveling afar and not on the mountain, all of the Celestial Master Mansion's current core leadership had gathered.

These seven wore Purple Robes. They were known as High Merit Dharma Masters, or High Merit Elders. Whether in cultivation or status, they stood above the other elders.

Behind the seven High Merit Dharma Masters stood the Talisman Conferral Taoist Priests in Deep Red Taoist Robes, and the Chuan Du Initiation Taoists like Lei Jun in Apricot Yellow Taoist Robes, each in their respective ranks.

Shortly afterward, the Contemporary Celestial Master, Li Qingfeng, clad in the Nine-Colored Dharma Robe, ascended the Dharma Altar and appeared before everyone.

"Absorbed in cultivation, I lost track of the time. I must thank Martial Uncle and all my fellow disciples for your efforts."

After everyone paid their respects, the Celestial Master spoke with a smile, his voice bright and clear.

Supreme Elder Li Song was the first to say, "Congratulations, Sect Leader, on completing your cultivation and emerging from seclusion."

After her initial salute, Elder Hongyu spoke no more and merely stood quietly to one side.

Elder Ziyang lowered his head. "Over these years, we have walked on thin ice, fearing we might fail Senior Brother Sect Leader's trust and diminish this sect's reputation. Fortunately, though there have been storms and upheavals, no great trouble arose. Now that Senior Brother Sect Leader has completed his cultivation and emerged from seclusion, this sect can once more press steadily forward and flourish all the more."

"The surging spiritual energy of heaven and earth is a sign of a golden age of cultivation. The younger generation is destined to surpass the old. To carry forward the Taoist Sects and the legacy of the Celestial Master Mansion, we must look to the young in the future." The Celestial Master smiled at the disciples below the Dharma Altar.

Elder Ziyang smiled. "During Senior Brother's seclusion, this sect has indeed taken in quite a number of promising seedlings."

He turned and nodded in indication. Lei Jun and the other young disciples stepped out and came forward.

During the Celestial Master's more than ten years of seclusion, four Ordination Ceremonies had been held.

Those "freshmen" from those four batches who were currently still on the mountain all stepped forward in formation and paid their respects to the Contemporary Celestial Master.

Lei Jun had never met Li Qingfeng, the Contemporary Celestial Master, in person before. He had only seen portraits.

The man looked exactly as he did in those portraits. More than a decade had left no trace upon his appearance.

Just as before entering seclusion, the Celestial Master looked to be around forty. He had three strands of long beard, refined features, and the bearing of an immortal.

He gently encouraged the disciples, setting the hearts of the young people surging.

Afterward, Lei Jun and the other Transmission Disciples were instructed to leave. Only the seven High Merit Elders and the Talisman Conferral Taoists remained.

"Didn't see Little Senior Sister?"

After they came out, Lei Jun asked Wang Guiyuan.

Wang Guiyuan said, "Junior Sister Tang may be a little lively by nature, but when it comes to cultivation, she can settle down remarkably well. Especially when she devotes herself wholeheartedly to closed-door cultivation, one could truly call her utterly single-minded.

"Of course, even the Sect Leader Martial Uncle's emergence from seclusion caused such a commotion without waking her. Perhaps her current closed-door cultivation has reached a critical juncture as well."

He looked back. "Don't worry. Not only Master, but the other elders and Eldest Senior Brother will report Junior Sister Tang's situation to Sect Leader Martial Uncle at the first opportunity."

Lei Jun nodded.

The Celestial Master Mansion had already broken so many precedents for Tang Xiaotang.

Given her qualifications, the Celestial Master presumably would not mind making another exception—rather than wait for the fixed initiation date, he could simply accept her as a disciple directly.

However...

"Senior Brother Sect Leader's meaning is that there is no need to rush. The next Ordination Ceremony happens to be on the fifteenth day of the first month next year. Nephew Disciple Xiao Tang is also in closed-door cultivation now, so we shall wait until the formal ceremony to arrange for her to undergo Chuan Du Initiation and enter the mansion."

Yuan Mobai's words surprised both Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan.

"Though it is only a formality, and in substance there is little difference now, still..."

Lei Jun did not know much about the Contemporary Celestial Master's temperament and methods, so he did not comment further. Instead, he asked, "Then what about Little Senior Sister?"

Yuan Mobai said, "Since Senior Brother Sect Leader has made arrangements, and Nephew Disciple Xiao Tang's cultivation has reached a crucial moment, we shall let nature take its course and not disturb her for now."

Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan nodded together.

The Celestial Master's emergence from seclusion was not followed by any sweeping actions.

To young disciples like Lei Jun, everything in the mansion seemed to remain as usual.

If there was any change, it was that Eldest Sister Xu Yuanzhen, who had always wandered everywhere and rarely returned home, finally came back to the mountain after receiving word that her master had emerged from seclusion.

"Eldest Sister, Sect Leader Martial Uncle has emerged from seclusion, yet you seem... not very happy?" Lei Jun looked at the pale-skinned girl before him.

Xu Yuanzhen did not answer. She simply left and went first to meet the Celestial Master.

After she returned, she sat quietly in thought for a moment before suddenly speaking.

"Originally, it would have been normal for Master to remain in seclusion as long as he wished. But more than two years ago, he personally said he would emerge on schedule, only to postpone it afterward. That is very abnormal."

Lei Jun turned to look at his master, Yuan Mobai.

Yuan Mobai's gentle smile remained unchanged. "Senior Brother Sect Leader must have his own arrangements."

Xu Yuanzhen said, "What worries me is that Master has thought too much."

She shook her head, shifted her gaze back to Lei Jun, and changed the subject. "Compared with before... you have changed somewhat again?"

What Xu Yuanzhen meant was clearly not the growth in Lei Jun's cultivation realm since she had left the mountain.

Lei Jun nodded. "Thanks to Master, I obtained a Fire Marrow Yang Fish. It is currently kept in the Dao Foundation Altar. While nourishing my magic power, it also has the effect of warming and nourishing my soul."

"What does Little Martial Uncle think?" Xu Yuanzhen turned toward Yuan Mobai.

Yuan Mobai said, "There is still room to go a step further, but it depends on fortune."

Xu Yuanzhen nodded and looked at Lei Jun. "Since ancient times, improving comprehension has been harder and offered fewer opportunities than improving one's innate constitution.

"If you wish to make something of that Fire Marrow Yang Fish, you will at least need a corresponding Water Marrow Yin Fish, along with a spiritual item that harmonizes yin and yang. Only when all three combine will there be a chance to try."