"Now, the situation is still unclear," Lin Shan also found Chen Yi’s behavior strange. "Further investigation is needed. Later, I will go down the mountain again to inquire."
Lei Jun said, "I appreciate your efforts, Lin Shixiong."
Although somewhat curious, Lei Jun did not pay special attention to Chen Yi, nor did he harbor any particular animosity toward him.
In fact, with the passage of time, some people in Dragon Tiger Mountain had begun to change their thinking. The reason was simple: there had been no word of Chen Yi joining the Blood River Sect. Everyone began to speculate: had he merely learned the Blood River Sect’s secret techniques by chance, or was he truly guilty of the earlier accusations of being a Blood River Sect spy?
Of course, by now, such matters could only elicit a collective sigh from deep within. Back when Chen Yi had defected from the Sect, it wasn’t a case of him just sneaking away. He had indeed killed and injured several of his fellow disciples; he had more than one life on his hands. During the tense situation at the time, everyone was on edge. The slightest spark could have led to a bloody disaster.
Even if one were to say he had been wronged back then, it was now difficult to simply explain away such matters lightly. Many people felt more regret than anything else, lamenting the cruel twists of fate.
Of course, such sentiments did not affect the Celestial Master Mansion’s overall decision, which still deemed Chen Yi a defector who had murdered his own Sect members. Any disciple of the Celestial Master Mansion encountering him outside was to capture him on sight without needing to report back. If he dared resist, he was to be killed without mercy.
The reasons why the Yellow Sky Sect did not shelter Chen Yi were likely complex and varied. For one, during the previous great battle between Dragon Tiger Mountain and the Yellow Sky Sect, disciples from both sides had fought chaotically, and Chen Yi himself had killed a number of Yellow Sky Sect disciples. Furthermore, although they had joined forces against their common enemy, the Celestial Master Mansion, the Yellow Sky Sect and the Southern Witchcraft Sect were actually acting independently, without coordination. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs novel※fire.net
The Yellow Sky Sect was also wary of and rejected the Southern Witch Sect. To some extent, even more so than the Celestial Master Mansion. Although the Yellow Sky Sect had lowered many of its standards due to its perilous environment, it displayed a stubbornness and pride that, in some respects, surpassed even that of the Celestial Master Mansion.
Lei Jun was not surprised by this. Their independent actions were one thing. But for an organization to have cohesion, it must have certain rules and bottom lines. Otherwise, how could it cope with the hostile external environment? It would easily fall apart.
The Yellow Sky Sect’s survival to this day, apart from its grudge with the Celestial Master Mansion, was undoubtedly also due to some of its own unwavering principles.
However, Chen Yi had neither joined the Blood River Sect nor the Yellow Sky Sect. To think he could topple the Celestial Master Mansion single-handedly and return triumphant to Dragon Tiger Mountain... Well, it wasn’t utterly impossible, but he still had a very long road ahead.
Let him walk it then.
Everyone has their own path... Lei Jun was calm.
After exchanging a few words with Lin Shan and Shangguan Hong, they bid each other farewell.
Lei Jun collected what he wanted from the Treasure Pavilion and then returned to his lodging. His current energy and interest were concentrated on his own cultivation and mastery of his spells.
After successfully advancing his Cultivation Realm to the Fourth Layer of Heaven and forming the Original Talisman, Lei Jun prioritized enhancing his Life-Bound Magic Art. As of now, Lei Jun had mastered three Life-Bound Talisman Arts.
The First Art, Divine Strike Talisman.
The Second Art, Wind Riding Talisman.
The Third Art, Five Thunder Talisman.
As Lei Jun’s Cultivation Realm stepped into the Middle Three Heavens, his Life-Bound Talisman Arts could also be sublimated, undergoing a complete transformation.
Standing in his courtyard, Lei Jun spread his legs shoulder-width apart in a firm stance, his hands held before his chest as if embracing something. His qi and blood surged. With his fists in a ready stance, he began to move, his motions slow and deliberate. Initially, his movements appeared slow, yet each gesture seemed to carry the weight of a thousand jin.
As he moved, flashes of lightning gradually began to illuminate and emanate from the pores and acupoints all over his body. Surrounded by this Thunder Light, Lei Jun’s entire body seemed to swell and grow taller. His already tall frame appeared even more imposing and majestic, as if wreathed in armor forged from lightning, giving him the awe-inspiring air of a Heavenly General descending to the mortal realm.
Lei Jun focused on his fist technique, his movements executed with a slow but unyielding momentum that steadily increased in speed. Consequently, his form became increasingly swift and powerful. Eventually, he truly resembled a Heavenly General descended to earth, each punch and kick imbued with immense power. With his body wreathed in lightning, he also possessed significant defensive and counter-attacking capabilities.
The First Art, Divine Strike Talisman, was today elevated to the Heavenly General Talisman.
Lei Jun had received the True Inheritance of High-grade Spirit Talisman Scriptures from Yuan Mobai. He knew these scriptures also recorded many High-grade Spirit Talismans that enhanced Corporeal Life Mastery, such as the Five Ding Open Mountain Talisman.
Cultivators of the Taoist Talisman Sect pursued cultivation of both spiritual nature and the physical body. Consequently, the strength of their Corporeal Life Mastery was formidable. It was such that they were not outshone by the Taoists of the Inner Alchemy Sect, who dedicated themselves to the rigorous practice of the Human Great Elixir, concentrating all their cultivation within their own bodies. One reason for this prowess lay in Spirit Talismans like the Five Ding Open Mountain Talisman and the Divine Strike Talisman, which further fortified the body.
Even the Yellow Sky Sect, which had branched off from the Celestial Master Mansion, had, over the years of research and development, created their own High-grade Spirit Talisman known as the Yellow Turban Warrior Talisman. It was comparable to the already existing Five Ding Open Mountain Talisman.
Lei Jun was currently drawing inspiration from the Five Ding Open Mountain Talisman and other High-grade Spirit Talismans, further integrating their essences into his own Divine Strike Talisman. Simultaneously, his three Life-Bound Talisman Arts—the Divine Strike Talisman, Wind Riding Talisman, and Five Thunder Talisman—were also intersecting and permeating one another.
This ultimately culminated in the creation of his new First Life-Bound Talisman Art: the Heavenly General Talisman.
For Lei Jun personally, this new art was a Spirit Talisman that perfectly suited his body-strengthening needs, its effects surpassing even those of the Five Ding Open Mountain Talisman. This was precisely the advantage of sublimating a Life-Bound Talisman Art.
In the future, Lei Jun could further refine and improve upon it. He could then present it to his Sect in exchange for a great accumulation of merits, or for Spiritual Objects and other treasures.