parentshiftbook Chapter 264 One Word Brings Prosperity to the World, the Secret of the Thunder Tribulation
Chapter 264 One Word Brings Prosperity to the World, the Secret of the Thunder Tribulation
Chapter 264 A Word That Shakes the World, The Secret of the Thunder Tribulation (5.2k)
The next day, a piece of news spread like wildfire throughout the upper echelons of Guangfu County overnight.
The newly enlightened and sagacious True Lord Li Xijun will personally visit the Lin family today!
Given time, this giant city, which had just experienced the ravages of war, seemed to be infused with a new, vibrant energy.
Before dawn, the entire main road leading from the Governor's Mansion to the Lin family mansion in the west of the city was cleaned and swept by officials and servants of the Lin family, with yellow earth laid on the road and water splashed on the street.
The roadsides were already packed with people eager to catch a glimpse of the True Lord, the crowds buzzing and craning their necks in anticipation.
Just after Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the sound of gongs clearing the way could be heard from afar, followed by melodious ceremonial music.
A troop of gleaming armored guards marched solemnly, followed by Li Xijun, riding a magnificent white horse and dressed in black. The Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Tang Yongzhen, trailed behind by half a horse length, respectfully following behind.
Behind them were the heads of several other families who were fortunate enough to accompany them, as well as other prominent figures in the city.
Wherever the procession went, the dragon and lion dance teams that had been arranged beforehand immediately began to tumble and leap energetically, with gongs and drums resounding and firecrackers exploding. Furthermore, servants from the Lin family carried baskets and threw handfuls of shiny silver coins to the crowds on both sides of the road, eliciting cheers and scrambling, creating an extremely lively atmosphere.
This was both a sign of the Lin family's utmost respect for Zhenjun and a demonstration of their immense wealth and power to the entire city.
Upon arriving at the Lin residence, the scene became even more solemn and dignified.
The Lin family mansion was extremely grand, with a five-bay hipped roof and a vermilion gate that was over ten feet tall. The gate was inlaid with gilded copper nails the size of bowls, and a majestic stone lion stood on each side. Above the gate hung a golden plaque bestowed by the emperor that read "Passing Down the Family Tradition of Poetry and Etiquette".
This main gate has always been solemnly opened only during the year-end ancestral worship ceremony or when the clan produces a glorious event such as a Martial Saint of Fist Intent or a True Person of Out-of-Body Transformation.
Today, in order to welcome a divine being, the Lin family did not hesitate to open this gate, which symbolizes the highest honor the family can bestow.
In the square in front of the gate, led by the family head Lin Huaijin, all the clan elders and prominent members of the family were dressed in their most formal attire and arranged neatly according to seniority and status.
Upon seeing Li Xijun's cavalry arrive, hundreds of people, led by Lin Huaijin, bowed in unison, their voices loud and respectful:
"Welcome to the presence of True Lord Li!"
The sounds merged together, soaring into the sky and drowning out the surrounding sounds of gongs, drums, and firecrackers.
Li Xijun gracefully dismounted, his movements fluid and effortless.
Tang Yongzhen quickly stepped forward and stepped aside to lead the way.
Lin Huaijin hurried forward, bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly with emotion:
"Our humble abode is honored by the descent of the True Lord, our humble dwelling shines with glory! May our ancestors be watching over us! True Lord Li, please come!"
Having said that, he personally led the way, walking with extreme steadiness as they passed through the open central gate and entered the mansion.
The passageway inside the gate was lined with the women and young men of the Lin family, all with their heads bowed and eyes lowered, not daring to look directly at each other. The air was filled with immense awe and excitement.
This welcoming process was elaborate and solemn, almost comparable to the ceremony for welcoming the emperor himself, but no one thought it was excessive.
Because the young man in black before them was a being even more transcendent than an emperor—the Manifestation Saint True Lord!
If they offended the emperor, some powerful families might not be in much danger because of their special status in the area.
However, if one offends a manifested saintly lord, and if no lord of the same realm intercedes on one's behalf, one's life and clan will likely be wiped out that very night, and no one will dare to stand up and say a word against it.
With a calm expression, Li Xijun, accompanied by Lin Huaijin and Tang Yongzhen, walked through several courtyards and arrived directly at the most central and solemn place of the Lin family—the Lin Clan Ancestral Hall.
The ancestral hall is built in a simple and grand style, with flying eaves and brackets, and incense smoke swirling around it.
The altar was densely packed with the ancestral tablets of the Lin family, with the one at the very top being the spirit tablet of the Lin family ancestor who had achieved miraculous enlightenment five hundred years ago.
Li Xijun paused in front of the ancestral hall, his gaze sweeping over the memorial tablets, lingering particularly on the one at the very top for a moment.
Lin Huaijin quickly gestured, and a clansman respectfully presented a long incense stick, as thick as a child's arm, made of top-grade sandalwood.
Li Xijun took the incense stick and, without entrusting it to anyone else, gently rubbed it between her fingertips. The incense stick ignited spontaneously without a flame, emitting a refreshing and pleasant fragrance.
He walked slowly into the ancestral hall, stood in front of the prayer cushion, and did not kneel down. Instead, he held a long incense stick and bowed three times slightly to the ancestral tablets of the Lin family.
"The ancestors of the Lin family were meritorious in protecting the city, and their heroic spirits will never be forgotten. They are worthy of being role models."
Li Xijun's clear voice echoed within the ancestral hall, reaching the ears of every anxious and expectant member of the Lin family outside the door.
No sooner had he finished speaking than a strange phenomenon occurred!
Behind Li Xijun, the void rippled slightly, and the illusory image of the Supreme Heavenly Venerable of the Unity of the Three Teachings, which was two hundred feet tall and integrated the mysteries of the three teachings, was not fully manifested, but its majestic outline and vast aura had already been projected above the Lin family!
In an instant, all eyes in Guangfu County were drawn to it!
Although the phantom image of the heart was slightly blurry, it exuded a majestic and powerful aura that captivated the heart, as if a deity was looking down upon the Lin family ancestral hall.
"Look! It's the image of the True Lord!"
"Over the Lin family's territory!"
"The True Lord has gone to the Lin Family Ancestral Hall!"
"Sigh, the Lin family is really lucky!"
The whole city gasped in astonishment, and countless people looked up in awe and envy.
Inside the ancestral hall, Li Xijun inserted the long incense stick in her hand into the incense burner.
At the same time, the illusory image of the heart in the sky also moved, and endless radiance and Daoist charm converged, finally condensing into a long sword illusory image about three feet long, with its whole body as if cast in gold and its blade flowing with endless sword intent!
The illusory image of the magic sword slowly descended, piercing through the roof of the ancestral hall without causing any damage. Finally, as if it were a real object, it gently landed in front of the table where the ancestral tablets of the Lin family were enshrined, with the sword tip pointing downwards, trembling slightly, and emitting a clear and melodious sound.
"This sword is named 'Golden Emperor's Dharma Sword.' It was formed from my own thoughts and intentions. In addition to its sword intent, I also imbued it with a trace of Confucian righteousness and Buddhist vows."
Li Xijun turned around and said to Lin Huaijin, who was trembling with excitement, and the Lin family members outside the door, "Placing it in the ancestral hall can suppress evil spirits, gather good fortune, and ensure the longevity of descendants' literary and artistic lives, making it easier for them to attain enlightenment and enlightenment."
"If a powerful enemy attacks, a sincere prayer will allow this sword to protect you spontaneously. Even an ordinary cultivator who has reached the Nascent Soul stage would find it difficult to withstand a single blow. It is enough to ensure the Lin family's peace for a hundred years."
As he spoke, the Golden Emperor Sword solidified completely, with mysterious runes flowing across its blade, emanating a powerful aura that was both fierce and righteous.
All the Lin family cultivators present could clearly feel that the power contained in this sword far exceeded that of ordinary magic treasures; it was a gift from a True Monarch!
"Thump! Thump!"
Led by Lin Huaijin, all members of the Lin family could no longer contain their joy and gratitude. They knelt down in unison, kowtowing repeatedly, many with tears in their eyes.
"The Lord's kindness is as high as heaven and as deep as earth; the Lin family will never forget it!"
"I will always remember the grace of the True Lord, keep to my duty, be loyal to the Lord and love the country, so as to repay even a fraction of the True Lord's kindness!" Lin Huaijin's voice was choked with tears, and these words came from the bottom of his heart.
With this True Monarch's Sword in hand, the Lin family's future for the next hundred years can be described as as stable as Mount Tai!
This is not only a guarantee of safety, but also a supreme symbol of status!
With this opportunity, the Lin family truly established its position as a top-tier family in Guangdong and even the entire Guangdong and Guangxi region, a position that would remain unshakable for the next century.
The news spread like wildfire.
Other families in Guangfu County, such as the Ye and Chen families, were not only envious but also filled with awe and gratitude for Li Xijun's methods. Since he had shown such favor to the Lin family, their families' benefits, even if not as great as Li Xijun's, should be no less.
Those families who hadn't made such sacrifices last night were filled with extreme envy and regret upon hearing the news.
At this moment, how they wished that it was their own family who had fought to save their ancestors' spirits last night!
At the same time, they also felt even greater awe for Li Xijun's methods.
"A single word can determine the rise and fall of a hundred years—this is the true sage!" Outside the gate, an old man gazed at the scene in the direction of the Lin family and murmured to himself, expressing the sentiments of all the onlookers.
This incident elevated Li Xijun's prestige in the southeast to an unprecedented level.
Not only did he turn the tide with his invincible martial prowess, but he also used unpredictable methods, combining kindness and coercion, to easily control the powerful families in the southeast.
Perhaps some clever people could discern some meaning in this, but even Situ Zhenjun, who had just returned from the South China Sea, could only sigh a few times that the younger generation was indeed formidable.
After all, the Great Sheng Dynasty's rule over the world has not yet collapsed. No matter how strong Li Xijun is, he cannot forcibly insert himself into the system built by the Great Sheng Dynasty and obtain the power of the people in the southeast.
In reality, at this moment, the power of all living beings on the entire southeastern land was forming a flowing vortex.
At the center of the vortex, Li Xijun, currently located in Guangfu County, is continuously drawing upon the power of the people of the South with his [White Dragon Power].
Only the old emperor in the capital of the Great Sheng Dynasty could clearly sense the flow and absorption of the power of all living beings under heaven, and after a long time, he finally let out a soft laugh:
"I'm afraid I won't be able to see Youli's wedding... Consider this your dowry in advance."
After a day of hustle and bustle, as night fell, the courtyard prepared for Li Xijun in the Governor's Mansion became quiet and peaceful, with only the soft glow of lanterns under the eaves casting a gentle halo.
Li Xijun was sitting quietly in his room, contemplating the mysteries of the Manifestation Realm, when suddenly he felt something and looked up at the door.
At the same time, a gentle voice rang out in the courtyard: "Li Zhenjun, I am Situ Wenyan. I have come to visit you. I wonder if we can have a chat?"
Li Xijun got up, pushed open the door, and saw the Confucian Sage True Lord, who was in charge of the southeast, standing in the courtyard with a smile. He was dressed in a simple Confucian robe, his beard and hair were as white as snow, his eyes were gentle, and his aura was in harmony with heaven and earth.
Unlike his solemn demeanor when facing the two angels in the South China Sea, Situ Wenyan appeared calm and composed at this moment.
"It is an honor for me to have Mr. Situ here. Please come in."
Li Xijun stepped aside to greet him, his attitude humble and not arrogant because of his own strength.
After all, the other party is a veteran True Lord who has been famous for many years and guards the Southeast. He is a pillar of the Southeast and deserves respect.
The two entered the small hall inside the room. Tang Yongzhen had already arrived after hearing the news. At this moment, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi had completely lost the airs of a regional official. He was like a diligent steward, quickly preparing fragrant tea and tea sets, and personally serving and pouring tea. His movements were careful, and he even breathed much softer, for fear of disturbing the conversation between the two esteemed officials.
Situ Wenyan and Li Xijun sat facing each other. Situ Wenyan first took a sip of the spiritual tea offered by Tang Yongzhen and praised it as "good tea." Then, he naturally began to discuss with Li Xijun his various insights into the realm of Manifestation.
"Li Zhenjun attained enlightenment through the unity of the three teachings, and his spiritual form reached a height of two hundred feet, a feat rarely seen throughout history, which truly amazes this old man."
Situ Wenyan spoke sincerely, "I have wasted many years and although I have gained some insights within the Xiansheng Realm, it is nothing more than following the rules and regulations. I cannot compare to the True Lord who has opened up a new path and has a limitless future."
Li Xijun humbly replied, "Mr. Situ, you flatter me. I am new to this field and still need to explore many key points. I was just about to ask you for your guidance."
So the two of them began to talk about topics such as the manifestation of divine will and resonance with heaven and earth, the application of the power of vows, and the cultivation of the mind and spirit.
Situ Wenyan, as expected of a veteran True Lord, possessed profound insights that were often incisive. He was able to provide ingenious answers to the questions raised by Li Xijun, even drawing parallels between different cases, which greatly benefited Li Xijun and gave him a clearer understanding of his own power and future direction.
After a long discussion and several rounds of tea, Li Xijun asked at the opportune moment:
"Mr. Situ, the realm of manifesting sainthood is already extraordinary, but I wonder where the road ahead leads after this realm? I am foolish and hope that you can enlighten me."
Upon hearing this question, Situ Wenyan put down his teacup, a look of solemnity and感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both seriousness and reflection) appearing on his face. He pondered for a moment, then slowly said:
"After the manifestation of divine power comes the legendary 'Thunder Tribulation' realm."
"A tribulation of lightning?" Li Xijun's gaze sharpened, confirming that this was indeed consistent with what Li Boyan and Zhang Fuhu had said before, and he immediately listened carefully.
"Indeed." Situ Wenyan nodded. "According to ancient texts, one must draw upon the power of heaven and earth, undergo three tribulations of heavenly punishment, and temper one's heart and soul to shed one's yin nature and forge pure yang, hoping to become a carefree yang immortal. However, this path is extremely difficult."
He sighed, his tone filled with deep apprehension: "There are two main difficulties."
"Firstly, the power of the tribulation lightning is devastating. Although the manifested holy mind is strong, it is still fragile in the face of the tribulation lightning. Every bolt of lightning strikes directly at the source of the mind and spirit. If the mind is shattered, at best one's cultivation will be completely destroyed, and at worst one's soul will be scattered."
"Therefore, when undergoing tribulation, one needs a vast amount of the power of the vows of all sentient beings to constantly surround one's mind and body, continuously repairing and nourishing it during the intervals between lightning strikes, in order to have a glimmer of hope. Even if one manages to survive by chance, the reconstruction of one's mind and body still requires the support of immense power of vows. It can be said that undergoing tribulation is, to some extent, a contest of the accumulation of power of vows."
Li Xijun seemed to be deep in thought. This heavenly lightning was similar to some of the settings in the cultivation novels he had read in his previous life. The importance of willpower in this world was indeed beyond imagination.
"Secondly," Situ Wenyan's expression grew even more serious, "is the 'inner demon' or 'Dao tribulation' rumored to be contained within the lightning tribulation."
He lowered his voice, "According to the fragmentary records of our predecessors, during the tribulation, one may sometimes glimpse or behold some unspeakable terrors and strange occurrences."
"A cultivator's mind is extremely susceptible to corruption and distortion. Once they lose control, their minds will become distorted, they will go completely insane, and may even degenerate into beings more terrifying than demons, bringing calamity to all living beings. I—though I have cultivated for many years and consider my temperament to be still acceptable, I have no confidence whatsoever in the face of that unknown tribulation demon."
Upon hearing this, Li Xijun's expression also became serious. The increase in power comes with enormous risks, a truth that has remained unchanged since ancient times.
However, what the other party said was that during the tribulation of lightning, one would witness unspeakable "great terror"...
This reminded him of the terrifying existence of those ancient extraterrestrial gods he had seen when he first traveled to the Great Sheng World, outside the planet.
"This world seems quite unfriendly to Eastern cultivators..."
"If I didn't have the ability to directly travel to other worlds to try to transcend tribulations, given the difficulty and hidden secrets of this lightning tribulation, I probably would never have done it."
Li Xijun couldn't help but complain in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged.
E Situ Wenyan glanced at Li Xijun and then said:
"Speaking of experiences in transcending tribulations, your master, Mr. Li Boyan, was a highly skilled person who had survived a first tribulation of lightning. He may have more specific experiences. However, everyone's circumstances are different, and their experiences are ultimately limited."
He then changed the subject: "But if we're truly discussing research and countermeasures against lightning tribulations, looking across the entire Great Sheng Dynasty, and even the Eastern Continent, the Celestial Masters Sect of Longhu Mountain is the foremost example!"
"The thunder magic and even the most profound secret techniques they inherited, their understanding of the nature of heavenly thunder is unparalleled. Back in the first East-West War, the old Celestial Master of the Celestial Masters Sect, it is said, relied on his unparalleled cultivation of the second level of the Thunder Tribulation, and even briefly touched the third level, to fight against the gods of the Western Continent. Although he ultimately perished at the hands of the God of Light, the power of his thunder magic is still admired to this day."
When the Celestial Masters sect was mentioned, Situ Wenyan's tone carried a hint of helplessness:
"But—the descendants of the Celestial Masters of Taoism today, though they guard the gold mine, have become increasingly stubborn, arrogant, and closed-minded."
"During this crisis in the southeast, the imperial court sent Eunuch Hua with an imperial decree to the mountain for help, but he was not even allowed to enter the mountain gate. He was turned away at the foot of the mountain. It is said that Eunuch Hua was indignant and said a few more words, which resulted in him being attacked and injured by the cultivators who came down from the mountain. It's truly—"
Hearing this, Tang Yongzhen couldn't help but show his indignation: "The Celestial Masters sect is indeed too arrogant! They disregard the laws of the imperial court!"
Li Xijun listened quietly, her fingers tapping lightly on the table, her eyes thoughtful.
He possesses the authority of the White Dragon, and in a sense, he is already half-ruler of this Great Sheng land. The will of the people and the fortune of the mountains and rivers are closely related to him.
Such actions by the Celestial Masters sect were not only a sign of contempt for the imperial court, but also, to some extent, a sign of contempt for him.
If it were a pure and noble god-king, he would probably say at this moment, "He has already used the path to death."
Of course, Li Xijun is not a god-king.
The Celestial Masters sect has not yet reached the level of "the way to death".
"However, this is also an opportunity to take a trip to Longhu Mountain," Li Xijun thought to himself.
Now that he has embodied the supreme mind and image of the unity of the three religions and has become the Manifested Saint True Lord, he needs a further method to transcend tribulations.
The Thunder Magic scriptures of the Celestial Masters sect are undoubtedly the best choice.
Incidentally, you could also go and ask the Celestial Masters of Swords to teach this number one Taoist sect a lesson and curb their untimely and arrogant attitude.
As for the authenticity of the books, he wasn't worried. With his teacher, Li Boyan, an expert who had survived a tribulation of lightning, he could naturally distinguish them.
Thinking of this, a barely perceptible smile appeared on Li Xijun's lips.
"Then I'll trouble Governor Tang to write a visiting card for me. I'll be returning to Tianjin in a few days to visit Master Boyan and my master, and it will be a good time to ask about swordsmanship at Longhu Mountain."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Yongzhen looked over.
Li Xijun's calm demeanor as he drank tea stirred something within Situ Wenyan. It seemed that this young True Lord possessed his own depths and sharpness.
It seems that Longhu Mountain is about to welcome a formidable "unwelcome guest".