Chen Yi wasn't just practicing other sects' Daoist arts.
It seemed he also had some hidden means to obscure his cultivation arts.
The question was whether this could deceive his master, Elder Yao Yuan, a High Elder of Mount Longhu with an Upper Heavens cultivation level.
Lei Jun was curious, but as long as the other party didn't pose a threat to him, he had no desire to dig deeper.
Later, after temporarily fending off disciples of the Yellow Heaven Sect, the True Disciples of Tianshi Mansion regrouped.
Lei Jun faced Chen Yi, and both of them acted as usual, with no expression of concern on their faces.
They were merely acquaintances who rarely interacted.
Chen Yi bore no personal grudge against Lei Jun, but he couldn’t stand Tang Xiaotang.
Since Lei Jun often associated with Tang Xiaotang, Chen Yi wasn't hostile by association, but there was little bond between them.
Li Zhenchang… Lei Jun noticed his reaction.
Two young Daoists walked through the crowd, greeted by many True Disciples of Tianshi Mansion.
One of them was named Li Zhenchang, a talented member of a collateral branch of the Li Family.
The other was Chu Andong, a disciple of Tianshi Mansion and a member of the Suzhou Chu Clan.
This was the same Chu Clan disciple who had previously entered Tianshi Mansion under Elder Yuan's guidance.
Chu Andong and Li Zhenchang were fellow disciples, both direct apprentices of Supreme Elder Li Song.
It was worth mentioning that the original conflict between Chen Yi and the Li Family's disciples stemmed from Li Zhenchang.
Years ago, while Lei Jun and Chen Yi were still in the Daoist Children’s Academy, Chen Yi had unexpectedly obtained a Pure-Gold Lingzhi from the Lingzhi Platform.
Coincidentally, Li Zhenchang also needed this treasure for his alchemy practice, but in the end, Chen Yi consumed it.
Li Zhenchang himself may not have cared too much, but other Li Family disciples in the academy made things difficult for Chen Yi, deepening the conflict.
When Chen Yi later advanced to Initiate status and joined the Discipline Hall, his disputes with the Li Family disciples intensified.
Rumor had it that Chen Yi even clashed directly with Li Zhenchang during his time in the Discipline Hall.
Their grudge was now deeply entrenched.
In the current public setting, with external threats looming, they ignored each other completely.
Li Zhenchang and Chu Andong were well-liked, and many fellow disciples greeted them warmly.
“Junior Brother Lei?”
Chu Andong approached Lei Jun and smiled. “I’ve always wanted to meet you, but never had the chance. I’m glad we finally did.”
Lei Jun replied, “Senior Brother Chu, how can I help?”
Chu Andong smiled. “I wouldn't dare call it help. I have a relative, Chu Kun, who was fortunate to be introduced into the Dao by Elder Yuan. If you can lend him a hand, I’d be very grateful.”
In fact, he was Chu Kun’s uncle.
But if Chu Kun truly became a disciple of Yuan Mobai, they’d be fellow disciples, so Chu Andong glossed over their familial ties.
Lei Jun responded, “As our masters teach, we should always support our fellow disciples. You’re too kind, Senior Brother Chu.”
Hearing this, Li Zhenchang's expression shifted slightly. He wasn’t targeting Lei Jun, but the situation reminded him of his conflict with Chen Yi.
However, he quickly composed himself and continued chatting amicably with Lei Jun and Chu Andong.
Though they weren’t close, Chu Andong seemed eager to strengthen their relationship, making the conversation enjoyable.
As they talked, the topic shifted to the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect experts who had recently interfered:
“We can’t let our guard down. The Southern Wasteland Witch Sect is chaotic, but that makes them unpredictable.”
Though outside the Tang Empire, the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect was a powerful tradition, comparable to the Daoist, Confucian, and Buddhist sects, with an ancient history.
Like the Confucian tradition had its divisions—Classical Studies, Archery, and Recitation—the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect had five branches:
Each branch had its own sacred land. For the Gu Arts Branch, it was Yin Mountain Cavern.
The internal strife within the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect was far more intense than the internal conflicts of Tianshi Mansion.
Even within Yin Mountain Cavern, factions often fought bitterly or ignored each other completely.
Occasionally, though, the branches would unite, posing a serious threat to outsiders.
Fortunately, this time, only an elder from the Yin Mountain Cavern and a few disciples had come to trouble Tang Xiaotang personally.
After she drove them off, the focus remained on dealing with the Yellow Heaven Sect.
Lei Jun, meanwhile, took his tasks lightly, using the time to hone his Daoist martial arts and absorb the power of the Black Bear King's Gallbladder.
Everything seemed calm—until one day, Mount Longhu trembled!
Above the immortal mountain, green lightning filled the sky, thunderclouds instantly shrouded the heavens, and bolts of lightning snaked through the clouds.
Both Tianshi Mansion and Yellow Heaven Sect disciples were stunned by this sudden change.
Lei Jun’s heart skipped a beat. He noticed that the Tianshi Seal imprint stored in his Breath-Taking Flag was resonating with the phenomenon.
Had the battles on Mount Longhu drawn the Tianshi Seal back to the area?
Would this legendary treasure return to Mount Longhu? Lei Jun took a deep breath.
He wasn’t the only one who noticed. Inside Tianshi Mansion, Young Tianshi Li Zhengxuan stared solemnly ahead.
There, a command flag gleamed, its shape obscured by radiance, yet its thunderous vibrations echoed the heavens.
“The Tianshi Seal… is it finally returning to Mount Longhu?” Li Zhengxuan murmured.
His junior brother Li Xuan asked softly, “Senior Brother, will the Tianshi Seal return directly to the mansion?”
Li Zhengxuan replied, “It’s close, but we need to meet it halfway. There are two locations—Xunjiang River and Upper Qing River.”
Li Xuan nodded, accepting his task: “I’ll do my best.”
Meanwhile, Lei Jun’s mind buzzed with possibilities, until his Light Sphere glowed, revealing three omens: