Chapter 723: 302. Celestial Patrolling Magical Treasure, Great Celestial Mirror (Combined Chapter 2)

However, what caught Lei Jun’s attention was that this Bastion Town was not simply constructed by Fang Yue using the Confucian Chanting Sect’s divine skills to gather and transform the Global Spiritual Qi.

He had also incorporated other Spiritual Objects as support, thereby further enhancing the city’s defensive power.

It seemed metallic, yet also like rock, with its Spiritual Nature deeply restrained and simultaneously immense and weighty; the whole structure was truly unique.

This thing was something Lei Jun found very familiar.

It was precisely the Lifeng Rock he once obtained in great quantities from the ancestral grounds of the Gao Family of Zezhou.

Lifeng Rock was not exclusive to the Jinzhou Ye Clan or the Gao Family of Zezhou.

Given Fang Yue was a Confucian Cultivator, and backed by the Tang Imperial Court, it was no surprise for him to acquire some Lifeng Rock.

But the Lifeng Rock he was now using to build the city clearly originated from Lei Jun’s batch back then.

Lei Jun had worked with those Lifeng Rocks for many years, so much so that he could not be more familiar with them; just one glance and he could tell.

And those Lifeng Rocks, most of them had previously been transferred to Bastion Town’s Saturn Earth Radiance in the Celestial Book Universe.

So...

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow slightly, watching Fang Yue’s arrival.

Upon comparing Saturn Earth Radiance’s conduct, it was indeed just like Fang Yue.

He really did act just as he claimed, not making empty promises; though he withheld his true identity, there was no hint of artifice.

The Lifeng Rock Fang Yue currently used to build the city was far less than the amount Lei Jun had once transferred to him.

Lei Jun estimated that most of the Lifeng Rock was spent on training students of the Scholarly Mansion.

And with Jianye Academy newly established, the expenditure must have been especially enormous.

*While being supported by the Tang Imperial Court, did he also dip into his own funds to supplement the students?*

Lei Jun recalled hearing from Lin Shan, a Celestial Master Mansion Elder stationed at the Scholarly Mansion, that the students trained in recent years had grown increasingly impressive. It was clear that both Xiao Chunhui and Fang Yue, the two successive Grand Libationers, had put in no small effort.

Fang Yue, wary that Ye Ming was waiting outside attempting another sneak attack, stabilized his stance and did not dare move heedlessly.

But after the Vast Sea Map was fully unfurled, all that lay before him was the endless ocean and a newborn morning sun; no one else was in sight.

*If not for the distant black pillar of energy and white pillar of light weaving their contest, Fang Yue would have truly suspected that Ye Ming had still confined him, layering yet another painting outside the Vast Sea Map.*

But the sacrificial spectacle far off, and the chaotic Spiritual Energy throughout Heaven and Earth, all showed that Fang Yue was indeed standing in the real Human Realm Heaven and Earth.

*So then, what about Ye Ming?*

Fang Yue looked to his left and right.

He was certain there was someone else outside who attacked Ye Ming just now.

That was why Ye Ming lost control of the Vast Sea Map.

The present serenity, with scarce evidence of a struggle, only suggested that Ye Ming was likely in a perilous situation.

"Not sure which mysterious expert lent their aid, but this student Fang Yue is truly grateful from the bottom of his heart," he bowed to the sea.

But there was no reply for a long while.

Much later, Fang Yue finally rose, "Already left?"

His expression was one of admiration.

*Although the identity of the benefactor remained unknown, this senior had bestowed favor without seeking repayment, performed good deeds anonymously—such was the style of ancient gentlemen. This was precisely the character that Fang Yue respected, aspired to, and worked toward in his life.*

"Senior’s lofty virtue, this student is endlessly thankful, and hopes that someday a reunion will allow me to repay it."

Fang Yue bowed separately in four directions; even though he couldn’t be sure the senior expert had really departed, this kindness was something Fang Yue would always remember.

After the courtesy, Fang Yue gathered his Lifeng Rock and the damaged Vast Sea Map, then left the sea region.

*As for the matter of Ye Ming, Fang Yue himself was quite calm at the moment.*

*He had encountered such incidents before.*

*He would not suffer a silent loss.*

Naturally, he would report this to Her Majesty the Empress and the Tang Imperial Court.

Although he had a broken Vast Sea Map, there was no sign of Ye Ming, nor any other evidence; the outcome would most likely be finger-pointing, with the Qingzhou Ye Clan offering up some compensation to the Tang Imperial Court.

Unless the two parties completely ruptured and turned against each other.

But neither Fang Yue’s mood nor his objectives were affected by the earlier ordeal.

The priority was still to suppress the ritual of the Heavenly Order Cultivators and achieve the intended strategic goal: "closing" the Void Gateway connecting Heavenly Order to the Mortal World.

So even if he went to meet Chu Xiuyuan and Ye Yan now, Fang Yue could remain completely calm.

*If there was anything that did weigh on him, it was instead the mysterious expert who had lent him a hand.*

Since the person did not show himself, Fang Yue had no intention of probing his background; presumably the senior expert had his own plans. Fang Yue was simply curious.

The Heavenly Order Cultivators certainly were out of the question.

He had no clues from any other direction.

If one talked about mysterious experts, the prime suspect previously would have been the person responsible for the deaths of Li Qingfeng and Li Hongyu, the brother and sister.

But now, that identity had been made public—it was the former Pure Yang Palace Sect Leader, Huang Xuanpu.

He certainly wouldn’t suddenly kill Ye Ming and then vanish without a trace.

It wasn’t impossible for someone to kill Ye Ming.

Yet for someone to slay Ye Ming, ignore the Vast Sea Map and Fang Yue, and then depart without a word—that was something Fang Yue found hard to fathom.

Ye Ming was a cultivator of the Eighth Heavenly Layer, second tier; even without the Vast Sea Map, for anyone to kill him without giving him a chance to escape, the strength of the intruder could be easily imagined.

Moreover, Fang Yue reckoned that he had emerged from the Vast Sea Map in very little time.

Ye Ming had thus been finished off in an extremely brief interval.

*The more Fang Yue considered, the more he felt that this senior expert possessed vast magical powers.*

He shook his head slightly, refocused, and continued on his way.

Cloaked in his Taiqing Eight Scenic Treasures Raincoat and hidden between Heaven and Earth, Lei Jun merely watched Fang Yue’s departure in silence.

He withdrew his gaze.

And continued northward.

The best lot foretelling the Third-Rank Opportunity, Solar Divine Radiance, was already in hand; Lei Jun thus had no reason to linger. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

He instead made his way, as he previously intended, toward the stretch of sea near the Void Gateway linking Heavenly Order to the Mortal World.