Cultivation: Fortune by Lots

After listening to Fang Hezhou’s words, Chu Lin nodded silently.

Fang Hezhou turned to look at Chu Pu, who was standing behind Chu Lin: "Over in Qingzhou, Jifeng is in the Northwest. The message sent back should also be reported to the Eastern Palace, and our side will send messages as well, to consolidate the reports."

Chu Pu hadn’t seen Fang Zhu’s specific report details, but just hearing the few words exchanged between his father Chu Lin and Fang Hezhou, he was greatly shocked.

At this moment, he composed himself and respectfully accepted the letter before leaving.

Chu Lin then looked at Fang Hezhou: "What about Elder Guo?"

Fang Hezhou nodded slowly: "I will invite him over to the mansion for a discussion."

He wrote a letter and sent it to the residence of Imperial Secretary of the Right, Guo Yuan.

The other party was once the son-in-law of the Xiao Clan from outside Long, cultivated by the Xiao Clan, and entered the capital as their representative in the imperial court, eventually becoming the Imperial Secretary of the Right, now second only to Fang Hezhou as the Vice Prime Minister of Great Tang.

After the calamity faced by the Xiao Clan from outside Long, Guo Yuan grew more distant from them as Xiao Hang and his siblings ascended to power, and his connections to the Xiao Clan faded.

Meanwhile, he formed family ties with the Youzhou Lin Clan.

Over the years, as the Empress established the Council Hall of the Ministry, eroding the power of the Department of Central Secretariat and the Chancery, Vice Prime Minister Guo Yuan was affected alongside Prime Minister Fang Hezhou.

However, on the surface, both appeared to be calm.

The two did not interact much and often had conflicts.

But this Western Northwest battle had far-reaching implications.

Fang Hezhou relied on the Qingzhou, Suzhou, and Jingxiang Clans, while Guo Yuan had the support of the Youzhou and Cangzhou Clans.

The two Prime Ministers of Great Tang needed to communicate, just as the noble families behind them did.

......

Eastern Palace.

When Chu Pu arrived, he indeed saw Qingzhou Ye Song also seeking an audience with the Crown Prince.

Both appeared solemn, and from their gazes exchanged, one could see a lingering uncertainty and doubt.

They nodded silently to one another and faced Crown Prince Zhang Hui together.

After being announced, they entered and saw the Crown Prince with another report in hand, reading it.

He looked up, his expression unchanged, and motioned for Chu Pu and Ye Song to sit: "The Northwest battle?"

Chu Pu and Ye Song presented their report: "Indeed, please have a look, Your Highness."

Zhang Hui took it, flipped through it page by page, and asked: "What do you both think?"

Ye Song: "It’s beyond expectations. This Celestial Master Lei, who achieved Divine Court’s Superior Vista, shouldn’t be able to host four experts simultaneously, right?"

The Talisman Sect masters who had achieved a projection of the Divine Court Cosmos could indeed trap multiple opponents in a short time, leaving them nowhere to escape.

But the problem was, the Solitary Eagle Khanate’s Mi Han and others were experts at the Eightfold Heaven Realm.

Being simultaneously captured in a Divine Court Cosmos, they could easily break out.

Unless, like when the Mortal Tao Country attacked Dragon Tiger Mountain, Tang Xiaotang’s Pure Yang Realm held Thousand Leaves Butterfly King, Rong Guangchen, and Wei Qiyue, with Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai assisting inside.

"Celestial Master Lei in this battle didn’t use the Divine Court Cosmos."

Crown Prince Zhang Hui shook his head, gesturing lightly with the report: "He practically relied on his Corporeal Life Mastery, overpowering and killing three foreign martial arts experts and one Taoist Dan Ding master."

Ye Song and Chu Pu were astonished again upon hearing this.

Zhang Hui added: "He used the Celestial Master Seal and Celestial Master Robe, but not the Celestial Master’s Sword."

Chu Pu took a deep breath.

Ye Song froze for a while, almost losing decorum before the Crown, nearly blurting out "impossible."

His lips moved, and after a moment he finally spoke: "Lei... Xuanxiao Zi, has he achieved the Ninefold Heavens Mahayana High Truth?"

Zhang Hui: "To be honest, my first thought upon seeing the report was similar to yours, but compiling information from multiple sources, Celestial Master Lei should not have achieved the Ninefold Heavens Mahayana High Truth Realm yet."

Chu Pu exhaled a long breath: "With the Celestial Master Seal and Robe protecting him, winning against four opponents isn’t unexpected, but how did he leave all four Eightfold Heaven opponents without the Celestial Master’s Sword and not deploying the Divine Court Cosmos? Is there an unknown reason why those foreign tribe warriors fought to the death?"

Zhang Hui: "Currently, it doesn’t seem like they fought to the death; more like they wanted to retreat but couldn’t, caught unprepared."

Ye Song steadied himself, speaking in a deep tone: "This new Celestial Master, taught by Taoist Yu Lizi, is known for his Corporeal Life Mastery, even cultivated four Dharmas in the Eightfold Heaven Realm, mastered the Dragon-Tiger Strike from the Celestial Master Mansion—his strength is undoubtedly formidable. But, if those foreign tribe warriors had scattered, could he still intercept and kill all four?"

Zhang Hui: "At the very least, this new Celestial Master’s Escapism Art of Movement is no inferior to martial arts experts of the same realm.

With this foundation, even without the Celestial Master’s Sword, he was fiercely formidable in battle.

Those foreign experts, caught off guard, were quickly severely injured upon engagement, cutting off any chance of subsequent escape."

Chu Pu and Ye Song, after hearing this, seemed lost in thought.

They both understood martial arts practitioners.

Martial arts practitioners, in their peak condition, not only excelled in movement speed and agility but were also top-notch in attack and defense.

However, once they suffered defense breaches and injuries, especially significant blood loss, their body’s toughness and even movement speed would be greatly affected.

It seems, the foreign tribe warriors, including Mi Han, suffered due to an information gap this time.

... When had they ever encountered Talisman Sect cultivators with such astonishing body speed, strength, and lethal force with each punch and kick?

Well, Ye Song and Chu Pu actually hadn’t seen such either...