As soon as Chu Kun stepped into the courtyard, Lei Jun saw the look on his face and knew that whatever had happened was anything but minor.

But when he actually saw the thing in question, he was still somewhat surprised.

Inside the small bundle Chu Kun had unwrapped, lay a pile of objects that looked like gravel.

But this "gravel" shimmered with dazzling treasure-light in a riot of five colors, so brilliant that it illuminated the entire residence.

Their Spiritual Nature was powerful enough to catch anyone's eye.

Lei Jun took it from Chu Kun, feeling a distinct weight in his hands.

*For a small bag, it was surprisingly heavy. No wonder Chu Kun seemed to struggle a bit when he first pulled it out.*

Lei Jun did not need to probe with his own mana, simply sensing the Spiritual Nature wafting off the sand was enough for visions to swirl before his eyes, the gold, wood, water, fire, and earth transforming, blending, and cycling endlessly.

"This rather resembles the Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand described in ancient texts..."

Lei Jun raised his head and looked at Chu Kun, "But this Spiritual Object has been extinct for ages, I have never seen the real thing myself."

Chu Kun nodded, "I'm fairly sure this is the Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand. I hadn't seen it before either, but when I was little, I read similar accounts in my clan's classics. Compared them with our Sect's ancient records—the evidence matches up."

Lei Jun, "So this is..."

Chu Kun, "I went down the mountain with a few brothers, but got separated midway. While wandering the deep mountains, I stumbled upon this treasure purely by chance, so I brought it back."

"When I first found it, I thought I must be mistaken—I'd always heard the Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand had been lost for years."

"Now that I think about it, maybe it's come to light again thanks to the recent surges in Global Spiritual Qi and the frequent earth vein disturbances?"

The young Taoist laughed, "Whatever the cause, it's a stroke of luck regardless."

The Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand had been gone from the world for so long that hardly anyone had ever heard of it anymore; only top powers like the Celestial Master Mansion at Dragon Tiger Mountain and the Suzhou Chu Clan still had any records or illustrations, giving Lei Jun and Chu Kun the knowledge to recognize this Spiritual Object.

According to the relevant texts, it had myriad uses, but its greatest value was that it could help a handful of Taoist Heritages' Fourth Heaven Layer cultivators climb into the Fifth Heaven Layer, somewhat easing the dangers of the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between the Fourth and Fifth Layers.

The Taoist Talisman Sect was counted among those few Taoist Heritages.

In the inheritance of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion, the Fourth Heavenly Realm was called the Original Talisman, and the Fifth was called the Tao Palace.

The so-called Tao Palace, cultivation both internal and external, merging life and essence—with a root in the five organs, five elements, and five directions.

The Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand, generating and regenerating the five phases, never-ending: perfectly suited for this.

From Chu Kun's perspective, it was something he'd need himself in the future.

*Only, it would be quite some time before he'd need it; that milestone was still a ways off.*

For Lei Jun, who was already at the Fourfold Heavenly Origin Talisman Realm, he might not need it immediately either, but he was much closer than Chu Kun.

The thing was, Chu Kun was under no obligation to hand it over.

He could easily have kept it secret, and Lei Jun would be none the wiser.

*Though Lei Jun had harbored some vague guesses before, a guess was just a guess. There was no way to predict what Chu Kun had actually done with his Wind Riding Talisman.*

"If not for your top-grade Wind Riding Talisman, Senior Brother, I never could've gotten my hands on this treasure."

And some other things I wanted for myself... Chu Kun remarked,

"Maybe it's just destiny—the water you drink, the food you eat, it's all preordained. I'm still a long way off from the Middle Three Heavens, so this treasure is better suited for you, Senior Brother Lei."

*This young Taoist thought to himself that he had traveled thousands of miles away from home, journeyed to the Celestial Master Mansion to join the Taoist Sect. Even with relatives like Uncle Chu Andong around, it wasn't like he was surrounded by kin. Still, he stood alone, especially as Chu Andong was from a different master altogether.*

*Since his fellow disciples and Seniors from the same master were easy to get along with and capable, Chu Kun thought building more good karma could only help. Why not?*

All thanks to Lei Jun's top-grade Wind Riding Talisman, he had gotten what he wanted.

*Lei Jun didn't know, but favors should be repaid. If you return what's borrowed, it makes borrowing again easy. Friendship grows through these exchanges, the bond deepens... Chu Kun mused.*

So handing over the Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand gave him not the slightest pang.

"In that case, my thanks, Chu," Lei Jun said directly, thanking him and taking the treasure.

*As for Chu Kun, supposedly finding a long-lost Spiritual Object not far off the mountain, Lei Jun didn't believe a single punctuation mark of it.*

*He was seriously curious how Chu Kun had actually come by the Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand.*

*The stuff had been extinct for ages, maybe even the Suzhou Chu Clan didn't have any left?*

*But since Chu Kun was keeping mum, Lei Jun chose not to press further.*

*So long as the other party wasn't plotting against him, Lei Jun fully respected his freedom to keep secrets.*

*He himself was no different, holding onto quite a few layers of secrets.*

*Back when he noticed Chen Yi possessed Blood River Secret Skill, Lei Jun never dug deeper; now, with someone he trusted even more like Chu Kun, he certainly wouldn't pry or meddle.*

By Lei Jun's reckoning, this Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand probably matched the Fifth Grade Opportunity mentioned by that moderately good lot.

If his guess was right, and the Fifth Grade Opportunity carried no hidden dangers, he could accept it without worry.

Lei Jun reviewed the past events, his mind settling with understanding.

*If he had instead drawn that moderately unlucky lot and left the mountain for the far Northern Border, he'd have missed Chu Kun's plea and chance to loan him the top-grade Wind Riding Talisman in the first place.*

Lei Jun figured Chu Kun's story about the Wind Riding Talisman was likely true.

Chu Kun's capture of the Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand likely owed much, in one way or another, to that Wind Riding Talisman.

And at that point, Chu Kun must have been desperate.

If Lei Jun had taken off for the North, with Master Yuan Moba busy and Wang Guiyuan closed up in cultivation, Chu Kun would have missed the treasure for lack of a Wind Riding Talisman, or else would've had to seek it out through other channels.

Whatever the ultimate outcome, even if Lei Jun made his way back to Dragon Tiger Mountain from the North later, Chu Kun would've most likely acted as if nothing had happened.

"So maybe goodness repaid goodness, or maybe just luck. Either way, things turned out well."

After Chu Kun left, Lei Jun put away the Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand.

Several days later, Master Yuan Moba finally had free time and returned to his residence.

Lei Jun and Chu Kun, keeping nothing from him, reported the matter to Yuan Moba as well.

"Indeed, this is a rare treasure. As your Master, I've only ever read about it in old texts."

Yuan Moba likewise did not press Chu Kun about how he had come by it, simply verifying that the treasure contained no hidden evil or secrets, and then instructed Lei Jun,

"The Five-Element Tao Treasure Sand can certainly help a Disciple of our Sect break through the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between the Fourth and Fifth Heaven Layers. Still, the treasure alone isn't enough; what's critical is your own cultivation, Chongyun."

Yuan Moba wasn't much concerned about Lei Jun's focus and seriousness toward cultivation.

He had always been unwavering and deeply committed, his heart firmly set on the Tao.

Yuan Moba made a point to remind him again today primarily because Lei Jun had never yet faced any major obstacles in his cultivation.

The Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between Great Realms had always been fraught with peril, claiming countless cultivators, and more than a few lives.

But when it came to Lei Jun...

From the First Layer to the Second, his Hidden Dragon Spirit Body gave him special advantages, so he crossed without a hitch.

Second Layer to Third, he had Misty Cloud Crystals, again passing smoothly.

Third Layer to Fourth, he got the Yuanxin Calming Jade...

All the way, Lei Jun had been untouched by the hurdles most face at the borders of the Great Realms.

Now that his progress was so rapid, drawing attention throughout the Mansion, it was one of the key reasons people paid him heed.

*If possible, of course Yuan Moba hoped his disciple would advance in triumph, unobstructed forever.*

*But he dared not allow any sense of dependence or complacency to take root.*

*Otherwise, even with Spiritual Objects to help, the weak foundation could cause trouble, tripping him up at thresholds he ought to cross with ease.*

*The Heavenly Chasm Tribulation at the edge of Great Realms offers no second chances.*

*One misstep, and it's a pit you might never climb out of.*

"Master's words, your disciple will always keep in mind," Lei Jun replied, face grave and respectful.

Yuan Moba kept his slight smile, offering a few more words of encouragement to both Lei Jun and Chu Kun.

After the lesson, he caught them up on assignments they'd missed.

Once class was done, Master and disciples finally shared a few moments' idle conversation.

Yuan Moba brought up the business he'd been busy with previously.

The elders of High Merit Pavilion had joined forces once more to pay their respects to the Altar of Wanfa Sect.

This was not a public or formal ceremony; rather, it was for warming and nurturing the Altar.

As for the reason—

"With the World Spiritual Qi surging and frequent changes in earth veins, not only the shifting skies but the mortal world faces turmoil. Our Sect must make due preparations," Yuan Moba explained slowly.

Lei Jun and Chu Kun had a general understanding of the changing world.

As for the troubles of the mortal world, that meant the Great Tang dynasty faced further upheavals.

The southern Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion had finally found a little peace for now.

Even the turbulent Jiangzhou Lin Clan had calmed, their storms less severe.

Farther south, the Southern Witch Sect was mired in infighting, but for now that left the Great Tang Territory untouched.

But as one wave stilled in the south, another rose in the north.

The Tang Emperor had supposedly gone north on a hunting expedition.

Lately, word came confirming it was only a ruse.

This monarch, instead, had headed west.

"Longwai, the Xiao Family..." Lei Jun and Chu Kun exchanged glances.

One of the noble Five Clans and Seven Families, the Xiao Clan from outside Long, turned out to be the real target of the Tang Emperor's grand move.

Of course, maybe the Emperor hadn't decided on his final objective at the start, just acting when opportunity struck, placing his move wherever seemed optimal at the moment.

Now, with this stroke, the tug-of-war between the Tang Court and the noble families entered an entirely new phase.

No wonder the Jiangzhou Lin Clan had been quieter lately.

Whether it was those contesting for the Clan Chief position within the Lin Clan, or their respective backers behind the scenes, they now had bigger games to play.

That put the Tang Emperor one step ahead, for the time being.

But how the endgame would be resolved was anyone's guess.

Tug one thread and the whole web moved; even if Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion made no grand gestures, they would naturally prepare regardless.

Yuan Moba, for his part, was about to be busier than ever.

All that, though, was distant business for Lei Jun and Chu Kun.

All they needed to do was focus on their own cultivation for now.

With Lei Jun tirelessly refining his mana using the Pure Spirit Rock, the greenish veins on that pale stone faded away, one by one.

At last, they vanished completely.

And as the pale stone crumbled into ashes, the outcome was clear—Lei Jun's cultivation soared.

With help from Pure Spirit Rock and the Yin Yang Twin Fiends, his mana grew purer by the day.

Summer faded to autumn, then steadily into winter.

At long last, with the turn of a new year, Lei Jun managed to forge his second Original Talisman besides his first.

Two talismans.

Mid-stage Original Talisman Realm—accomplished.

After a year and a half, the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion would make an exception, holding another Talisman-bestowed Ceremony on the fifteenth day of the first new year.

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