Lei Jun: "So, how did your talk with Riyao go?"

YueYao: "Although that friend is short on words, we have reached a preliminary agreement."

After pondering for a moment, Lei Jun replied, "Count me in."

YueYao: "That's good news indeed."

Lei Jun: "Then, how about we exchange the first piece of information right now?"

YueYao: "Please speak."

Lei Jun: "The page of the Celestial Book you have, is it the second page, or rather, the second volume?"

"In the interest of showing sincerity, I am willing to answer. Yes, I happened upon that strange Celestial Book by chance, and indeed it is marked with the number 'two'," said YueYao. "Information exchange should be equivalent and sincere, don't you think, my friend?"

Lei Jun: "You must have guessed already that I have 'three.'"

YueYao: "Guessing and confirmation are ultimately different. Of course, I still thank you. Our exchange is off to a very good start."

Lei Jun paid attention to the other party's words; there was no information that revealed any identities.

Of course, even if there were any information, he would have to be careful to discern whether it was false.

Even some of the other party's linguistic habits could not be said to be genuine or a disguise.

To feign reality with illusion, and to present illusion as reality.

It was just uncertain whether the so-called equivalent exchange was truly equal and authentic.

Hmm, besides online friendship, there was also the board game of guessing identities... Lei Jun mused internally.

He ended the current conversation. "If that's the case, let's leave messages for the other two and later on, the four of us can gather together again. How does that sound?"

YueYao: "Naturally, that's fine."

So, YueYao left a message for the previously silent Mu Yao.

Lei Jun left a message for Riyao.

The surfaces of those two celestial bodies showed slight fluctuations in their airflow before returning to tranquility. They did not respond.

Lei Jun and YueYao weren't in a hurry; after all, with the messaging feature, everyone could just "log off."

As Lei Jun's thoughts stirred, the pitch-black Celestial Book Universe Starry Sky before his eyes vanished, and brightness reemerged.

After a flash of light, Lei Jun's vision was restored, revealing once again the scene of his own constructed Altar within his mansion.

Looking up, the page of the Celestial Book was gone.

Yet, deep within his Spiritual Soul, in the True One Altar Cave Heaven spawned from the Celestial Master Seal, another page shimmering with light appeared.

Lei Jun collected his thoughts and nodded slightly, looking around and moving his limbs a bit.

His current cultivation realm was not low, and he had a clear grasp of both himself and his surroundings, making it easy to come to several conclusions.

First, concerning time: while the mind was immersed in the world of the Celestial Book or the Celestial Book Universe Starry Sky, time continued to pass in the outside world. The flow of time was broadly consistent both inside and outside the book.

Second, it was not his entire being that entered the book's starry space, but rather his Spiritual Soul and thoughts, akin to a Soul Out-of-Body experience.

However, this projection was inward rather than outward, a situation similar to entering the True One Altar Cave Heaven previously.

In this state, it was like meditating and practicing in tranquility.

There was no danger internally, but before starting, external protective measures needed to be properly arranged.

Lastly, entering the starry space within the book put a certain strain on one's spirit and mental energy, especially when actively initiating pop-ups for others.

Too frequent or prolonged activity ran the risk of draining one's spirit. It is not wise to overindulge.

After sitting quietly and regulating his breath for a moment, Lei Jun tidied up his Altar and then stepped outside.

The Yin Yang Pen, Lei Jun kept for his own use.

He set aside a few of the upgraded Azure-quill Brushes he had refined as foundational practice, intending to gift them to acquaintances, and sent the rest to the mansion's Treasure Pavilion.

This session of Refining Treasure had used up quite a bit of the mansion's raw materials.

Given the potential and strength Lei Jun had shown, the mansion would have preferred him to use even more.

However, Lei Jun still contributed some back to the mansion.

The upgraded version of the Azure-quill Brush was much more valuable than the standard version.

The mansion didn't just accept his contribution for nothing; after an inspection, they added a substantial amount to Master Lei's merit accumulation.

Lei Jun was not worried that others would realize the upgraded Azure-quill Brushes were refined with the help of Nine Abyss True Fire. He had taken proper precautions, and no traces could be seen afterward.

While Lei Jun was in the Treasure Pavilion handling the handover, his heart suddenly stirred.

Deep within his Spiritual Soul, in the True One Altar Cave Heaven, the page of the Celestial Book began to glow, revealing complex and obscure script.

But Lei Jun understood instantly.

Riyao responded, agreeing to the four of them meeting again.

In terms of timing, for coordination, it was set for midnight tonight.

Lei Jun's face remained expressionless. He calmly completed the handover with the Treasure Pavilion's steward and then left.

Returning to his own place and after making some arrangements, he then refocused his attention on the True One Altar Cave Heaven within.

After going back and forth several times, Lei Jun was also gradually becoming familiar with the "operations" related to the Celestial Book.

When others left him messages, he could reply directly, without the need to immediately "go online."

Lei Jun then quietly engaged in Warming and Nurturing the newly refined Yin Yang Talisman Brush, practicing on his own as if nothing else mattered.

It wasn't until midnight that he stopped, made his preparations, and invested his mind into the page of the Celestial Book inside the True One Altar Cave Heaven.

A flash of light passed, and the starry sky reappeared.

Apart from the Taibai Metal Scepter symbolizing Lei Jun, the Taiyang Riyao and Age Star Muyao had also relit their brilliance.

As for the Taiyin Yueyao, which had engaged in more conversation with Lei Jun previously, its surrounding airflow dispersed a bit later, and its light was reignited.

On the other side, the water, fire, and earth scepters remained completely dim, without a hint of light.

"Let's begin."

The opening statement from Riyao was very straightforward:

"It seems that there are still three pages of the Celestial Book missing or ownerless.

If any of you are interested, you are welcome to search for them. If anyone has their sights on my page, I welcome them to try."

"Agreed," Mu Yao spoke for the first time.

YueYao then said, "We are all still unfamiliar with the current environment and should explore it to understand it better. Working together would be good, but it is also fine to explore individually. We need not discuss this today.

As a first-time collaboration, let's treat this as casting a brick to attract jade. We might as well exchange some information about the outside world, hoping everything gets off to a good start."

Mu Yao asked, "Privately one-on-one, or in front of everyone?"

YueYao replied, "Today is the first time, so how about everyone publicly shares one piece of news? Afterward, you can choose your own method of cooperation as you wish."

Lei Jun said, "Since it's about casting a brick to attract jade, allow me to be the first to make a fool of myself."

He had already prepared what to say.

Naturally, it wouldn't be appropriate to trade personal information or the secrets of those close to him.

His own fortunes and omens, many of which had already come true, were outdated news and likewise useless.

But there were a few exceptions.

"Beyond the Northern Border, there is a frozen lake harboring True Yin Stone, which reveals itself in the peak of summer for those in need to claim," Lei Jun stated.

The current season was wrong. Even if someone was interested in the True Yin Stone, it wasn't the time to retrieve it.

Therefore, the other three need not worry that Lei Jun's action was a ploy to probe their true identities.

"True Yin Stone, indeed a rarity. But I've heard that in recent years, Great Demons have been frequently sighted in the Northern Border," YueYao remarked with a sigh, before saying, "The intelligence I offer to my three friends is that the general of the Great Tang Suppressing Demon Guards, Sheng Yan, is in collusion with Prince Wu."

Upon hearing this, Lei Jun's eyes flashed slightly.

The Suppressing Demon Guards were established by Emperor Zhang Qilong. The first commanding general came from the Shangguan Clan, who had fallen in the battle in the Western Regions.

If their successor, Sheng Yan, was indeed colluding with Prince Wu, it meant the waves from the previous struggle for the throne were far from settled, and the undercurrents still raged.

Mu Yao said, "The Abbot of the Bodhi Temple, one of the Buddhist Sect's Four Sacred Grounds, will shortly visit Youzhou in the Northern Border to welcome the relics of the ancestor."

He paused, then added, "This information has not been completely confirmed, but it is very likely true."

Bodhi Temple, being one of the Buddhist Sect's Four Sacred Grounds and having a close relationship with the Tang Imperial Court, was situated in Zhongzhou and at a considerable distance from the Northern Border... Lei Jun pondered.

Meanwhile, Riyao calmly took over, saying, "Li Zhengxuan of the Celestial Master Mansion possesses an important clue related to the Celestial Master's Sword and is currently following that trail."

Lei Jun did not expect to hear information related to his own Celestial Master Mansion so soon.

And the information was explosive.

Of course, it was not completely unexpected.

The former Yong Celestial Master, Li Zhengxuan, had once wielded the Celestial Master's Sword.

Over the past few years in seclusion at the Rear Mountain Ancestral Tomb, he likely had not been idle.

If he truly had discovered a valuable clue about the Celestial Master's Sword, Lei Jun was not surprised.

But how could Riyao speak with such certainty?

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