Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 103: The second opportunity to improve your physique

"A True Yang Treasure Tree. A True Yang Mystic Flower."

Looking at the pure white flower, Lei Jun was struck with sudden inspiration, and these terms surfaced in his mind.

He hadn’t heard of these names before, but he was certain this was what he needed. The Tianshi Seal and the True-One Altar were both reacting to this spiritual flower.

If he nurtured this immortal seedling with Nine Saints Frost, it could further enhance his bone structure when paired with the True-One Altar.

Lei Jun's gaze swept over the tree, and he saw that the True Yang Treasure Tree bore only this single True Yang Mystic Flower.

Considering the timing, he made a swift decision and summoned his Breath-Taking Flag. A dense, earthen glow enveloped the flower-bearing branch of the True Yang Treasure Tree, attempting to extract it.

The seemingly aged True Yang Treasure Tree was remarkably resilient; the branch was tough to break.

With the Breath-Taking Flag in hand, Lei Jun struggled for a moment before finally breaking off the branch.

In that brief moment, the pure white petals of the True Yang Mystic Flower already showed signs of closing again.

It seemed this flower bloomed only briefly at sunrise under specific conditions. The moment was fleeting; if missed, the petals would retreat into the bud in a near-miraculous rejuvenation process. Lei Jun marveled at the boundless wonders of the world.

No wonder the two upper-moderate omens conflicted with each other in timing... Lei Jun thought.

He wasn’t sure what was happening at Xianming Spring, but rushing there now would likely be too late.

Likewise, if he had gone to Xianming Spring first and couldn't resolve things quickly, by the time he reached Nanhua Cliff, the True Yang Mystic Flower would have vanished.

As if it had never bloomed.

Even now, though Lei Jun had broken the branch, the flower still showed signs of closing.

With a thought, he channeled the Breath-Taking Flag's energy, sustaining the True Yang Mystic Flower’s bloom for a while longer.

With a flick of his crimson Daoist robe sleeve, he stored the Breath-Taking Flag. Lei Jun bowed respectfully toward Nanhua Cliff, thanking the heavens and earth for producing such a rare treasure. Then, riding a cloud, he descended the cliff face and returned to the ground.

After checking his surroundings to ensure no one else was present, Lei Jun resumed wandering the Grotto-Heaven as if nothing had happened.

As he strolled along, he passed by Xianming Spring. Having made his choice, Lei Jun didn’t dwell on the Third-Grade Opportunity there, but he was curious if someone else had claimed it. What would happen if someone obtained it?

As he reached Xianming Spring, he noticed a woman standing on the opposite side of the pool.

She wore a Daoist robe, her features elegant and serene, with a transcendent grace as she stood by the water.

But the woman—Senior Sister Zhang Jingzhen—seemed to be in a daze.

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow.

Her slightly peculiar demeanor sparked his curiosity, but he maintained his composure and greeted her casually: “Senior Sister Zhang?”

Startled by his approach, Zhang Jingzhen snapped out of her reverie and focused her gaze. “Lei Junior Brother.”

“I checked over there; no other disciples are present,” Lei Jun said nonchalantly.

Zhang Jingzhen nodded slightly. “I encountered two people earlier and instructed them to meet at Immortal Bamboo Grove.”

She glanced past Xianming Spring into the distance. “Have you been over there yet?”

Lei Jun shook his head. “Not yet, I was just about to head that way.”

“Then let’s go together,” she suggested.

The two of them soared on clouds, flying over Xianming Spring.

Zhang Jingzhen’s gaze swept quickly over the water, almost imperceptibly, her eyes still somewhat unfocused.

Lei Jun glanced at the spring as they passed, but everything seemed the same as before.

Only the faint echoes of the Dao’s principles still lingered.

It was as if nothing had happened.

But the earlier subtle reaction from the Tianshi Seal and the True-One Altar had now vanished. The Third-Grade Opportunity that might have been here was clearly gone.

After a brief search, Lei Jun and Zhang Jingzhen gathered two other fellow disciples and headed to Immortal Bamboo Grove.

With Zhang Jingzhen taking charge, Lei Jun kept silent, quietly meditating and absorbing the abundant spiritual energy of the grove.

When the designated time arrived, Zhang Jingzhen led everyone back to the starting area.

Sure enough, flashes of lightning danced across the ground, opening a path in the cloud-like surface.

Lei Jun and the others entered, surrounded by intertwined rays of lightning and radiant light.

When their vision cleared, they found themselves back atop Mount Longhu's main peak.

The clouds above sealed once more, leaving only the rumble of thunder and flashes of lightning.

This time, the presiding Elder was not Shangguan Ning but Lei Jun’s master, Yuan Mobai.

With few Elder Masters available, everyone had duties, and the Upper Qing Thunder Altar Grotto-Heaven also operated on a rotation system.

“Jingzhen, everything alright?” Yuan Mobai greeted Zhang Jingzhen first, checking on an injured talismanic disciple.

His demeanor was ever warm and reassuring.

Once the aftermath was settled, Yuan Mobai finally nodded toward Lei Jun.

Lei Jun followed his master off the main peak, and they spoke only after reaching Yuan Mobai’s residence.

“A True Yang Treasure Tree, huh...” Yuan Mobai exclaimed in wonder. “It blooms so rarely, and even then, for just a fleeting moment. Miss it once, and who knows when it’ll bloom again.”

Lei Jun replied, “It was pure luck that I stumbled upon it. It blooms at sunrise, and the petals begin to close almost immediately. Luckily, I harvested it just in time.”

As he spoke, he handed the Breath-Taking Flag to Yuan Mobai along with the flower.

Yuan Mobai marveled at the True Yang Mystic Flower, his expression turning more complex when he saw the Breath-Taking Flag.

“I knew you had exceptional artifacts, but I didn’t expect this one,” Yuan Mobai said, quickly regaining his composure.

Lei Jun’s curiosity showed plainly on his face.

Yuan Mobai smiled but offered no details. Handing the flag back, he said simply, “This treasure comes from Shushan.”

Lei Jun nodded silently. He had suspected as much.

Shushan, also known as the Shushan Sect, was revered alongside Mount Longhu's Tianshi Mansion and Zhongnan Mountain's Pure Yang Palace.

Mount Longhu was the ancestral home of the Talismanic Branch. Zhongnan Mountain was the home of the Internal Alchemy Sect (also called the Daoist Alchemical Sect).

In contrast, Shushan was the holy land of the External Alchemy Sect—the foremost sect for crafting artifacts.

The world of Daoist cultivation considered all external items refined by practitioners to be External Alchemy, whether they were pills or artifacts.

Shushan was renowned for producing artifact-wielding Sword Immortals.

Though many trained in flying swords as their life-bound artifact, this was just one branch of Shushan's diverse traditions.

Lei Jun recounted how he obtained the Breath-Taking Flag, omitting only a few details.

Yuan Mobai didn’t press further. “This treasure likely dates back to the Chen Dynasty.”

The True Yang Mystic Flower would naturally close soon. But under Yuan Mobai’s guidance, Lei Jun bathed it in Nine Saints Frost.

A faint glow emanated from the flower, preserving its bloom.

“Now, we wait patiently,” Yuan Mobai said. “Once nurtured by Nine Saints Frost, it will be ready for you.”

Lei Jun nodded, sensing the same through his connection with the Tianshi Seal and the True-One Altar.

“This makes two opportunities,” Lei Jun mused. “It seems one more is needed.”

“Based on your cultivation path, the third opportunity should counterbalance the True Yang Mystic Flower,” Yuan Mobai said.

“Something of True Yin, then.” Lei Jun understood.

“I’ll keep an eye out,” Yuan Mobai promised.

After returning to his residence, Lei Jun carefully stored the flower and settled into meditation, focusing on his cultivation.

Time passed through August and September, and autumn gradually set in.

Lei Jun remained on Mount Longhu, fully dedicated to his cultivation.

While the world outside was filled with turmoil, he focused on improving himself.

One day, Lei Jun decided to go to the Treasure Pavilion to collect some Vermilion Cloud Paper.

At the pavilion, he ran into an old acquaintance—Shangguan Hong, who had entered the mansion in the same year as him during the Initiation Ceremony and became a True Disciple of the Tianshi Mansion.

Beside Shangguan Hong stood a medium-built Daoist with an unassuming appearance and a calm, steady aura. He looked about thirty years old, his expression serene and composed.

“Senior Brother Lin, Junior Brother Shangguan,” Lei Jun greeted them.

The thirty-year-old Daoist smiled warmly. “Lei Junior Brother?”

His name was Lin Shan, the eldest direct disciple of Elder Shangguan Ning and Shangguan Hong’s senior brother.

Though not widely known like Li Xuan or Li Kong, Lin Shan was a standout among the younger generation of Tianshi Mansion, having long since received his Talisman Conferral.

Shangguan Hong hesitated slightly before greeting Lei Jun with a respectful bow. “Lei Daozhang.”

Out of respect, the apprentices in the Daoist Children’s Academy addressed all True Disciples who had undergone initiation as Daozhang (Daoist Master). By etiquette, initiated Daoists also addressed Talismanic Disciples as Daozhang or Elder.

Hence the saying: “Initiate Daoists, Talismanic Daoists.”

Lei Jun shook his head. “We entered the mansion the same year and often interacted. No need for such formality, Junior Brother Shangguan.”

“Then I’ll rely on Senior Brother Lei’s guidance from now on,” Shangguan Hong said, though his expression was tinged with melancholy. “Given your achievements, Senior Brother, you’re a role model for us.”

Shangguan Hong sighed.

He had cultivated diligently over the years and never slacked off. Despite his aunt being Elder Shangguan Ning, she was a strict teacher.

His progress wasn’t slow. With his Exceptional Comprehension and Superior Bone Structure, it would normally take around ten years to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage.

With various opportunities and spiritual items aiding his cultivation, Shangguan Hong had now reached the High Foundation Stage and was confident he could achieve Perfection in Foundation Establishment within a year.

That meant it would have taken him six or seven years since his initiation—an above-average pace even in the prestigious Tianshi Mansion or the Shangguan Family.

But compared to Lei Jun, it was like comparing a candle to the sun.

In less than six years, Lei Jun had not only successfully established his foundation but also advanced to the Third Heaven Altar Stage and then the Fourth Heaven Primal Talisman Stage.

As the saying goes, “Comparing goods leads to discarding them; comparing people leads to despair.”

The gap was so vast that Shangguan Hong felt numb rather than frustrated.

Born into the Shangguan Family and trained in the Tianshi Mansion, Shangguan Hong rarely felt this way.

Despite his complicated feelings when he addressed Lei Jun as Daozhang, he harbored no resentment.

“Junior Brother Shangguan, you seem slightly unwell,” Lei Jun observed.

Shangguan Hong nodded, his expression serious. “I was injured during an expedition outside the mountain, but after some treatment and recovery, I’m fine now. Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Lei.”

Lin Shan spoke calmly, “Junior Brother Shangguan and a few other disciples had an unfortunate encounter with the traitor Chen Yi.”

Lei Jun’s eyes narrowed. “Oh?”

Shangguan Hong continued, “We hadn’t traveled far when we unexpectedly ran into... Chen Yi. We fought fiercely but, to our shame, we couldn’t capture him. Several of us were injured, and if he hadn’t retreated to avoid more of our sect’s experts, someone might have died at his hands.”

He glanced at Lin Shan. “Afterward, Senior Brother Lin searched for Chen Yi, but he had already escaped.”

Lin Shan added, “Our intelligence suggests that Chen Yi’s cultivation has advanced since he defected. He has now crossed the Heavenly Chasm between the Second Heaven and Third Heaven, reaching the First Layer of the Altar Stage.”

Shangguan Hong sighed again.

While Chen Yi hadn’t progressed as rapidly as Lei Jun, his achievements still left many peers behind.

“Has Chen Yi joined the Yellow Heaven Sect?” Lei Jun asked.

Shangguan Hong was unsure, but Lin Shan replied, “The reports on Chen Yi’s connection to the Yellow Heaven Sect are inconsistent. Some say he sought to join but was rejected. The details remain unclear and need further investigation.”

“I see...” Lei Jun raised an eyebrow. “Then why is he approaching Mount Longhu again?”

Even if he had some hidden trump card, it made no sense to challenge the mansion now. Wouldn’t it be better to bide his time until he was stronger?

No matter what powerful trump card he has, he should work hard and wait until he is stronger in the future  before returning to slap his face, right?

It is not possible that he is only at the third level of the sky now, and he has to rely on himself to defeat Longhu Mountain?