Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 106: Auntie, I understand!

In the private meditation room.

Lei Jun sat in a pool made of Yin-Yang Warming Jade.

He wasn't submerged in the water but seemed weightless, hovering above the surface.

Behind him floated a massive, glowing Primal Talisman — Lei Jun's Yuanfu. On the Yuanfu, intricate patterns faintly depicted one Spirit Talisman after another, all basic talismans Lei Jun had cultivated before. Now that they were engraved on his Yuanfu, he could draw basic talismans mid-air at will, no longer needing a formal jiao ceremony or a ritual table.

Higher-grade talismans were also engraved.

Although Lei Jun still needed to follow proper rituals to craft higher-grade talismans, having them etched onto his Yuanfu gave them innate spirituality, making future use increasingly smooth.

After a moment of silent cultivation, the massive, glowing Yuanfu behind Lei Jun withdrew, and he gently sank back into the water.

After further nurturing his body and mind, Lei Jun emerged from the pool, not a drop of water clinging to him, and dressed immediately.

Stepping out of the meditation room into the courtyard, Lei Jun walked leisurely, as if on a casual stroll.

But even as he walked, his hands moved with purpose. One hand formed a stable hand seal before his chest, unmoving. The other hand changed hand seals continuously, weaving them through the air.

As Lei Jun walked a full circle, specks of light began to appear around him. These light specks were as fine as millet grains yet as wondrous as stars.

Though sparse in number, they began to form a subtle, mystical aura around Lei Jun.

After completing a lap with his specific steps, Lei Jun kept walking. The specks of starlight around him gradually increased in number and density.

Eventually, they formed a radiant nebula-like cloud.

This was the secret technique of Mount Longhu’s True Legacy — Stepping the Big Dipper.

Lei Jun had only just begun learning this technique, so it took time to take effect, and his movements were large.

As his cultivation and proficiency grew, he would be able to perform this technique instantly within a small space.

Lei Jun continued practicing under the night sky.

The specks of starlight on the ground seemed to resonate with the stars in the heavens above, forming an enchanting display.

When dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight rose, Lei Jun finally stopped.

He silently composed himself, gathering the specks of starlight back into his body.

Lei Jun opened his eyes, exhaled a long breath toward the morning sun, and thought:

The New Year had passed.

The fifteenth of January in this new year was approaching.

To Lei Jun, it had been about eight years since he arrived in this world and six years since he officially became a True Disciple of the Tianshi Mansion.

Every three years, the Initiation Ceremony took place.

Six years ago, he had participated as a disciple.

Three years ago, as a True Disciple, he assisted his master, Yuan Mobai, who hosted the ceremony.

This year, he could finally relax and simply attend as a spectator.

Yuan Mobai had hosted both the last Initiation Ceremony and the Conferral Ceremony the previous year. This time, he didn't need to preside over it again.

However, Lei Jun still had to attend because Yuan Mobai would serve as the Initiation Master, once again accepting new disciples.

Over a year had passed, and now the fifteen-year-old Chu Kun had reached the twelfth layer of Qi Refining, achieving the Perfection Stage.

This wasn't particularly surprising since Chu Kun hadn't started from the first layer of Qi Refining when he entered the mountain. After all, as a descendant of the Chu family of Suzhou, his early environment was far from ordinary.

Although different cultivation paths varied greatly, their initial stages were often similar, allowing Chu Kun to transition from Confucianism to Daoism smoothly.

But the higher one’s cultivation, the harder it was to switch paths. Once someone crossed the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation from the First to the Second Heaven, it was nearly impossible to change course.

Therefore, it wasn’t unexpected that Chu Kun could join this year’s Initiation Ceremony.

What people were more curious about was whether Chu Kun, after joining Yuan Mobai’s lineage, would be as impressive as Lei Jun had been.

“There's no way to compare!”

Chu Kun shook his head vigorously. “Senior Brother Lei’s talent and aptitude are among the best in the world.”

Lei Jun replied, “The best? That’s too much. I’d be happy just being in the second tier.”

At face value, Lei Jun’s modesty was accurate. However… Chu Kun blinked thoughtfully.

Whether it was the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu or his own Chu family in Suzhou, talented people were abundant.

To declare Lei Jun among the very best of the younger generation might be an exaggeration.

But Chu Kun noticed something peculiar.

Lei Daozhang, who was about to become his fellow disciple, seemed to be advancing in cultivation at an accelerating pace…

Lei Jun’s progress was known to the outside world.

He started his Daoist training at eighteen in the Daoist Children’s Academy and reached the twelfth layer of Qi Refining within two years.

Then, he successfully entered the mansion through the Initiation Ceremony and achieved Foundation Establishment that same year.

In less than four years, he went from the early stages of Foundation Establishment to the Perfection Stage, even overcoming the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation to achieve the Third Heaven Altar Stage.

If this was surprising but still within reason, what came next was astonishing.

He progressed from the Third Heaven Altar Stage to the Fourth Heaven Primal Talisman Stage in just one to two years — faster than his previous Foundation Establishment phase!

Even Chu Kun’s relatives in Suzhou had discussed this.

Chu Kun remembered a conversation with Chu Yu and sighed:

Aunt, I finally understand what you meant back then!

“Master, whose disciple will the young master of the Li family become this time?” Lei Jun asked Yuan Mobai.

Yuan Mobai replied, “Fenghe will join Senior Nephew Chongshan’s lineage.”

Lei Jun nodded slightly.

The young master of the Li family was Li Fenghe, the grandson of Third Martial Uncle Li Ziyang.

His father, Li Xuan, had recently left the mountain for the capital.

Li Xuan and his younger sister Li Ying had a considerable age gap. As the eldest brother, Li Xuan was over forty years older than Li Ying.

In the secular world, that gap spanned two generations.

Li Ying, in her early twenties, was only a few years older than her nephew, Li Fenghe.

However, this wasn’t unusual. In the cultivation world, while marriages weren’t necessarily delayed, childbearing often was.

Giving birth depleted a female cultivator’s foundation, making it one of the weakest points in her life. Recovery took time.

Because of this, most cultivators postponed having children until they reached their prime or even their late-middle age.

Li Xuan’s early fatherhood was a rare exception.

Li Fenghe’s path had been turbulent in recent years.

He was initially expected to become the first disciple of the Young Tianshi, Li Zhengxuan.

But after the incident involving his uncle Li Ming, plans changed.

During the Initiation Ceremony three years ago, an outsider became Li Zhengxuan’s first disciple instead.

Li Fenghe was deeply affected.

And when Li Zhengxuan lost the Tianshi Sword and went into seclusion, Li Fenghe’s hopes were dashed.

This year, he was finally set to join the mansion as a True Disciple.

His chosen master was Lin Shan, the eldest disciple of Elder Shangguan.

Lin Shan rarely drew attention, but as a member of the Shangguan family, she was a legitimate member of the imperial clan.

Li Fenghe's choice was intriguing, especially given his father’s recent summons to the capital.

Chu Kun had heard of this too.

While he instinctively considered how these matters affected the Chu family, he was learning to view things through the lens of a Tianshi Mansion disciple.

When Chu Yu left the mansion, her parting words were:

"Like Andong, from the moment you entered the mountain, unless you return home to honor your ancestors, always remember — you are a True Disciple of the Tianshi Mansion, nothing else."

Chu Kun agreed wholeheartedly.

“Chu Junior Brother, prepare your vow and offering for the Sponsor Master and Overseer Master,” Wang Guiyuan said with a smile.

Three years ago, Wang Guiyuan hadn’t attended the ceremony, and Lei Jun assisted Yuan Mobai instead.

This year, Lei Jun could rest while Wang Guiyuan took his place.

As Chu Kun left with Wang Guiyuan, Lei Jun remained with Yuan Mobai, waiting for the ceremony.

Suddenly, a cold breeze swept in as a petite girl wrapped in a black cloak entered.

It was their long-absent Senior Sister, Xu Yuanzhen.