Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 123: Whose house will you visit bring unlucky people?

Under normal circumstances, the Daoist Holy Land Tianshi Mansion on Mount Longhu wouldn’t frequently hold the Talisman Conferral Ceremony. The interval between ceremonies was typically longer than the Initiation Ceremony, which took place every three years.

... Of course, it wouldn’t be as delayed as it was previously, when it dragged on for over a decade.

Generally, as long as the Tianshi wasn’t in seclusion and there were enough qualified candidates, the Talisman Conferral Ceremony was held once every six years.

However, in this current special period, with the Tianshi position vacant, the High Priests’ Hall elders acted with flexibility. Too many candidates were held back last time. Some of them had already been delayed for several years, and it was impossible to delay them another six years.

Thus, a year and a half after the previous Talisman Conferral Ceremony that Lei Jun attended, another ceremony was exceptionally held on the fifteenth day of the first month following the New Year.

This time, the candidate list was far more typical.

Leading the group was Fang Jian, the fourth Direct Disciple of the former Tianshi, followed by Xia Qing, Li Zhenchang, Chu Andong, Luo Haoran, and others—all in attendance. The lineup was illustrious, a dazzling array of talent, gathering the finest Initiate Disciples of the past decade or more.

Such a Talisman Conferral Ceremony seemed to signify that the Tianshi Mansion was finally getting back on track. Even the guests who came to observe were of a higher caliber than before.

Although the world was in turmoil, top-tier clans and Daoist Holy Lands sent high-ranking figures. In the last Talisman Conferral Ceremony, Tianshi Mansion had just suffered a calamity, and the presence of overly powerful experts would have made the hosts uneasy, so the guests were relatively restrained.

By this ceremony, with Tianshi Mansion largely stabilized, these concerns were much alleviated.

The most prominent figure among the guests was a senior elder from another Daoist Holy Land, Pure Yang Palace.

“This is Elder Lü Jinduan, an elder of the same generation as our Grandmaster, Senior Martial Uncle, and Uncle Master Song,” Wang Guiyuan, who had just come out of seclusion, explained. “Huang Laozhenren of Pure Yang Palace greatly relies on him.”

Two fellow disciples, Lei Jun and Chu Kun, listened attentively. Compared to Elder Lü, another name was even more renowned—the Huang Laozhenren was the current sect leader of Pure Yang Palace, head of the Daoist Alchemical Sect, and an elder of the same generation as Lü Jinduan and Li Song.

Some things Wang Guiyuan couldn’t say outright. But Lei Jun and Chu Kun already knew.

Huang Laozhenren had long been reputed as the number one expert of the Daoist sects. Claiming him to be the foremost figure among the various Daoist Holy Lands and sects wasn’t an exaggeration.

During his leadership of Pure Yang Palace, the sect flourished, and the Daoist Alchemical Sect prospered in the north of the Great Tang.

In contrast, due to two consecutive internal conflicts, Tianshi Mansion had lost many senior experts and had declined somewhat in recent years.

Yet, under Huang Laozhenren’s mediation, the Daoist Alchemical Sect seldom ventured to the south or the territories frequented by the Artifact Refining Sect in Bashu and Hunan-Hubei regions.

The three major Daoist sects maintained a delicate but peaceful relationship, largely thanks to Huang Laozhenren’s efforts. Therefore, in both Mount Longhu and Mount Shushan, his reputation was stellar.

Of course, it wasn’t that Huang Laozhenren had completely detached from worldly affairs. Compared to Mount Shushan and Mount Longhu, Pure Yang Palace under his leadership maintained a distant relationship with the major Confucian clans and Buddhist Holy Lands.

Even though Huang Laozhenren didn’t visit Mount Longhu personally, the arrival of Elder Lü Jinduan still warranted a grand reception.

The only one who could be considered his peer was the Supreme Elder Li Song, who took center stage for the occasion. The two old friends, seeing each other again, shared a moment of nostalgia.

Li Song’s emotions were particularly complex.

Although Lü Jinduan was alone this time, Pure Yang Palace still had other venerable elders aside from Huang Laozhenren. But in the Talismanic Branch, only Li Song remained.

Even his old rival from the Yellow Heaven Sect, Yu Qingling, had perished in battle two years ago.

As the last remaining elder, Li Song couldn’t help but feel melancholy. Nonetheless, he maintained a composed demeanor, conversing amicably with Lü Jinduan.

As the current head of the Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar, Yuan Mobai still presided over the ceremony.

Disciples like Lei Jun had their own duties, hosting the younger generation who accompanied Lü Jinduan. The most striking of these was a young Daoist who appeared to be in his early twenties.

Yue Xiling, the Direct Disciple of Huang Laozhenren, had reached the Upper Heavens at a young age. He was renowned alongside Xu Yuanzhen, Li Zhengxuan, and Tang Xiaotang as one of the foremost talents of the younger Daoist generation.

As the youngest High Priest of Pure Yang Palace, Yue Xiling accompanied Lü Jinduan to Mount Longhu to offer congratulations.

Though his seniority was equivalent to Yuan Mobai, Li Ziyang, and Li Hongyu, formalities were relaxed since they belonged to different branches. Nevertheless, Tianshi Mansion adhered to etiquette, with Li Ziyang officially receiving Yue Xiling.

The former True Disciple Zhang Jingzhen led several outstanding young disciples, including Lei Jun, to accompany them.

Since Lei Jun was already well-known, Tianshi Mansion and Yuan Mobai openly showcased him.

Under normal circumstances, Xu Yuanzhen, who wasn’t adept at social interactions, would be bypassed, making Li Zhengxuan the ideal host. But the former Young Tianshi was still in the ancestral tomb’s restricted area for reflection.

Thus, Li Ziyang and Zhang Jingzhen took the lead, fulfilling proper protocols.

“My master intended to visit Mount Longhu in person and meet the elders here,” Yue Xiling said apologetically. “However, with the turmoil in Longxi, my master decided to go there personally. Before departing, he instructed Uncle Lü and me to convey his apologies.”

Li Ziyang replied, “There’s no need for Huang Laozhenren to apologize. The presence of Daoist Lü and Daoist Yue is an honor for us.”

After some modest exchanges, Zhang Jingzhen asked quietly, “Yue Daoist Brother, how is the situation in Longxi?”

Yue Xiling’s expression turned serious. “It’s unexpectedly difficult. The Emperor and the Xiao Clan leader have temporarily set aside their differences to fight the demons.”

Hearing this, the disciples of Tianshi Mansion grew somber.

The heavens seemed to have played a cruel joke.

The Tang Emperor had left the capital, traveling north and then west to Longxi. The Xiao Clan of Longxi and the other Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans had been in conflict with the Emperor, but now, due to the surge in spiritual energy, the rising demonic energy brought powerful demons back into the world.

As Longxi lay on the western frontier of the Great Tang, it became a hotspot where spiritual energy and demonic energy clashed violently.

In the autumn and winter of this year, a demon uprising broke out in the Great Tang’s western regions, rapidly escalating into a catastrophic wave. The Tang Emperor, stationed in Longxi, had no choice but to personally defend the nation’s borders. The Xiao Clan leader also had to quickly change strategies, joining the Tang Emperor in fending off the invading demons.

However, the situation proved far more dire than anticipated.

The Tang Emperor remained stuck in Longxi, turning his inspection tour into a military campaign. Even Huang Laozhenren was now heading to Longxi to lend his aid.

Lü Jinduan and Yue Xiling’s visit to Mount Longhu was not just to celebrate the Talisman Conferral Ceremony but also to discuss the Longxi demon uprising with the leadership of Tianshi Mansion.

Although the demon uprising was contained in Longxi for now, it clearly concerned the entire Great Tang.

The fate of the realm was shifting once again. The future actions and strategies of the top powers were now more critical than ever.

“Besides Longxi, other regions must also remain vigilant,” Yue Xiling cautioned. “From what I know, the Eastern Sea and the northern plains beyond the frontier have also seen the emergence of powerful demons. There are threats everywhere; we cannot let our guard down.”

Li Ziyang nodded. “I’ve heard similar reports. Yue Daoist Brother, your advice is wise.”

Standing quietly by the side, Lei Jun listened intently. He couldn’t help but recall the Lower-Moderate Omen he had drawn earlier. If he had stubbornly chosen to travel to the northern plains in search of that icy lake, would the danger mentioned in his omen have been the same demons now appearing in the north?

Looking back, he realized that avoiding that reckless adventure had indeed spared him a calamity.

Meanwhile, Li Ziyang’s thoughts were more complex.

In truth, Li Ziyang was already aware of much of what Yue Xiling mentioned. His own son, Li Xuan, was currently stationed in Longxi with the Tang Emperor’s Demon Suppression Guards. Although communication hadn’t been completely cut off, Li Xuan’s situation was undoubtedly perilous.

The Li Family had invested heavily, sending a core disciple to serve the Tang Emperor, only to encounter such a massive upheaval. The situation left Li Ziyang with a deep sense of uncertainty.

Far away in Longxi, there was another person facing a similarly complicated situation.

Amid swirling yellow sands and bitter winds at the northwest frontier, a young man with a weathered face dispatched a demon beast with a Spirit Talisman. His once delicate features were now roughened by hardship.

This was none other than Chen Yi.

He hadn’t expected that after joining the Demon Suppression Guards, his interactions with people would be limited, while his battles with demon beasts became constant.

The once-proud Demon Suppression Guards, accompanying the Tang Emperor, had plunged straight into the chaos of Longxi, forced to endure the harsh frontier.

The Tang Emperor’s strategy against the aristocratic clans had been interrupted by this crisis. Though the situation wasn’t hopeless, the upward momentum had stalled.

Strictly speaking, the current predicament was still manageable, but Chen Yi couldn’t help but feel that his journey was strangely cursed. Wherever he went, decline seemed to follow.

…

The northern situation remained tense.

While Mount Longhu was also affected, the overall atmosphere was one of internal vigilance but outward calm. This allowed Lei Jun and the others to continue focusing on their cultivation.

However, a new message from the Eastern Sea soon captured everyone’s attention.

Rumors had spread that the Tianshi Sword had once again appeared over the vast Eastern Sea!