Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 159: Multifunctional Opportunity

Lei Jun absorbed and assimilated the Five-Colored Flowing Radiance Qi, but it remained relatively stable, even "stubborn." Within the radiance, the energy exchanged actively but maintained a barrier against the outside world. While Lei Jun's body and soul benefited somewhat from its nourishment, he was far from fully refining it.

Gathering his mana, Lei Jun manifested the ethereal Central Three Purities Palace within the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven. He guided the Grand Five Elements Creation Primordial Qi into his Dao Palace. However, as with the encounter with the Breath-Taking Flag, the Five-Colored Radiance Qi nearly dissolved and neutralized his Dao Palace, merging it back into the balanced Qi of the Spleen-Earth.

Unperturbed, Lei Jun adjusted the Central Three Purities Palace to adapt. He summoned the vast harmonizing Qi of the Spleen-Earth, preventing it from fully integrating into the Grand Five Elements Creation Primordial Qi. Instead, he allowed it to interact with the black and white energy streams formed by his mana, initiating a process of mutual transformation.

Earth generated Metal, Metal generated Water, Water generated Wood, Wood generated Fire, and Fire returned to Earth. The cycle of the Five Elements continued seamlessly, merging with the Creation Primordial Qi. Rather than being dissolved, Lei Jun's Five Elements began to resonate and harmonize with the primordial energy, achieving a newfound synchronization.

In this process, Lei Jun gained deeper insights. The Grand Five Elements Creation Primordial Qi established a genuine connection with his mana, enabling him to extract and refine it incrementally. This seemingly divine essence enhanced his mana's spirituality, elevating it significantly.

The Five Elements transformation persisted, with black and white streams reassembling into the Central Three Purities Palace within the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven. Using this palace as a harmonizer, Yin descended, and Yang ascended. The blazing Sun Qi of Heart Fire grew increasingly intense, forming the faint outlines of a Dragon and Tiger entwined in roaring confrontation.

The Dragon and Tiger converged, condensing Heart Fire upward until it transformed into a tangible Sun. The Sun Qi crystallized into a new Dao Palace—a grand Southern Dragon-Tiger Palace—formed by the energy of Heart Fire. Lei Jun exhaled deeply, his second Dao Palace complete.

Though initially expected to take months more to construct, the nourishment from the Grand Five Elements Creation Primordial Qi accelerated the process, bringing it to completion well ahead of schedule. Lei Jun smiled in satisfaction.

Regaining composure, Lei Jun noted the benefits beyond cultivation speed. Internally examining himself, he observed that his five organs—besides the Spleen-Earth and Heart-Fire—such as Kidney-Water, Lung-Metal, and Liver-Wood, had grown more dynamic, laying a solid foundation for future cultivation.

The Five Elements cycle had already begun, significantly easing his subsequent progress. More importantly, Lei Jun glimpsed a metaphorical door in the distance—a gateway to the Dao Seal Stage of the Sixth Heaven—partially ajar.

For Daoist practitioners of the Talismanic Branch, crossing from the Fifth Heaven's Dao Palace to the Sixth Heaven's Dao Seal was a daunting chasm. It required mastering four Primal Talismans to establish the Dao Palace, a preparatory step for condensing the Dao Seal. The process necessitated integrating prior knowledge, refining it through iterative transformation, and culminating in a sublime breakthrough.

Through refining the Grand Five Elements Creation Primordial Qi, Lei Jun grasped insights into the secrets of creation within the Five Elements. This experience benefited his current cultivation and illuminated his path to the Sixth Heaven.

Nodding with understanding, Lei Jun resumed his cultivation, focusing his thoughts. Over time, alongside the completed Southern Dragon-Tiger Palace, he began laying the groundwork for a third Dao Palace in the North—a jet-black Northern Xuanyin Palace, derived from the Yin energy of Kidney-Water.

Unlike most Tianshi Mansion Fifth Heaven cultivators, who constructed their Dao Palaces in conventional order, Lei Jun’s approach prioritized harmonizing Yin and Yang centrally before expanding to the Southern Yang and Northern Yin poles. He noted, “Once this palace is complete, my mana recovery speed will increase significantly.”

Each Dao Palace held unique benefits. The Central Three Purities Palace harmonized Yin and Yang, enhancing overall cultivation. The Southern Dragon-Tiger Palace, with its robust Yang energy, facilitated alchemy, artifact forging, and talisman crafting. By contrast, the Northern Xuanyin Palace focused on recovery, while other palaces supported mana reserves and spell potency.

Testing his new Southern Dragon-Tiger Palace, Lei Jun found his efficiency in crafting artifacts and talismans greatly improved. Alchemy, though less familiar to him, also held potential. With a master like Yuan Mobai renowned for alchemy, it seemed a missed opportunity not to learn the art.

Lei Jun set aside time to refine additional sword pellets, leveraging the Grand Five Elements Creation Primordial Qi to enhance his crafting. The radiance had proven invaluable for his endeavors, making tasks significantly easier.

Even as his thoughts wandered, Lei Jun reminded himself of his current duties. Stationed in Xianliu Palace rather than the ancestral mountain, he was here for more than leisure. Both the Tianshi Mansion and the Jiangzhou Lin Clan valued Xianliu Palace for its resources, which had been disrupted by the ongoing conflict. With the immediate threat lessened, Lei Jun prepared to restore production and supply chains vital for the sect’s cultivation needs.

Ink from Xianliu, an essential talisman ink, had become particularly scarce due to the high consumption of talismans during wartime. After stabilizing the situation around Xianliu Mountain, Lei Jun assigned Yun Zhan and other disciples to resume mining and production while maintaining vigilance against another attack by the Lin Clan. Without interference from formidable enemies, communication with the sect’s ancestral headquarters became smooth. The headquarters promptly dispatched personnel to Xianliu Mountain to restore resource supply chains.

Lei Jun and his companions occasionally received updates from the outside world. The Lin Clan had once organized an assault on the seemingly undefended Mount Longhu, the ancestral headquarters of the Tianshi Mansion. At that time, Elder Hongyu was the only high-ranking elder present to defend it. However, with limited forces, the Lin Clan failed to breach Elder Hongyu's defenses. Their delay gave Yuan Mobai enough time to reappear, resulting in another Lin Clan retreat.

Despite his involvement, Yuan Mobai did not return directly to Mount Longhu, maintaining a mysterious presence in the outside world. Nevertheless, he periodically contacted Lei Jun and a select few disciples. In their most recent communication, Yuan Mobai mentioned that the White Lotus Sect’s unrest in Huai Mountain seemed to have diminished, while the whereabouts of the so-called "Future Maitreya" had grown increasingly elusive.

Lei Jun had previously alerted his master about the Future Maitreya’s brief appearance near Xianliu Mountain. Yuan Mobai had kept an eye on the matter, but neither the Future Maitreya nor Master Kongjing of Xuanyan Temple had been seen near Xianliu Mountain since then. Their subsequent appearances were reported in other locations.

Yuan Mobai shared another piece of intelligence through a Spirit Talisman: “The rumors of internal divisions within the White Lotus Sect seem credible. The Huai Mountain unrest may involve Prince Wu.” Lei Jun’s eyes sharpened at the implication.

Though Yuan Mobai was known for his reclusive lifestyle at Mount Longhu, his influence extended far beyond the sect. This was evident when he discreetly leaked information about the interactions between Prince Wu and Demon Suppression Guard General Sheng Yan to Jiangnan forces. Now, it appeared Prince Wu’s covert activities were even broader than previously suspected, including connections to the rebellious White Lotus Sect.

Lei Jun reflected on the nature of his world—and even the historical dynasties of Blue Star. Evidence was often secondary to suspicion. Mere doubt was enough to prompt preemptive actions. The close relationship between Prince Wu and General Sheng Yan had already aroused suspicion. Although Prince Wu remained unscathed for the moment, General Sheng had recently faced misfortune.

Supporting the White Lotus Sect could be part of Prince Wu's strategy to sow chaos and gain breathing room. However, such tactics were undeniably insidious. Fortunately, internal disagreements within the White Lotus Sect hampered their movements, wasting their resources on premature uprisings. The Future Maitreya’s ability to resolve these conflicts remained uncertain. Moreover, the reasons for their earlier presence near Xianliu Mountain remained unclear. A mere coincidence?

Lei Jun shook his head, lacking sufficient information to draw conclusions. Putting aside his speculations, he turned his attention to more pressing matters.

After another patrol around Xianliu Mountain without detecting significant Lin Clan activity, Lei Jun returned to his private chamber in Xianliu Palace. As midnight approached, he refocused his mind within the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven, immersing himself in the celestial scroll of the Heavenly Book.

Having missed the previous gathering due to refining the Grand Five Elements Creation Primordial Qi, Lei Jun joined his peers for a meeting in the starry expanse of the Heavenly Book.

“Golden Luminary, it’s been a while. How have you been?” greeted Lunar Luminary.

“Well, thank you for asking,” Lei Jun replied.

Solar Luminary initiated the session: “Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin.”

Lunar Luminary added, “As usual, we exchange information or goods as needed. If trust allows, mutual assistance is welcome.”

Solar Luminary started: “I seek information about the Blood River Sect, particularly the current movements of Sect Master Wei Ancheng.”

Lunar Luminary responded, “I have nothing on that.”

Wood Luminary followed, “Nor do I.”

Lei Jun also shook his head. “Neither do I,” he said thoughtfully.

The Blood River Sect's activities had drawn widespread attention. The chaotic state of the world created conditions favorable for the sect, whose practices thrived in bloodshed. Even if they did not directly participate in the killing, blood-filled environments greatly benefited their cultivation. Naturally, the sect exploited such turmoil.

Years ago, the Blood River Sect had taken advantage of the Tianshi Mansion’s battles against the Lin Clan and the Yellow Heaven Sect, directly engaging in conflicts. They had also reportedly reaped rewards during the brutal wars between humans and demons in the Western Regions, where casualties among the Upper Three Heavens cultivators and top-tier demons were staggering.

Wei Ancheng, infamous as the "Blood Demon," had survived the carnage and disappeared, likely to digest his gains. His absence left both allies and enemies uneasy.

Similarly, the Blood River Sect’s sporadic appearances in subsequent conflicts, such as the battles in Sichuan, raised further concerns. While many factions suffered devastating losses, the Blood River Sect seemed to grow stronger. This disparity was unsettling.

Lei Jun speculated that the sect might now aim for larger targets rather than opportunistic looting. He even wondered if they were involved in the White Lotus Sect’s current activities.

Solar Luminary, unable to obtain the desired information, grew silent. Lunar Luminary turned to Lei Jun. “Golden Luminary, may I ask a question?”

“Please.”

“You previously mentioned two pieces of intelligence for trade, one about soul treasures and the other about the White Lotus Sect. Is the latter still available?”

Lei Jun replied calmly, “I must clarify that its accuracy requires further verification. But if anyone is interested, I’m open to trading.”

Lunar Luminary proposed an exchange involving the "Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans," specifically information on the Chu Clan of Suzhou. Lei Jun agreed to discuss it privately.

The session continued with Wood Luminary offering a fragmentary pill recipe for the Tianyuan Qingjing Pill, allegedly lost by the Tianshi Mansion. Though intrigued, Lei Jun decided against pursuing the trade, wary of potential traps.

As the meeting concluded, Lei Jun exchanged insights with Lunar Luminary about the White Lotus Sect’s internal divisions and external affiliations, including Prince Wu’s involvement. Lunar Luminary reciprocated with updates on internal conflicts within the Chu Clan, noting that the young lady Chu Yu had left the ancestral estate after a dispute with the clan patriarch.