Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 188: A String of Misfortunes

Hearing Lei Jun’s question, Zhang Yuan looked confused.

He thought carefully for a long while before responding:

“I went out with fellow disciples for training, but as far as I recall, nothing out of the ordinary happened. It was only when we returned to the base of the mountain that I vaguely felt something was off.

I planned to report back at the Steward’s Hall first and then ask my master to take a look. But as soon as I arrived at the Steward’s Hall, my head became even more muddled. I don’t clearly remember what happened after that...”

Lei Jun reassured him, “Don’t panic. It’s no longer an issue.”

Lei Jun’s demeanor was calm and composed. While he lacked the warm and comforting air of his master, Yuan Mobai, his tranquil attitude naturally helped Zhang Yuan relax, soothing his troubled mind.

“I recall the task you were assigned at the Steward’s Hall was to visit Fanmo Mountain, correct?” Lei Jun asked.

Zhang Yuan nodded.

“Yes, we were tasked with transporting a batch of high-grade talisman paper and talisman ink to the branch mansion at Fanmo Mountain. On the return trip, we were to bring back some local goods to the ancestral grounds. Nothing unusual occurred along the way.”

“Did you stop anywhere else or come into contact with anyone?” Lei Jun pressed.

Zhang Yuan shook his head repeatedly.

Lei Jun fell into thought.

If Lei Jun weren’t serving as the Steward’s Hall Elder on Duty, he wouldn’t have been the first to deal with Zhang Yuan’s situation.

Since Zhang Yuan came to the Steward’s Hall first to complete his handover, the elder on duty would have been the initial point of contact. If Zhang Yuan’s condition was dire, the attending elder would naturally intervene or escalate the matter to the High Elders.

If someone like Lin Shan or Ke Sicheng had been the elder on duty, they would likely have reported the issue to their respective masters—Shangguan Ning or Yao Yuan. Whatever decisions were made, Lei Jun wouldn’t have been involved and would have missed the incident entirely.

However, with Lei Jun in this position, he was able to address the matter directly.

“Elder Lei, is this...” Zhang Yuan asked nervously, glancing down at his chest.

Lei Jun explained, “This appears to be a spell from the Cursing Lineage of the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect, often referred to as a form of witchcraft or hexing arts.”

He reassured Zhang Yuan, “Rest assured, I’ve already dispelled the curse. You just need to meditate, stabilize your mind, and recuperate for a few days.”

Zhang Yuan let out a long sigh of relief at these words.

Lei Jun then instructed, “As a precaution, have all the companions who traveled with you to Fanmo Mountain come in for an inspection.”

“Yes, Elder!” Zhang Yuan answered promptly and hurried to gather his fellow disciples.

After thoroughly examining the group, Lei Jun found nothing unusual. Only then did everyone relax.

Lei Jun dismissed Zhang Yuan and the others, then began making a record of the incident.

Given that many were aware of Zhang Yuan’s condition earlier, Lei Jun didn’t plan to keep the matter entirely under wraps. However, as the person who handled it firsthand, he documented the event publicly as a case of witchcraft from the Cursing Lineage of the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect.

Privately, he discussed the deeper details with his master, Yuan Mobai.

Yuan Mobai, already aware of the Heavenly Book and its connections to the Seven Luminaries of the Starry Sky, listened thoughtfully to Lei Jun’s account of the new developments.

The purple-robed youth pondered for a moment and advised:

“The official explanation can remain tied to the witchcraft lineage. However, it would be prudent to check with the branch mansion at Fanmo Mountain to see if there are similar cases. Also, retracing Zhang Yuan’s group’s route there and back could yield clues.”

Lei Jun nodded.

“That is precisely my intention, Master.”

Fanmo Mountain soon sent back a report. They found no abnormalities but, after hearing about Zhang Yuan’s experience, conducted further inspections as a precaution against the enigmatic methods of the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect.

Ultimately, they found nothing unusual at Fanmo Mountain.

Later, Lei Jun secretly descended the mountain without alerting anyone.

He had already questioned Zhang Yuan and his companions in detail about their route. Lei Jun followed their path but found no other shadows along the way.

The Heavenly Book in his True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven also remained unresponsive.

Along the route, however, Lei Jun discovered a location where the earth veins were twisted. A tremor had caused a rift in the ground, forming a canyon. Though smaller in scale compared to the Qiluo Valley where Lei Jun had obtained the Heavenly Book, it bore similarities.

Upon closer inspection, Lei Jun found that the canyon had once been a channel for spiritual energy from the earth veins. However, due to the deformation, the energy had dispersed, flowing to other regions.

Lei Jun speculated that the shadow might have moved with the spiritual energy of the earth veins.

However, as the energy depleted due to the earth vein’s deformation, the shadow remained stranded nearby. It likely attached itself to Zhang Yuan when his group passed through the area.

Still, a question lingered.

Given Zhang Yuan’s Lower-Heaven cultivation realm, the shadow should have quickly caused severe symptoms—chaos in his soul and disarray in his body.

Lei Jun emerged from the canyon and stood on the ground, gazing back toward Mount Longhu.

There was still a significant distance between this location and Mount Longhu.

According to Zhang Yuan and his companions, everything had been normal during the journey, and Zhang Yuan only felt discomfort upon reaching the mountain’s base. He managed to hold on until reporting at the Steward’s Hall, but the time window was short.

Lei Jun had already carefully inspected the areas surrounding Mount Longhu and found nothing unusual.

It seemed most likely that the shadow attached itself to Zhang Yuan in the canyon area.

Excluding deliberate interference, Lei Jun considered other possibilities. The most plausible was that the shadow had been in a dormant state, only reactivated by Zhang Yuan’s presence. This could explain why its effects on him were delayed.

It seemed too much of a coincidence that Zhang Yuan’s symptoms flared up just as he returned to the base of Mount Longhu.

“So, it’s likely the second possibility,” Lei Jun raised his brows. “The shadow and Zhang Yuan were initially in equilibrium, but upon nearing Mount Longhu, something in the vicinity triggered the shadow...”

The relationship between Zhang Yuan and the shadow was akin to that of an animal carrying seeds to propagate plants.

As for what had activated the shadow... Lei Jun sighed and massaged his forehead.

Perhaps, possibly, maybe, likely—it was him. Or rather, his Heavenly Book.

Was Zhang Yuan’s streak of bad luck his fault?

Sins, sins.

Lei Jun shook his head lightly and looked back at the canyon.

The flow of spiritual energy from the earth veins was erratic, and the area had experienced significant upheaval, making it even harder to trace. Based on his increasing cultivation over the past few years, Lei Jun estimated that the shadow likely originated from the southeast.

“That region is sparsely populated, with treacherous mountains and rivers,” he noted as he turned his focus in that direction.

Traveling far, Lei Jun found no other valuable clues and eventually stopped to return to the mountain.

By sunrise, he was back at Mount Longhu.

The official explanation for Zhang Yuan’s earlier collapse attributed it to witchcraft from the Cursing Lineage of the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect.

The matter gradually lost attention since no further traces of the sect or its practitioners—said to dwell in the Abyss of Rebirth—were found near Mount Longhu.

Zhang Yuan, however, couldn’t shake his misfortune. Thankfully, Elder Lei showed personal concern and gifted him spiritual medicines for recovery and mental tranquility, which provided some consolation.

Lei Jun outwardly behaved like everyone else, no longer showing any interest in the matter.

When free, he began seriously analyzing and researching the shadow.

The shadow remained tightly linked to the Heavenly Book, like two sides of the same coin.

The Heavenly Book of Volume Three explained the transformations of Yin and Yang, and Lei Jun now felt that the shadow was a counterpart of the same origin.

The shadow contained no malice or evil intent. Instead, it seemed to embody another perspective of the truths revealed in the Heavenly Book.

If the Heavenly Book demonstrated the wonders of creation and transformation, the shadow seemed to illustrate the negative influences and outcomes intertwined with the processes of creation.

These "negative" aspects objectively existed alongside the positive ones. While they might appear detrimental at first glance, a more detached observation revealed them to be part of the grand, intricate workings of the Dao.

Lei Jun calmed his mind and used the Heavenly Book to slowly refine the shadow.

Existing between the tangible and intangible, the shadow began as ethereal but gradually turned physical under Lei Jun’s control.

Opening his palm, Lei Jun revealed a patch of inky blackness.

The shadow had separated from his True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven, but it remained under his control.

“For now, it seems more like a spiritual artifact,” Lei Jun muttered. “Its function, however...”

The shadow appeared to induce chaos and disorder. While this seemed unhelpful for self-use, it could certainly disrupt and dismantle others’ strength.

Wait a moment...

Perhaps it wasn’t entirely useless for self-use?

A sudden inspiration struck Lei Jun. He resolved to explore and research its potential thoroughly.

For now, though, there was no rush. He would allocate time to the matter bit by bit.

Currently, Lei Jun’s primary focus in cultivation remained building his fifth Dao Palace.

As for his responsibilities within the sect, the Initiation Ceremony was approaching with the new year.

This ceremony, delayed a year due to post-war recovery and the new Tianshi’s inauguration, was finally happening.

Traditionally, the Initiation Ceremony was overseen by a High Elder. However, with the new Tianshi freshly ascended, the duty fell to Tang Xiaotang, who would personally preside over the event.

As the Steward’s Hall Elder on Duty, Lei Jun was responsible for assisting with many aspects of the ceremony.

It had been five years since the last Talismanic Conferral Ceremony. Once the current year ended, the six-year cycle would come to fruition, with the next ceremony scheduled for January 15.

This would also mark the first Talismanic Conferral Ceremony since the new Tianshi took office.

Although the rituals were intricate and time-consuming, Tang Tianshi still found them novel and was full of enthusiasm for the preparations. The only question was how long her enthusiasm would last.

Half a year ago, the new Tianshi’s inauguration had been a grand affair with an influx of guests and well-wishers. By comparison, the Initiation Ceremony six months later had fewer high-profile visitors.

That said, it still drew a handful of Upper-Heaven dignitaries.

“Daoist Lei, I’ve long heard of you,” a voice said.

Turning, Lei Jun saw a young man who appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties. Although dressed casually, the man exuded an aura of martial prowess, evoking images of swords and armored cavalry.

Lei Jun, usually considered tall, found himself eye-to-eye with the newcomer.

Unlike Lei Jun’s refined and elegant demeanor, the young man radiated robust strength and vitality.

This was Shangguan Peng, a rising star of the Shangguan Family’s younger generation.

Although his true age was far beyond what he appeared to be, by the standards of his cultivation realm and lifespan, Shangguan Peng was genuinely considered a young prodigy in the cultivation world.

A Seventh-Heaven martial arts master, Shangguan Peng had joined the Great Tang’s Divine Strategy Army as a youth and was now one of its key generals.

The Shangguan Family had always been closely tied to the Tang Imperial Family, standing as the foremost martial aristocracy of the empire.

During the Western Region Demon Rebellion, the Tang Imperial Family suffered severe losses—not only in the deaths and injuries of many royal experts, including the former emperor Zhang Qilong, but also with the Shangguan Family being similarly devastated.

In such dire circumstances, Shangguan Peng, though part of the younger generation, had to take on heavy responsibilities both within his family and in the Tang court.

A year ago, after quelling the Wu King’s Rebellion, Shangguan Peng was immediately dispatched to the Jiangnan and Wuyue regions under imperial orders.

“You’re too kind, General.” Lei Jun exchanged greetings with Shangguan Peng, then smiled and instructed Shangguan Hong:

“Junior Brother Chonghong, please escort General Shangguan to the mansion to rest. Don’t forget to inform Fifth Martial Uncle.”

Shangguan Hong, not yet a Talismanic Disciple, responded formally, “Yes, Elder Lei.”

He then stepped forward to attend to his cousin, Shangguan Peng.

Shangguan Hong meticulously arranged a temporary lodging for Shangguan Peng on the mountain before reporting to his master, Shangguan Ning.

Later that evening, Shangguan Peng met Shangguan Ning, greeting her with a bow:

“Aunt.”

“You may dispense with the formalities,” Shangguan Ning replied.

After Shangguan Peng sat, Shangguan Hong left with Shangguan Ning’s permission.

Though the two cousins were of the same generation, their vast age difference—seemingly two generations apart in secular terms—meant they had little in common.

With only Shangguan Ning and Shangguan Peng left in the room, the elder asked:

“How is the capital?”

“Calm on the surface, turbulent beneath,” Shangguan Peng replied.

Shangguan Ning wasn’t surprised and nodded slowly.

Shangguan Peng then asked, “Aunt, has there been any news of the Tianshi Seal or Tianshi Robe from the Tianshi Mansion?”

“None at present, but...” Shangguan Ning frowned slightly. “I have a feeling that something might be amiss with the Tianshi Seal.”

“Oh?” Shangguan Peng prompted.

“Seven years ago, when Senior Brother Qingfeng perished and the mountain was under attack by external forces, the treasure briefly appeared, demonstrating its sentience. Unfortunately, it vanished again, and its whereabouts remain unknown.

When Li Zhengxuan later lost the Tianshi Sword, it too went missing.

A year ago, during the sect’s internal strife, the battle on the mountain caused the Tianshi Sword to reappear and return to Mount Longhu.

However, unlike the sword, the Tianshi Seal did not resurface during that conflict.”

Shangguan Peng fell into thought.

“So, you believe that the Tianshi Seal may already have a new master and is no longer wandering freely? Could it be someone within Mount Longhu?”

Shangguan Ning shook her head.

“There are no clues yet.”

Fixing her gaze on Shangguan Peng, she continued:

“I have two questions for you.”

Sensing the solemnity of her tone, Shangguan Peng replied, “Please ask, Aunt.”

“First, seven years ago, when the Tianshi Seal last appeared, the Mistress of Moon Pavilion from Suzhou was also spotted near Mount Longhu attempting to claim it. While it appeared that no one succeeded, is that truly the case?”

“To my knowledge,” Shangguan Peng said cautiously, “Chu Sheren did not obtain the Tianshi Seal. However, I cannot be certain of the complete truth.”

Shangguan Ning nodded, then asked:

“Second, regarding the mysterious figure who ambushed Senior Brother Qingfeng and Senior Sister Hongyu, has there been any progress?”

“Nothing new,” Shangguan Peng replied. “But I believe it’s unlikely...”

He glanced upward without finishing his sentence, but Shangguan Ning understood.

“I see.”

Shangguan Peng then inquired,

“Aunt, are you certain the person who targeted the previous Tianshi seven years ago is the same one who appeared a year ago?”

“Based on my observations, as well as those of Senior Brother Yao and Junior Brother Yuan, it’s undoubtedly the same individual,” Shangguan Ning confirmed.

Shangguan Peng silently nodded.

Switching topics, Shangguan Ning asked:

“I heard you recently traveled southwest to assist the Moon Pavilion Mistress?”

“Yes,” Shangguan Peng replied. “The Southwest Rebellion has largely been subdued, but the underlying threat remains, and a resurgence is possible.”

“So, it truly involves remnants of the previous dynasty?”

“This time, it appears to be genuine. Evidence suggests that over the years, they’ve been regrouping and recuperating in the Southern Wasteland, gradually regaining strength. However, their activities remain shrouded in secrecy, requiring further investigation.”

“The Southern Wasteland,” Shangguan Ning mused. “A place of bloodshed and chaos, difficult for most to survive. Yet for some, it may offer a chance to turn adversity into opportunity.”

She then asked, “Do you suspect involvement from the prominent Confucian families?”

“It’s a possibility!” Shangguan Peng replied.

---

Meanwhile, at Yuan Mobai’s residence, Lei Jun and his master sat discussing the state of the Tang Dynasty.

“On the surface, the empire seems stable, but both the imperial family and the noble clans are maneuvering in the shadows,” Lei Jun remarked.

“Indeed,” Yuan Mobai replied with his usual gentle smile. “We must prepare for what may come.”

“Are you referring to...?” Lei Jun prompted.

“The latest news,” Yuan Mobai said. “The current Empress intends to establish a new academy outside the Imperial Academy.”

Lei Jun’s eyes glinted.

The Imperial Academy was the highest educational institution of the Tang Dynasty, overseeing national academic policies and serving as the pinnacle of Confucian education.

It included six branches: National University, Great Academy, Four Gates Academy, Law Academy, Calligraphy Academy, and Mathematics Academy.

Notably, the top three branches admitted only the children of officials ranked Third Grade or higher. The lower three catered to students from lower-ranking officials and commoners.

This exclusivity underscored the deep ties between the ruling class and the noble families like the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans.

As the saying went:

“The Emperor and the noble families rule the world together.”

“So, the Empress plans to establish a new academy outside the Imperial Academy,” Lei Jun mused. “Its foundation likely drawn from the resources of the Xiao Clan of Longxi?”

Such a move wouldn’t favor the noble families but rather undermine their influence—digging deep into their foundation.

The Xiao Clan of Longxi, by aligning with the Empress, had thrown its lot entirely with the imperial court.

Lei Jun began contemplating the reactions of the other noble families.

Though spared annihilation during the demon rebellion, the Xiao Clan now faced potential threats from their fellow humans and rival Confucian lineages.

“The Empress’s moves are bolder than anticipated,” Yuan Mobai remarked.

“Her plans for the new academy extend beyond Confucian traditions. She intends to invite representatives from Buddhist and Daoist sacred sites, as well as scholars from all fields, to contribute to this grand endeavor.”

Lei Jun’s expression turned strange at the news.