Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 190: The Fifth Heavenly Palace Realm is Complete

Lei Jun observed quietly for a moment.

However, the starry river's end was dazzling, obscuring any further details.

Lei Jun appeared thoughtful.

Although this shadow seemed related to the Heavenly Book, its grade appeared somewhat lacking.

Perhaps with the changes brought by this Fourth-Grade Opportunity, more discoveries would emerge.

Still, it was unclear what could trigger the shadow's further expansion…

After everyone advanced and retreated together, the Seven Luminaries returned to their respective positions.

The Moon Luminary spoke first: “For now, it seems there are indeed only seven positions.”

The Wood Luminary remarked, “Personally, I feel this Heavenly Book seems divinely crafted, not of human origin. Still, it’s hard to say if others have handled it before.”

Lei Jun asked, “There are seven of us here, each holding a page of the Heavenly Book, but obtaining the Heavenly Book doesn’t necessarily mean arriving in this starry sky immediately, does it?”

The Fire Luminary quickly replied, “I came here not long after acquiring mine.”

The Water Luminary followed up, “And you encountered nothing else during that time?”

The Fire Luminary thought for a moment. “Hmm… does the Dangkou Golden Halberd count?”

The Water Luminary replied, “It does.”

At this point, the Earth Luminary spoke up: “Yinghuo Fire Luminary, I don’t know whether your words are true, but if we assume they are, there’s no need to reveal such critical information about yourself.”

“What I said is absolutely true,” the Fire Luminary retorted, before suddenly realizing, “Uh… aren’t you all sharing?”

The Wood Luminary responded, “I thought we could all keep our secrets. Whether to speak is your choice, but what you say shouldn’t deceive others.”

The Fire Luminary hastily clarified, “I’m telling the truth!”

The Water Luminary added, “Truth and lies are always for oneself to discern.”

The Earth Luminary noted, “If fairness and sincerity are to be upheld, let’s avoid digging too deeply into others’ words. Speak truthfully, but allow others to have their untold secrets.”

The Water Luminary agreed, “I fully concur. Now, Earth Luminary, are you a Confucian cultivator? Are you from the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans? Are you of the Upper Three Heavens cultivation?”

The Earth Luminary remained calm, responding, “If I answer these three questions with yes or no, will you answer mine honestly?”

The Water Luminary replied, “Of course I will, but if I say so, do you really believe me?”

The Earth Luminary countered, “If not, why are we gathered here? Just to engage in scheming and deceit?”

The Water Luminary remarked, “Don’t forget, each of us holds a page of the Heavenly Book, which contains profound mysteries. It’s not merely a tool for convening discussions.”

The Earth Luminary added, “If you do me a great favor, I’d even consider lending or gifting my page of the Heavenly Book.”

The Water Luminary chuckled, “You certainly seem noble and forthright.”

The Fire Luminary interjected, “I think… uh, Earth Luminary, right? I think he’s making a lot of sense!”

Lei Jun silently observed, his gaze lingering on the star representing the Yinghuo Fire Luminary.

Dangkou Golden Halberd.

This legendary weapon, the foremost divine weapon of the Great Tang’s Divine Strategy Army, was left by the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty. After the dynasty’s establishment, it was bestowed upon the army’s commander, serving as a symbol of the Grand Marshal’s position ever since.

Beyond its symbolic significance in the Tang’s military and government, this divine weapon was exceptionally powerful, regarded as the premier weapon in the minds of martial artists within the Tang realm.

During the rebellion in the Western Regions, the Grand Marshal of the Divine Strategy Army, a patriarch of the Shangguan family, wielded this weapon while standing before the late Emperor Zhang Qilong.

Although the patriarch fell in battle, he slew numerous great demons, his weapon drinking their blood and striking fear into the demonic hordes.

After his death, his deputy succeeded him as the Grand Marshal and took up the Dangkou Golden Halberd.

If the Fire Luminary’s claim was true, it would narrow his origins to either the Zhang imperial clan or the Divine Strategy Army.

Names began to surface in Lei Jun’s mind. Of course, if the Fire Luminary was lying, that would be another matter entirely.

“The Heavenly Book belongs to its holder,” said the Sun Luminary.

The Moon Luminary echoed, “I still hold to my earlier sentiment. While I don’t demand complete honesty from everyone, at least strive for fairness and sincerity.”

Lei Jun agreed, “I concur.”

The Fire Luminary chimed in, “Agreed, agreed!”

The Wood Luminary also added, “I’m in favor.”

The Water Luminary stated, “If everyone abides by this, I have no objections.”

The Earth Luminary affirmed, “Gentlemen value integrity; this is as it should be.”

Lei Jun redirected the conversation to its original thread: “Obtaining the Heavenly Book doesn’t necessarily bring one here. Some other trigger is required. Is this the same for everyone?”

The Earth Luminary replied, “I believe so.”

The Wood Luminary concurred, “Indeed.”

The Moon and Water Luminaries answered, “Yes.”

The Sun Luminary let out a soft “Mm,” signaling agreement.

While Lei Jun didn’t elaborate further, the others considered their own experiences, roughly deducing his point.

Triggering new changes in the Heavenly Book was no simple task.

For Lei Jun, it was his contact with the Tianshi Seal and Heavenly Book: Three that set off a series of events.

The Fire Luminary’s mention of the Dangkou Golden Halberd might not be true, but if some supreme treasure activated his Heavenly Book: Six, it was likely genuine.

The other five people seemed to have had similar experiences.

It was evident that the seven gathered here were not ordinary individuals.

Their cultivation levels might differ, but each either possessed a supreme treasure or had access to such entities.

If the seven could unite, they would indeed form a formidable potential force—assuming there were no deep grudges among them.

“The Fire Luminary has shared a piece of information. In fairness, I propose he be allowed to ask one question and receive an answer in exchange. What do you all think?” the Moon Luminary suggested.

None objected.

However, the Fire Luminary hesitated, “Uh, I just want to ask who everyone is. Would you even tell me?”

The Water Luminary laughed, “If I’m being honest, no. But I heard private one-on-one conversations are possible. If you’re really interested, we can talk later.”

The Fire Luminary, whether distrustful or simply catching on, sounded annoyed: “I don’t want to. You’d probably trick me!”

The Water Luminary teased, “How could I? I just prefer to lay my cards on the table, but somehow that makes me seem like the villain. Honestly, the more high-minded someone sounds, the more you should be wary. For example, I actually find you the least trustworthy!”

The Fire Luminary snapped, “Nonsense!”

The Sun Luminary interjected, “If you want to chat idly, do it privately. Don’t waste everyone else’s time.”

After fuming for a while, the Fire Luminary finally had an idea: “I’ve got it! I thought of a question!”

He asked, “The remnants of the Shengkang regime have been quiet since the Southwest Rebellion. Does anyone have further news on them?”

Lei Jun, along with the Sun, Moon, Wood, and Water Luminaries, remained silent.

The Earth Luminary eventually replied, “Only some unverified rumors, which may not be reliable.”

The Fire Luminary pressed, “That’s fine. As long as there’s some information.”

He paused, then added, “Oh, should we talk privately about this? Let’s discuss later.”

The Earth Luminary agreed, “Very well.”

The Moon Luminary shifted the topic, “Shall we each share our needs? Regarding the mysterious assailants who attacked Tianshi Mansion’s Daoists Li Qingfeng and Li Hongyu, does anyone have clues?”

The Wood Luminary expressed curiosity but admitted, “I know little, only that someone within the Yellow Heaven Sect seems connected, though details are unclear.”

The Sun Luminary concisely stated, “Wei Anchang of the Blood River Sect.”

The Earth Luminary then asked, “Does anyone have leads on the Earthquake Serpent King? If so, I’d appreciate the information.”

Hearing this, Lei Jun was slightly surprised.

This Earthquake Serpent King was the same giant demon snake encountered when Tang Xiaotang was in retreat and Lei Jun’s allies sought her location.

This creature, bearing the ancient Ba Snake bloodline, was extremely ferocious, comparable to a human cultivator of the Eighth Heaven.

When it emerged from the earth, it devoured disciples like Li Zhusheng and severely injured Elder Liang Chen, ultimately leading to his death.

Elder Li Song from the Daoist Talismanic Branch also suffered injuries during the ensuing battle.

Though wounded, the Earthquake Serpent King later wreaked havoc south of the Great River before fleeing north and causing more chaos.

“The current whereabouts of this demon are uncertain,” the Moon Luminary replied. “The last I heard, it was causing trouble near Huai Mountain.”

The Earth Luminary confirmed, “I also heard it appeared in the Huai Mountain area recently.”

Receiving no definitive answers, the Earth Luminary remained silent, showing no disappointment.

The Water Luminary then asked, “Can anyone provide information about the Phoenix Blood Stone’s location?”

This rare treasure had been lost for years, yet cultivators from various paths could benefit from it, making it difficult to infer the Water Luminary’s origins.

The Sun Luminary asked, “I have some leads. What will you offer in return?”

The Water Luminary replied thoughtfully, “I’ll contact you privately later.”

Finally, Lei Jun spoke, “I’d like to inquire about the Shangguan Clan beyond the Longxi region.”

He glanced at the Wood and Moon Luminaries, who had previously exchanged intelligence about the Shangguan Clan and the Vajra Monastery in the Western Regions.

“I need more in-depth details. In exchange, I have information about the new abbot of Vajra Monastery, one of the Four Great Buddhist Holy Lands. Those interested may contact me privately.”

This was a trump card Lei Jun had prepared, supplied by his master Yuan Mobai.

Before this gathering of the Seven Luminaries, Yuan Mobai had passed on a piece of intelligence for Lei Jun to use.

Lei Jun didn’t know how his master had obtained the information and didn’t ask. He was aware that his master had external allies beyond Mount Longhu.

The earlier exposure of Prince Wu’s movements and the assistance in Tang Xiaotang’s retreat were just examples of Yuan Mobai’s vast network.

Why probe Vajra Monastery?

It related to the incident years ago when the Tianshi Seal was reclaimed by the mansion. At that time, the monastery’s Supreme Elder Long Jia Shangren had intervened.

Yuan Mobai bore no lasting grudge but deemed it prudent to gather intelligence for potential future use.

Moreover, Yuan Mobai was intrigued by why Long Jia Shangren seemed to have inside knowledge about the Tianshi Seal.

In his investigation, Yuan Mobai had not uncovered much about the Tianshi Seal but did learn something about the monastery’s new abbot.

The monastery, unlike the other three Buddhist Holy Lands, had a unique and mystical tradition. Each abbot seemed to embody a cycle of reincarnation.

Whenever an abbot passed, the monastery would search for their reincarnated successor to bring back for training and eventual appointment.

Each abbot advanced rapidly in their cultivation during their early and mid-stages, often sparking outside speculation.

The previous abbot had passed years ago, and now rumors spread of a new abbot being born. The monastery’s elite were actively searching to welcome them.

After Lei Jun stated his inquiry, most, including the Wood and Moon Luminaries, shook their heads.

However, once the meeting disbanded, someone contacted Lei Jun privately—it was the Wood Luminary.

“What exactly do you wish to know about the Shangguan Clan in Longxi?” they asked.

Lei Jun specified, “I’m interested in the backgrounds and relationships of Shangguan Hang, Shangguan Chunhui, and Shangguan Xueting, the three outstanding figures of the current Shangguan generation. The more detailed, the better.”

The Wood Luminary pondered before replying, “The three siblings are indeed born of the same father, but Shangguan Chunhui and Shangguan Xueting’s mother is extremely mysterious and not from the Central Tang region.”

Lei Jun acknowledged, “I’ve heard as much.”

The Wood Luminary continued, “Shangguan Hang has a close relationship with his two siblings. Because of him, they were recognized by the Shangguan Clan and reinstated. Before this, the clan, including their father, treated them harshly.”

Lei Jun listened quietly.

Within the current Shangguan Clan in Longxi, these three siblings represented the direct bloodline.

Their grandfather, commonly referred to within the clan as Old Master Shangguan, was the previous patriarch.

Their father, the Old Master’s eldest son, was known as the First Elder but missed the opportunity to become the patriarch.

Instead, Old Master Shangguan passed the position to their second uncle, referred to as either the Clan Leader or Second Elder.

Though the reasons behind this decision were unclear, it might have involved the siblings’ mother, whose origins were unusual.

If Lei Jun were to speculate, he might guess she was from a foreign region, possibly the Western Regions, or even a mystical or demonic lineage…

“The Shangguan Clan has been unstable recently, and the remaining elders are dissatisfied with Shangguan Hang and his siblings,” the Wood Luminary revealed.

“Shangguan Hang remains at the ancestral land in Longxi, enduring growing pressure daily.”

Lei Jun nodded slightly, having anticipated this outcome.

The Empress had founded the Academy, with Shangguan Chunhui as a key architect.

This move, clearly supported by Shangguan Hang, had stirred significant tension within the Shangguan Clan.

The clan’s previous devastation, which included the deaths of its elders and top experts, left Shangguan Hang as the sole figure holding the clan together.

However, if the other prominent clans covertly instigated unrest, the Shangguan Clan could fall into chaos again.

The founding of the Academy by the Empress was bound to provoke reactions from the established aristocracy.

While no overt conflicts had occurred, the undercurrents were undoubtedly turbulent, and the Shangguan Clan was a primary target.

“Thank you for the information,” Lei Jun expressed. “Is that all?”

The Wood Luminary admitted, “That’s all I know regarding the Shangguan Clan.”

Lei Jun offered, “My information on Vajra Monastery’s new abbot pinpoints a location within a hundred-mile radius. It carries substantial weight.”

The Wood Luminary fell silent for a moment before responding, “Does the benefactor already know my origins?”

Following their previous exchange involving remnants of the Heavenly Source Purity Pill, the Wood Luminary had been less guarded around Lei Jun.

The details about Vajra Monastery’s new abbot were evidently crucial to him.

“Either from the White Lotus Sect or the Vast Void Temple,” Lei Jun speculated.

Should the intelligence leak, it would likely implicate one of these two factions.

While relations between Vajra Monastery and the other Buddhist Holy Lands were delicate, the latter would likely refrain from interfering during this period of solidarity.

Thus, the primary threats came from external Buddhist sects like the White Lotus Sect and Vast Void Temple.

“Your guess is correct. Matters regarding Vajra Monastery are not ones I can ignore, so there’s no point in further concealment,” the Wood Luminary admitted.

While acknowledging this, the Wood Luminary offered no further explanation. Instead, they presented a gesture of goodwill: three ancient pill formulas.

These included the Daoist Talismanic Branch’s Heavenly Source Purity Pill, the External Alchemy Sect’s Cold Radiance Pill, and a lost martial medicine secret recipe, the Heavenly Net Powder.

Without asking Lei Jun to choose, they handed over all three, signaling a willingness to maintain a respectful distance.

Lei Jun took them without hesitation, expressing gratitude as usual.

Having exchanged information, Lei Jun provided the details about Vajra Monastery’s new abbot to the Wood Luminary, who thanked him and “logged off.”

Lei Jun also left the gathering and reported the events to his master, Yuan Mobai.

Yuan Mobai nodded with a smile, “As long as they’re not enemies for now. Between the two, the Vast Void Temple poses a greater threat.”

Soon, news arrived.

Experts from the White Lotus Sect and Vast Void Temple launched a surprise attack in the Western Regions, clashing with Vajra Monastery’s monks.

For now, the Tianshi Mansion only needed to observe quietly.

After submitting the Heavenly Source Purity Pill formula to the True-One Altar, Lei Jun turned his focus back to cultivation.

He successfully constructed his fifth and final Dao Palace.