Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 191: I am not a human

The five Dao Palaces—Central Sanqing Palace, Southern Longhu Palace, Northern Xuanming Palace, Western Lingguan Palace, and Eastern Xuantan Palace—stood complete, marking Lei Jun's successful ascent to the pinnacle of the Fifth Heaven Dao Palace Realm of the Daoist Talismanic Branch.

The Grand Five-Element Genesis Qi had also been fully refined by Lei Jun.

Within him, the Five Elements, Five Viscera, and Five Energies were all nurtured to perfection, continually interweaving and transforming into one another.

Before him, another gateway leading to a higher realm began to take form. The Grand Five-Element Genesis Qi not only accelerated his cultivation during the Fifth Heaven Dao Palace Realm but also laid a solid foundation, making his upcoming advancement to the Sixth Heaven Realm significantly easier.

Lei Jun estimated that after a bit more nurturing, he could attempt to cross the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between the Fifth and Sixth Heavens.

He exhaled deeply, pushed the door open, and stepped out of his meditation chamber into the courtyard.

"Eat... eat..."

Suddenly, Lei Jun heard a peculiar, somewhat childlike voice.

Sweeping his gaze around, he spotted Gungun, who was sitting in the courtyard with its back to him, neck craned upward.

Lei Jun's expression turned a little strange as he quietly approached the lazy creature from behind. Peering over its head, he saw some spiritual plants like Upper Qing Golden Bamboo Leaves laid out on the ground.

Yet, Gungun wasn't feasting. Instead, it raised its nearly nonexistent neck, its large head wobbling as it shouted skyward:

"Eat... delicious... lunch is delicious!"

Although its tone was odd, the words flowed more smoothly as it continued. By the end, it was even bobbing its head with satisfaction:

"Master Ancestor is great, lots of tasty food. Senior Martial Uncle is second best, second most food. Master and Third Martial Uncle are just okay—they never give me anything to eat..."

Hearing this from behind, Lei Jun couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Previously unable to speak, Gungun had grown increasingly intelligent. It not only figured out everyone's relationships but also picked up how to address them by listening to conversations. This was truly a case of "patient accumulation yielding explosive results."

Lei Jun, both amused and exasperated, grabbed the little bear by its scruff:

"What do you mean, 'Master is just okay'?"

The round, black-and-white furball was startled. When it turned and saw Lei Jun, it blinked rapidly and replied in a childlike, overly earnest tone:

"Master is the best!"

Lei Jun shook his head, chuckling. "When did you learn to talk?"

Gungun answered honestly, "The night before yesterday, I spoke. Yesterday, more words. Today, fluent!"

"Not bad, quite systematic." Satisfied, Lei Jun patted the top of Gungun's head before bringing it to see Yuan Mobai.

Coincidentally, Tang Xiaotang was also at Yuan Mobai's residence.

When Gungun spoke up, Tang Xiaotang clicked her tongue in amazement:

"Not only can it talk, but it knows how to address people?"

Lei Jun explained, "It was clever before, often listening to our conversations. Recently, it cleared its voice channels and throat structure, and once the barrier was broken, everything flowed out at once. The Shanpi Clan it belongs to already has its own internal communication language."

As he spoke, Lei Jun glanced at Yuan Mobai. Yuan Mobai, accustomed to such occurrences, met Lei Jun’s gaze with a slight shake of his head.

Meanwhile, Tang Xiaotang focused entirely on Gungun. She pointed at Lei Jun and asked, "Who’s this?"

"Master!"

"And me?"

"Martial Uncle!"

"Wrong."

Tang Xiaotang smiled mischievously. Gungun hesitated, looked at Lei Jun in the distance, then back at Tang Xiaotang in confusion.

After a moment of thought, it tentatively called, "Sister...?"

Hearing this, Lei Jun raised an eyebrow.

Clever little thing, where did you learn this?

Tang Xiaotang chuckled. "Still wrong."

Gungun was stumped. It glanced at Tang Xiaotang and then at Lei Jun, unsure what to do.

Tang Xiaotang pulled out a spiritual herb like a magician and waved it around. "Think again?"

Gungun's eyes lit up, and it lunged at the herb with lightning speed.

But Tang Xiaotang was faster. Not only did Gungun miss, but its head also received a flick.

"You lazy thing! Thinking of eating without working? Dream on!"

Feeling wronged, Gungun clutched its head. After a while, it tried again, "Auntie...?"

This earned it another flick.

Its beady eyes darted around, filled with grievance as it looked at Tang Xiaotang.

Tang Xiaotang coughed lightly, dusted her Nine-Colored Robe, and stepped away.

Realization dawned on Gungun. It brought its chubby paws together and bowed in a Daoist salute, mimicking the formality of Lei Jun and the others. In a childish voice, it respectfully said, "Greetings, Tianshi!"

"Good!"

At last, the unreliable new Tianshi was satisfied and handed over the spiritual herb.

Immediately, Gungun abandoned all pretense, plopping down to enjoy its treat.

Elder Lei's comment on the matter was: "Little Senior Sister, it’s hard to tell which of you has the more mature mind."

Tang Xiaotang shrugged. "Doesn’t matter."

Yuan Mobai, meanwhile, observed Gungun and smiled. "If it can speak now, after some cultivation, it should be able to transform into a human form."

Gungun froze at the mention of "human form." "Human form?"

Yuan Mobai nodded with a smile. "Yes, like us."

Gungun tilted its head and replied, "No thanks..."

Lei Jun laughed. "Why not?"

After swallowing the last bit of spiritual herb, Gungun replied, "Because... I’m not human to begin with."

Yuan Mobai chuckled. "True. It’s your decision."

Lei Jun ruffled Gungun’s fur. "Just don’t let yourself get caught as someone’s mount."

Hearing this, Gungun instinctively shrank its neck.

Lei Jun turned to Yuan Mobai and Tang Xiaotang. "In this form, can it receive initiation into the Mansion or even be formally ranked?"

Yuan Mobai answered, "The rules don’t explicitly forbid it, but there’s no precedent either."

Yuan Mobai himself was not the first non-human successor in Tianshi Mansion’s history. However, both he and other predecessors had always transformed into human forms before officially joining and kept a low profile to avoid unnecessary complications.

"This one has talent. It won’t be an issue," Tang Xiaotang said dismissively.

Her presence alone was a massive exception to tradition, having already shattered numerous precedents during her tenure.

Lei Jun suspected his Little Senior Sister was eager to create more "new traditions" during her time as Tianshi, leaving her mark in history as someone who lived a legendary life—albeit a rather eccentric one.

“Chongyun, you’ve come at just the right time. Your master and I were discussing some matters,” Yuan Mobai said.

Tang Xiaotang, who enjoyed showing off, didn’t mind informal settings. Instead of summoning Yuan Mobai to the Tianshi Hall for discussions, she wandered to his residence as she often did in the past.

“Earlier, the Vajra Monastery tried to welcome their new abbot back, but they were ambushed by the White Lotus Sect and the Vast Void Temple,” Yuan Mobai said. “Rumors claim the new abbot successfully returned, but the monastery’s upper ranks suffered heavy casualties, and the monastery has since sealed itself off.”

Tang Xiaotang snorted. “Serves them right. Buddhist monks aren’t likable to begin with.”

Lei Jun nodded slightly before asking, “Master, what about the Shangguan Clan in Longxi?”

Yuan Mobai replied, “Although Shangguan Hang faced criticism from surviving elders in their ancestral land, he has remained steadfast.

“The real turmoil lies in the capital, where Shangguan Chunhui faces even more pressure.”

Shangguan Chunhui, among the Shangguan siblings, had the most legendary story. In terms of physical constitution, he was considered severely frail—practically at the limits of what was feasible for cultivation.

Despite his glaring physical weakness, Shangguan Chunhui had achieved the Seventh Heaven Realm. In the cultivation world, this was even more shocking than Tang Xiaotang’s rise to the Eighth Heaven within just over twenty years.

Currently, rumors surrounding Shangguan Chunhui were rampant throughout the capital and spreading across the nation. Some even speculated that he was a lover of the Empress—a claim that was mild compared to others.

The implications extended beyond his reputation, affecting the newly established Academy as well.

“What is his response to all this?” Lei Jun asked.

Yuan Mobai sighed lightly. “Neither angry outbursts nor avoidance. He regularly participates in banquets, Academy sessions, and public forums, engaging with officials, students, and the common people. His calm demeanor has won admiration and improved his reputation in the capital, though it hasn’t yet spread widely. Unfortunately…”

Yuan Mobai shook his head. “His physical condition has worsened noticeably.”

For a Seventh Heaven scholar, verbal debates were usually manageable. However, facing opponents of similar cultivation levels required immense effort, far beyond ordinary circumstances.

“The Empress will act soon,” Lei Jun said thoughtfully.

Her previous actions—poaching talents from the Shangguan Clan and establishing the Academy—suggested she was not one to easily concede.

“Indeed, though her actions aren’t as forceful as I’d hoped,” Tang Xiaotang said, tapping her fingers on the table. “She sent her nephew to the Academy.”

Lei Jun blinked in surprise before realization dawned. “The Ye Clan of Qingzhou is currently the most aggressive opponent of the Academy?”

The Ye Clan of Qingzhou, one of the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans, had recently risen to prominence as a leading noble house. They were not only a powerful family but also connected to the Tang Imperial Family.

The former Empress Dowager, consort to the late Emperor Zhang Qilong, hailed from the Qingzhou Ye Clan. As the mother of the current Crown Prince, she ensured that half of his bloodline originated from the Ye Clan.

This intricate relationship had created a precarious political landscape, one that Empress Zhang Wantong’s establishment of the Academy had exacerbated.

The Crown Prince already received formal instruction from scholars of the Eastern Palace. However, under the Empress’s directive to expand his horizons and serve as a role model, he was ordered to attend the Academy every three days.

Though the Crown Prince reportedly enjoyed music and the arts, using him to bolster the Academy’s standing was a clever strategy. Whether the Crown Prince himself was pleased was another matter entirely.

“The Qingzhou Ye Clan, which previously remained aloof due to its connection to the Crown Prince, has now joined the fray directly,” Lei Jun noted.

Thinking of the Qingzhou Ye Clan reminded Lei Jun of the Ye Clan of Jinzhou, whose members had crossed paths with him during the internal conflict on Mount Longhu.

“Longxi’s Shangguan Clan is bound to face changes,” Yuan Mobai said.

Lei Jun nodded solemnly.

Tang Xiaotang patted Gungun’s head. “Why are you here today? Just to show off this little guy?”

Lei Jun replied, “Partly. The other reason is that the formula for the Heavenly Primordial Purification Pill has finally been restored.”

He presented the pill formula to Tang Xiaotang and Yuan Mobai.

Tang Xiaotang, intrigued, glanced at it briefly before handing it to Yuan Mobai. “It’s remarkable that a long-lost formula like this could be recreated.”

While Tang Xiaotang practiced techniques like the Fire Law Talismanic Canon and wielded the Nine Abyss Earth Fire, she rarely engaged in alchemy or artifact crafting. Yuan Mobai, however, was a renowned alchemist on Mount Longhu.

Inspecting the formula, Yuan Mobai remarked, “Restoring the Heavenly Primordial Purification Pill is a tribute to the ancestors of our branch. The timing of this discovery is an auspicious sign for the new Tianshi.”

Tang Xiaotang waved dismissively. “This is Lei Jun’s credit, not mine.”

Lei Jun smiled. “Will Master begin refining it?”

Yuan Mobai responded, “If you’re free, join me when the time comes.”

Lei Jun’s eyes glinted with understanding. “Are you planning a trip away from the mountain?”

“Not immediately,” Yuan Mobai said. “Once things stabilize, I’ll leave to seek the Tianshi Robe.”

---

Northlands, Jinzhou.

In the ancestral home of the Ye Clan, an elderly man sat under a lamp, reading a letter. Before him stood his eldest son, Ye Wei; his daughter, Ye Han; and two youths: Ye Feishan, the heir apparent of the Jinzhou Ye Clan, and Ye Lingxi, the clan’s young prodigy.

The elder said, “The matters concerning the Shangguan Clan in Longxi will be handled by Qingzhou, Jingxiang, and Youzhou. We won’t interfere.”

“Yes, Elder,” they replied in unison.

“What of Mount Longhu?”

Ye Wei answered, “Other than sending disciples to the Academy, they’ve been cautious and inactive. The Tianshi and senior elders remain on the mountain. Even the younger disciples, like Lei Jun and Zhang Jingzhen, rarely venture out.”

“Patience. They will act eventually,” the elder said. “Any news about the Tianshi Seal or Tianshi Robe?”

“The Seal remains elusive, but there are leads regarding the Robe in the South. Verification is ongoing,” Ye Wei replied.

The elder nodded. “Proceed quickly.”

Despite broader concerns, the Ye Clan’s ultimate target remained Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion.

---

Back on Mount Longhu, Lei Jun continued his disciplined life, splitting his time between Steward’s Hall duties and cultivation.

This January marked a new Initiation Ceremony, and on the 15th, the first Talisman Conferral Ceremony under Tang Xiaotang’s leadership was held.

Lei Jun’s junior disciple, Chu Kun, earned the qualification to participate this year, wearing his new crimson robe with pride. This marked another step toward the Mansion’s recovery, as fresh talent filled its ranks after enduring numerous tribulations.

Chu Kun, who had formally entered the Mansion eight years ago, had already reached the Third Heaven Altar Realm two years prior. While this was the minimum qualification for the Talisman Conferral Ceremony, Chu Kun’s performance far exceeded that of his peers, making him a standout disciple.

His rapid progress naturally attracted the attention of the Mansion’s elders, ensuring he was cultivated as a key talent. With several elders eager to sponsor him, Chu Kun smoothly donned the crimson Daoist robe, signifying his new status.

Joining him in achieving this milestone were Shangguan Hong and Guo Yan, who had entered the Mansion alongside Lei Jun fourteen years ago. The passage of time had seen many changes, yet Wang Guiyuan remained in his yellow Daoist robe, still unbothered by the progress of others.

Privately, Lei Jun asked bluntly, “Senior Brother, are you afraid of entering the Upper Qing Thunder Grotto-Heaven?”