Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 22: My painting style is crooked

Lei Jun recounted some of the novel plots he had read on Blue Star before his transmigration, telling them to Tang Xiaotang.

She clung to him, listening from afternoon until after dinner.

It wasn’t until Lei Jun had to attend his evening lecture with Yuan Mobai that the tall young woman reluctantly bid him farewell, leaving with a heart full of anticipation.

Watching her retreating figure, Lei Jun couldn’t help wondering how his Little Senior Sister would strive to become the protagonist of her own story.

"Aside from Li Ying, who can be taken lightly, there’s Shangguan Hong first, followed by Chen Yi..."

Lei Jun shook his head slightly, and several names flashed through his mind.

They were all from the Li Family.

After organizing his thoughts, two names ended up at the top of his list:

Li Ying’s eldest brother, the eldest son of Elder Ziyang, Li Xuan.

Li Ying’s second brother, the second son of Elder Ziyang, Li Ming.

"It has to be one of them, right?" Lei Jun pondered. "Could spell trouble..."

As he mulled it over, he made his way to his master's residence.

After learning about Tang Xiaotang gifting Lei Jun the Night Wind Stone, Yuan Mobai didn’t object.

That very day, under Yuan Mobai's guidance, Lei Jun refined the Night Wind Stone.

Night Wind Stone, subtle and infiltrating like the night wind.

The Tianshi Mansion's true Wind Talisman harnesses a gentle breeze, which naturally isn't violent.

After combining the Night Wind Stone’s spiritual power with his own mana, Lei Jun's next Wind Talisman retained the same force but became softer and more concealed. It was utterly silent and even gained some shadow-hiding and stealth effects.

This didn’t quite fit Tang Xiaotang’s usual aesthetics.

Instead, it unintentionally aligned with Wang Guiyuan's expectations.

Since Junior Brother Lei preferred speed and agility over pure defense, why not fully enhance his dodging and stealth abilities...

With the power of the Night Wind Stone infused, the Wind Talisman made Lei Jun’s movements swifter and more discreet, perfectly encapsulating the essence of moving like the wind in the night.

But the tone of this "art style" felt a bit off… Lei Jun mused.

The rod-like Golden Bamboo of Shangqing, which boosts the body's basic agility.

The stealthy, agile Spirit Strike Talisman.

The now even more clandestine Wind Talisman.

The combination seemed best suited for… ambush tactics?

Using the gaming terms from Lei Jun’s days on Blue Star, the Mount Longhu Tianshi Mansion or the Talismanic Branch's combat style felt more like a balanced warrior—adept in both ranged and melee under spell enhancements.

Based on the effects of the selected talismans, the style could then be fine-tuned further.

Initially, Lei Jun saw himself as a light-armored warrior capable of agile maneuvers and sudden strikes, boosted by the Spirit Strike Talisman and Wind Talisman.

But with the addition of the Night Wind Stone, his style now leaned more toward that of an assassin or thief...

Fine, it’s just a start. He’d see how things unfolded with further choices.

Speaking of which, the Upper-Moderate Omen from the Seventh-Grade Opportunity had come true. But when would the Lower-Moderate Omen about the hidden dangers of the Golden Barrier Talisman manifest?

Shaking his head, Lei Jun reined in his wandering thoughts and focused on his cultivation.

Time passed quickly in the mountain, unnoticed.

Spring gave way to summer in the blink of an eye.

One day, after the morning lecture, Master Yuan Mobai turned to Lei Jun and said, "Chongyun, prepare yourself these next few days. The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool is about to open. You are permitted entry to bathe in its waters and receive its blessings for your cultivation."

Lei Jun was curious. "Cloud Sea Immortal Pool?"

Yuan Mobai nodded. "With the mystery of your Hidden Dragon Spirit Physique, after the pool’s baptism, you should soon advance to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment."

Lei Jun’s Hidden Dragon Spirit Physique allowed for rapid progress in the early stages of cultivation, but cultivation was always about a stable foundation. The faster the progress, the better, as long as the fundamentals were solid.

At twenty years old, Lei Jun had about thirty years left within the golden cultivation window for Second Realm Foundation Establishment and Third Realm Altar cultivators.

It sounded like a long time, but the Heaven’s Chasm between the Second and Third Realms, and then the Third and Fourth, had trapped countless cultivators for half their lives or more.

Unlike the leap to the Second Realm, where his Hidden Dragon Spirit Physique had catapulted him forward, Lei Jun dared not take these later thresholds lightly.

The more time he could leave for himself, the better.

This was where the Tianshi Mansion, as the Daoist Holy Land of the Talismanic Branch, shone. It offered disciples baptisms, treasures, and trials.

But resources were limited, and opportunities often involved competition among the mansion’s younger disciples.

Lei Jun said, "I will do my best."

"The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool is ethereal and easily affected by external forces, so its spiritual energy fluctuates often," Yuan Mobai cautioned.

"While its power nourishes, overly intense energy could cause harm. Be vigilant. Pay attention to your safety while cultivating."

With that, he handed Lei Jun a Golden Barrier Talisman.

Although Lei Jun could craft this talisman himself, Yuan Mobai’s version brimmed with profound intricacies far beyond Lei Jun's current level.

"This is a Golden Barrier Talisman I made during my leisure. Take it," Yuan Mobai said. "While the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool’s environment isn’t excessively dangerous, it’s always better to be prepared."

This exemplified the Talismanic Branch's strength. Elders could craft talismans in advance to aid younger disciples.

However, the effectiveness of such talismans depended largely on the recipient's own cultivation and mana.

For instance, Yuan Mobai had stronger talismans, but considering Lei Jun’s current stage, this Golden Barrier Talisman was most suitable.

Moreover, Lei Jun wasn’t venturing outside. The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool was within the grounds of Mount Longhu.

After the lecture, Lei Jun chatted with Wang Guiyuan.

Like the earlier Lingzhi Platform, the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool was a spiritual vein that had existed since the founding of Mount Longhu.

The pool wasn’t on the mountain but within a grotto, a minor dimension formed from the intersection of spiritual energies on Mount Longhu.

As Yuan Mobai mentioned, the pool’s spiritual energy was volatile, and only True Disciples with lower cultivation levels were typically allowed entry when it opened.

The grotto housed an ethereal pool, steaming with mist and brimming with spiritual energy.

But the fiery energy had occasionally harmed low-level cultivators before.

"So, heed Master’s warnings and don’t be careless," Wang Guiyuan advised.

Seven days later, the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool opened, and the Tianshi Mansion selected young True Disciples to undergo the baptism.

Arriving at the meeting point, Lei Jun scanned the crowd, recognizing most of the faces as this year’s standout Initiate Disciples.

Eventually, his gaze landed on a young Daoist in his late twenties to early thirties.

Li Ming, second son of Elder Ziyang, and a direct disciple.

Having entered the mansion earlier, Li Ming’s mana was far more refined than that of the newer disciples.

"The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool is opening, and this is everyone’s first entry. To ensure safety, the mansion has arranged for an experienced disciple to lead. This year, it’s my responsibility," Li Ming said in a steady, measured tone.

He added, "The pool’s waters only benefit the first baptism. You’ll have three days. Seize the opportunity to cultivate diligently."

Leading the group, Li Ming traversed the mountain paths until they reached a cliff.

Taking out a talisman and pressing it against the rock face, he caused it to emit light, forming a shimmering portal in mid-air.

As the portal opened, the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool officially welcomed Lei Jun and the others.

Supported by his mana, Li Ming floated into the portal, with the group following one by one.

As Lei Jun stepped in, the Light Sphere in his mind flickered and displayed new text:

> Cloud Sea Immortal Pool: A mystical realm of opportunities. Ever-changing, demanding adaptability. Do not cling to fixed plans.

Four lots emerged from the Light Sphere:

1. Upper-Moderate Omen: High-altitude cloud sea. Treasures born from change, accompanied by danger. With skillful handling, disasters can turn to fortune, yielding a Sixth-Grade Opportunity. Good Fortune.

2. Moderate Omen: Stable middle pool. A place to soothe body and mind. No extra gains, no extra risks. Peaceful.

3. Lower-Moderate Omen: Enter the upper pool. Treasures born from change yield an Eighth-Grade Opportunity, but risks abound. Bad Fortune.

4. Lower-Bad Omen: Enter the lower pool. Treasures and dangers arise simultaneously. Yield an Eighth-Grade Opportunity, but trapped in a deathly predicament. Great Misfortune!