Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 224: Master’s connections and… bear connections?

As the Blood Sea surged back toward Yang Yuqi and Yuan Shanji, Shengkang Crown Prince Yang Yuqi did not evade.

Instead, he unleashed his sword qi and thunderous resonance, dispersing the encroaching Blood Sea with sheer force.

Right now, the void was sealed off by two masters from Gepo Mountain. Only Yuan Shanji could disrupt their control and create an opening for them to escape together.

Feng Gui didn’t clash with Yang Yuqi head-on.

While controlling the Blood Sea to keep his opponent occupied, three strands of his hair suddenly lifted on their own as if alive.

They twisted together in midair, entwining tightly—

Then, they burst into flames.

A wisp of blue smoke coiled upward.

It seemed to burn aimlessly—

Yet, from within the void, a furious roar suddenly erupted!

A shadowy figure flickered into existence, rapidly turning blood red, as if some invisible being was bleeding.

The enraged voice belonged to Blood River Elder Xiong Gang.

Though he was primarily a blood blade combatant, as an Eighth-Heaven elder of the Blood River Sect, Xiong Gang also possessed resurrection techniques to cheat death.

But now, Feng Gui, the leader of the Witch Sect’s Cursing Lineage, had dragged him out by force.

The moment Xiong Gang’s blood shadow appeared—

The ritual array of "Nine Songs: Lord of the East" unleashed a blazing sun, burning the blood shadow under its searing light.

In an instant, the elder of the Blood River Sect—who had already suffered grave injuries from the masters of Shushan, Reincarnation Abyss, and Gepo Mountain—

Finally perished, becoming the first to fall in this battle.

His own words had proven prophetic:

The killer will always be killed.

---

But at that very moment—

The once blazing sun dimmed slightly.

The sky turned a deep crimson.

The master of Gepo Mountain, Sang Lu, remained silent.

Li Tianqing, however, gasped in shock: "The Holy Master!"

Almost simultaneously, two deep grunts rang out—

Blood River Master Wei Anchang and Shangguan Yunbo!

The blood-colored sky was ripped apart.

But at the same time—

The ritual array of "Nine Songs: Lord of the East" also shattered.

---

From afar, Lei Jun watched.

Though he couldn't grasp every detail, he could tell that despite the deaths of Blood River elders Xiong Gang and Lian Ran, Wei Anchang’s resolve remained unshaken.

Under the pressure of both Shangguan Yunbo and the Future Maitreya, he had forcibly broken Gepo Mountain’s spatial lockdown.

But at the same time—

Shangguan Yunbo, wielding the Dangkou Halberd, had seriously injured Wei Anchang.

From Lei Jun’s vantage point—

Wei Anchang’s body seemed to shatter into thousands of blood shadows, dispersing through the air.

Above them, Huiyin’s white-light peacock soared—

Some of the blood shadows were erased by its divine light.

But in the next instant, the peacock itself turned blood red, disintegrating into pus and gore, vanishing in midair.

The remaining blood shadows then reassembled into Wei Anchang’s form.

---

At the same time—

With a deep grunt, Shangguan Yunbo staggered backward.

The golden glow on his Dangkou Halberd finally faded, replaced by a layer of crimson blood.

Seizing the moment when Wei Anchang tore through Sang Lu and Li Tianqing’s ritual array, Yuan Shanji immediately expanded his own, stabilizing the ripped void.

Together with Wei Anchang and Yang Yuqi, he rushed for an escape route.

But at that moment—

Yang Yuqi’s vision suddenly blurred.

Within his consciousness, it was as if day had turned into night.

Reincarnation Abyss’s secret art—Dream Nightmare Descent!

But this attack didn’t come from the Holy Master Feng Gui—

It came from another powerful Great Shaman of the Cursing Lineage.

"...Sun Li."

Yang Yuqi dared not hesitate.

Above his head, the cracked jade seal radiated a blinding light, dispelling the nightmare’s soul-invading effects.

His sword qi and thunderous resonance erupted, blocking the attacks of other approaching masters.

---

Despite his injuries, Shangguan Yunbo didn’t stop.

He gripped the Dangkou Halberd in one hand, and now, in the other, a second spear appeared, its tip aimed directly at Yang Yuqi.

Yang Yuqi knew that the chance to escape would only last a fleeting moment—

He could not afford to get caught up in another fight.

He pushed forward at full speed.

The cracked jade seal, which had been shielding him, was suddenly struck by Shangguan Yunbo’s spear—

It was sent flying.

At the same time, Shangguan Yunbo was injured by Yang Yuqi’s sword qi.

Yang Yuqi didn’t waste a single breath mourning the loss of the jade seal—

He fled at full speed.

The battle erupted into chaos, sending shockwaves through the sky.

---

Only Lian Ran remained behind, now completely at Feng Gui’s mercy.

Feng Gui didn’t pursue the injured Wei Anchang, Yuan Shanji, or Yang Yuqi.

Instead, he firmly locked down Lian Ran, who was still struggling furiously.

Today, the Blood River Sect was going to lose at least two Eighth-Heaven elders.

Feng Gui said nothing—

He simply cast a brief glance toward the distance.

Sun Li, the elder of Reincarnation Abyss, had vanished after his surprise attack on Yang Yuqi.

Originally, Yang Yuqi had recruited him as an ally, hoping to poach him from Reincarnation Abyss.

But after Zhu'an Grotto betrayed Yuan Shanji, Xiong Gang, and Yang Tai—

Sun Li, too, had turned on Yang Yuqi himself.

---

With Sleeping Dragon Lake as the center, the battle had reached its climax.

Around the outskirts, the Tang Divine Strategy Army and the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect were now locked in a brutal slaughter against the Blood River Sect and the Sui remnants.

---

"I’m off to assist an old friend," Yuan Mobai said with a smile.

Lei Jun easily kept pace, now fully in observer mode.

At this point, he already had a pretty good idea of who his master’s "old friend" was—

Reincarnation Abyss Elder, Sun Li.

And Sun Li’s target was none other than Shengkang Crown Prince Yang Yuqi.

---

After betraying Yang Yuqi, Sun Li knew that he had to disappear for a while.

"This trip must’ve been exhausting for you, Mobai." Sun Li grinned.

The elder of Reincarnation Abyss, dressed in traditional Southern Wasteland garb, appeared middle-aged, his skin dark, but his sharp gaze revealing a handsome face beneath his unkempt beard.

He had successfully profited from the chaos, with a smooth process and a satisfying outcome—

But he had made an enemy of the Sui imperial bloodline in the process.

"This rogue is... also one of them, right?"

Lei Jun made a circular gesture with his hands.

As if tracing the shape of something round and chubby.

"..."

For once, Yuan Mobai was left speechless.

Pointing at Lei Jun, he muttered—

"You little brat."

An Unexpected Turn—The Aftermath of the Sleeping Dragon Lake Battle

Having said his piece, Yuan Mobai turned and left without another word, his expression less than pleasant.

Lei Jun rubbed his chin thoughtfully and silently followed.

A sudden thought crossed his mind—

His master’s connections… or at least, part of them… could they be linked to the Bear lineage?

He kept quiet, but Yuan Mobai only needed a glance at his often-reliable yet occasionally wildly imaginative disciple to know exactly what nonsense he was thinking.

"Put those ridiculous thoughts away." Yuan Mobai shook his head.

Lei Jun coughed lightly, straightening his expression. "Master's lesson is well received."

Yuan Mobai changed the topic. "We need to give an explanation to General Shangguan and General Xiao. And also to Shushan Sect."

Though they had assisted Sun Li in delaying Yang Yuqi, forming a karmic entanglement, Yuan Mobai had also represented Tianshi Mansion in the Sleeping Dragon Lake Battle, giving a solid response to the Tang Imperial Court.

In this battle, General Shangguan Yunbo had been the Tang forces' pillar, enduring brutal fights against Wei Anchang and Yang Yuqi. Naturally, he had sustained the heaviest injuries.

Now that Wei Anchang had fled, Shangguan Yunbo could no longer give chase. Even his Dangkou Halberd was stained with a layer of blood.

Xiao Xueting, after a brief greeting with Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai, formally requested their assistance in escorting Shangguan Yunbo back to the Tang Dynasty’s northern territories.

Shangguan Yunbo had suffered serious injuries, but his victory was significant. Wei Anchang had also been wounded by him and his Dangkou Halberd and was now being pursued by the Future Maitreya—who wielded the Nine-Grade White Jade Lotus Platform—alongside Shushan Elder Xu Duan.

As for Yang Yuqi, he had managed to escape.

However, he had lost the fragmented Imperial Seal.

Even though the seal was incomplete, its symbolic significance was immeasurable. It was a relic of the Sui Dynasty's imperial lineage and a mark of legitimacy for the true heirs of the Sui royal bloodline.

By abandoning the seal, Yang Yuqi had ensured his survival—but the damage to his reputation and power was devastating.

From a practical standpoint, losing this artifact weakened his cultivation and future influence.

From a symbolic perspective, his authority was utterly disgraced.

With this, Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai accompanied Shangguan Yunbo, his Dangkou Halberd, and the fragmented Imperial Seal on their journey back to the Tang Empire, leaving the Southern Wastelands behind.

Before they even reached Tang territory, the second wave of Tang experts arrived to receive them.

At this point, Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai no longer needed to return to the Southern Wastelands. They had no further interest in the unfinished business there—others could handle the rest.

Victory, But at a Cost

"It is unfortunate that this battle could not achieve a complete victory," Shangguan Yunbo reflected. "But even so, it was no easy feat."

Both Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai agreed.

Yuan Mobai spoke calmly: "General Shangguan was the foundation of our defense in this battle."

This was no empty praise—having someone who could hold off Wei Anchang’s relentless assault was critical.

After some initial treatment, Shangguan Yunbo no longer looked like a wounded man, at least externally.

However, the once blazing vitality of his qi and blood, which had burned like a morning star, was now nowhere to be seen—a clear sign that his condition was still weak despite appearances.

"You flatter me, Daoist Yuan," Shangguan Yunbo replied solemnly. "I may have done my utmost, but if not for other factors, this battle could have ended very differently."

Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai nodded slightly.

The outcome of this battle was the result of many interwoven conditions—none of which could be missing.

• Shangguan Yunbo, wielding the Dangkou Halberd, had withstood Wei Anchang’s pressure.
• Feng Gui, the Lord of Reincarnation Abyss, had arrived earlier than expected.
• Gepo Mountain's two masters had sealed the battlefield, preventing Blood River Sect members from escaping freely.
• Wei Anchang was forced to recklessly break through the siege.
• Shushan Elder Xu Duan had arrived at a crucial moment.
• Even Reincarnation Abyss Elder Sun Li had seized an opportunity to strike Yang Yuqi.

But Shangguan Yunbo was referring to something else entirely.

These were all foundational factors—not the true turning points of the battle.

From Shangguan Yunbo’s perspective, there were two critical figures who decided the battle's outcome.

The first was Xiao Xueting.

Even Shangguan Yunbo hadn’t expected Xiao Xueting to appear so suddenly.

While she hadn’t personally slain Gao Pu, she had freed Shangguan Yunbo from being pinned down.

Otherwise, had he been delayed any longer at Zhongyu Mountain, the situation at Sleeping Dragon Lake could have collapsed.

Had Sleeping Dragon Lake fallen first, the primary casualties would have been the Southern Wasteland factions opposing Blood River Sect, not the Tang Dynasty itself.

But Shangguan Yunbo’s concern was always the bigger picture.

Compared to Xiao Xueting’s later pursuit of a wounded Gao Pu, her timely intervention at Zhongyu Mountain was far more significant.

The second decisive factor…

"Why did the White Lotus rebels suddenly betray Wei Anchang?"

Shangguan Yunbo’s expression turned solemn.

Even he could tell that Wei Anchang had genuinely been deceived.

This was not a premeditated deception from the start—the betrayal was real.

Much like how Sun Li had stabbed Yang Yuqi and Yang Tai in the back, this unexpected reversal had completely shifted the battle’s outcome.

Wei Anchang had planned to use White Lotus Sect as his trump card—but instead, they became his enemy’s trump card.

The difference was staggering.

But why?

Not only was Wei Anchang caught off guard, but Shangguan Yunbo, Sang Lu, Feng Gui, and the others were equally bewildered.

Who had convinced White Lotus Sect to turn?

And what did they offer?

Wei Anchang had clearly been confident that his price was high enough.

For White Lotus Sect to betray him, they not only had to abandon the rewards Wei Anchang promised, but also accept the consequences of making a powerful enemy.

The trade-off seemed unreasonable.

"Was it Gepo Mountain? Reincarnation Abyss? Or Yin Mountain Grotto… or someone else entirely?"

Shangguan Yunbo gazed northward.

His thoughts drifted to the Jinzhou Ye Clan, who had suffered the loss of a direct descendant to Wei Anchang’s blade.

Perhaps… there were other forces seeking revenge on Blood River Sect as well.

Lei Jun’s Silent Influence

Standing nearby, Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai simply nodded along—their expressions completely neutral.

After all—

"We cultivators are humble and detached from worldly fame. We do not seek credit."

Inside the Heavenly Book, in the celestial star map, the Venus Luminary (Lei Jun) flickered faintly.

As agreed, he transmitted the Buddhist essence from the candle relic to the Jupiter Luminary (Future Maitreya).

There was no need for further discussion—everything had been settled without words.

For Lei Jun, the Jupiter Luminary’s true identity was no longer a mystery.

The battle at Sleeping Dragon Lake had involved many factions—and there was no shortage of forces with grudges against Wei Anchang.

The Future Maitreya had his own suspicions about Lei Jun’s origins, but he wasn’t completely certain yet.

This was merely a coincidental exchange of information—a temporary cooperation based on mutual interest.

As for the future…

It was too soon to say.

Yet, far away, in the ancestral estate of the Jinzhou Ye Clan, an elder received a new report.

And fell into a deep silence, lost in thought.