Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 228: The third level can expand opportunities, the balance of movement and stillness

Finally, another Supreme Good Omen—Lei Jun was delighted.

However, the description of the omen piqued his curiosity.

At the moment, though he was inwardly curious, he remained calm on the surface and simply reminded his fellow disciple, Chu Kun, “His Highness the Crown Prince’s visit to the mountain is happening at a delicate time, but it shouldn’t lead to any major trouble.”

Chu Kun pondered for a moment before responding, “It’s true that Her Majesty the Empress has no reason or need to act against her own nephew right now. Even if she wanted to move against the Crown Prince, she wouldn’t choose this moment. But what about others?”

Lei Jun replied, “If the Crown Prince and the Emperor aren’t on the same page, then whoever dares to make a move against the Crown Prince would first have to deal with the Ye Clan of Qingzhou.

If the Crown Prince and the Emperor are aligned, then the noble families wouldn’t act now either. They’d wait for a more opportune time.”

Chu Kun mused, “Could the Tang Imperial Court be luring out hidden threats?”

Lei Jun shrugged. “A large-scale operation is unlikely, but smaller schemes? Those might not make it past our sect’s gates and ancestral grounds, but something could be brewing just outside the mountain. It wouldn’t be surprising if someone’s trying to shift the blame elsewhere.”

Chu Kun sighed, “Turbulent times are such a headache. The unrest in the Southern Wasteland and Jiangnan hasn’t even settled yet.”

Despite his complaints, he understood that instability often led to more chaos, with opportunists seizing the moment to stir up further trouble.

If anything, when tensions were at their peak and everyone was on high alert, people were actually less likely to act rashly.

That’s why, more often than not, things either remained completely still—or erupted in a relentless storm.

Chu Kun was cautious by nature, but he hadn’t yet mastered the level of unshakable composure that Senior Brother Wang Guiyuan had achieved.

Hearing Lei Jun’s reasoning, he decided to stay on the mountain rather than venture out, focusing on his own cultivation instead.

After all, if true disaster struck, whether he was on the mountain or outside, he had his own safe haven to retreat to…

Lei Jun also remained fully committed to his cultivation, unaffected by external matters.

About half a month later, Crown Prince Zhang Hui of the Tang Dynasty officially ascended Mount Longhu.

A Crown Prince leaving the capital for a journey was already a highly publicized event.

However, his entourage was relatively modest—lightly staffed, yet ensuring safety.

Naturally, there were high-ranking experts accompanying him.

Shangguan Ning personally led the welcoming party, as expected. Prior to arriving here, Zhang Hui’s last stop had been Shushan Sect, where a Daoist elder of the Upper Heavens Realm had escorted his group to the vicinity of Mount Longhu before returning to Shushan after meeting with Shangguan Ning.

Among the Crown Prince’s retinue were also elite guards from the Tang Imperial Court.

“Lei Daozhang, I have long heard of your esteemed name.”

A refined middle-aged man in elegant robes greeted Lei Jun with courtesy.

Lei Jun returned a Daoist salute. “Your Highness is too kind.”

This man was a member of the imperial family—Zhang Mu, the hereditary Prince of Xun’an, a Seventh-Heaven Confucian Grand Scholar.

For years, the Tang Imperial Court had assigned peers as study companions to the Crown Prince, allowing them to learn and cultivate alongside him.

Among them was Zhang Ziye, the son of Prince Xun’an.

Aside from Zhang Ziye, the composition of the Crown Prince’s circle was… interesting.

There were people from the Ye Clan of Qingzhou and the Shangguan Family.

One didn’t even need to see how the Six Tutors of the Crown Prince were arranged—just looking at this small entourage alone made it clear just how… well-balanced the political landscape of the Eastern Palace was.

As for the Crown Prince himself, Zhang Hui, he appeared like a man of calm elegance, with a refined and charismatic presence, treating everyone with warmth and displaying remarkable literary talent.

Upon reaching Mount Longhu, it was only natural that he would meet the current Tianshi.

For an occasion that added prestige to her position, Tang Tianshi had always been enthusiastic.

However, she had little patience for extended pleasantries, nor was it her forte.

After making a brief appearance, she entrusted the task of hosting the Crown Prince to Shangguan Ning and the other elders, then returned to her own studies—immersing herself in the comprehension of Pure Yang Celestial Thunder and Pure Yang True Fire.

Meanwhile, Yuan Mobai remained in seclusion, and among the high-ranking elders of Mount Longhu, only Shangguan Ning and Yao Yuan were currently handling affairs.

With responsibilities piling up, Shangguan Ning couldn’t take on everything alone.

Thus, when she was occupied, other elders had to take turns accompanying the Crown Prince on his tour of Mount Longhu.

Lin Shan was still in the capital.

Zhang Jingzhen was also in seclusion.

As for Lei Jun, who held the position of Steward Elder of the Decree Pavilion, he normally had a rather relaxed schedule. So, without needing to volunteer, this duty naturally fell to him.

“This place is called Lingzhi Platform. It was damaged for many years, but thanks to the resurgence of spiritual energy and changes in the earth’s ley lines, it finally revived about twenty years ago and has since been restored.”

Their guide today was Shangguan Hong, who had joined the sect in the same initiation batch as Lei Jun.

Due to his family background and lineage, he had been assigned to accompany the Crown Prince’s group.

As he explained the site’s history, Zhang Hui and his companions eagerly listened.

Lei Jun, along with Prince Xun’an Zhang Mu, the Eastern Palace advisors, and other officials, followed behind with polite smiles.

“The revival of Lingzhi Platform signifies the resurgence of Tianshi Mansion,” Prince Xun’an Zhang Mu commented with a smile. “Clearly, such events were preordained.”

“Apart from the tides of spiritual energy, we also owe much to the successive emperors of the Tang Dynasty who have safeguarded this land,” Lei Jun said as he gazed at Lingzhi Platform.

Back when he first joined Tianshi Mansion, he had been just a young Daoist apprentice attending lectures.

It was here that the appearance of Golden Lingzhi and the Purple-Gold Lingzhi Light had granted him an opportunity.

That very Purple-Gold Lingzhi Light had allowed him—once an average cultivator—to embark on the fast track of cultivation.

Thinking back, nearly twenty years had passed since then.

Zhang Mu nodded. “The Daoists of Mount Longhu have contributed greatly to the stability of the empire. The court acknowledges this.”

“The Tang Dynasty is the rightful ruler under Heaven,” Lei Jun replied casually. “As Daoist cultivators, we should naturally follow the will of Heaven.”

Zhang Mu sighed. “His Majesty and the late Emperor both acknowledged that Mount Longhu has endured hardships over the years.”

Then, he subtly shifted the conversation. “Lei Daozhang, let me be frank—our Tang Dynasty, too, has weathered many storms. Looking at Mount Longhu, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of kinship.”

Lei Jun caught the implication and smoothly followed up, “The late Emperor treated our sect generously. It’s a pity Heaven did not grant him a longer life. Fortunately, we have our current Empress, and under her reign, the storms of the past have faded into history.

Tang Dynasty flourishes, and I am fortunate to witness this era.”

This was the truth.

For Tianshi Mansion, stability within the imperial court was preferable.

As for Lei Jun personally? He didn’t care much for dynastic rule, but between the Empress and other potential rulers, she was the better choice for now.

Who knew what the Crown Prince Zhang Hui would be like once he took the throne?

Hearing Lei Jun’s firm stance in support of the Empress, Zhang Mu smiled in satisfaction.

With Lei Jun’s keen eyesight, he could tell that the painting contained the scholarly aura of a Confucian cultivator, making the image seem almost alive. Though it was just a flat piece of paper, it felt as if one had stepped into the scene itself.

The inscription on the painting was equally fluid and full of life.

It appeared to be in the style of the Confucian Recitation Lineage rather than the Scholarly Lineage.

Confucian Scholarly cultivators cultivated a vast and noble aura, wielding the sword in battle against external enemies. However, in everyday life, they focused on the classics, history, music, calligraphy, and painting.

In a way, one could say that a person’s sword style reflected their calligraphy, and their sword reflected their character. Observing their brushwork was akin to seeing the sharp and powerful sword aura leaping off the paper.

By contrast, the calligraphy and paintings of the Confucian Recitation Lineage were much more peaceful.

"Your esteemed sect is the ancestral holy land of the Daoist Talismanic Branch, and talismans can connect to the gods, ghosts, and the heavens. Their origins trace back to antiquity, which shares many parallels with the knowledge we scholars pursue. I hope I will have the opportunity to seek guidance from Daoist Lei in the future," said Zhang Hui.

Lei Jun replied, "Your Highness is too kind. It would be my honor."

The Tang Crown Prince then mused, "I have heard that the Witch Sect of the Southern Wasteland also has ceremonial music and dance, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the traditions of our Daoist and Confucian schools. I truly hope to study it one day."

A tall young man in Confucian robes beside him nodded and said, "That would primarily be the Divine Dance Lineage of the Witch Sect."

Zhang Hui’s eyes lit up. "Zhengqing, wasn't your second uncle previously deployed to the Southern Wasteland with the Grand General?"

The Confucian-robed youth answered, "A letter from the capital just arrived. Thanks to His Majesty and Your Highness' great fortune, my second uncle has already returned safely to the capital."

He was clearly aware of what the Crown Prince was interested in, so in his previous letters, he had specifically inquired about this from his elders. "According to my second uncle, the Divine Dance Lineage of the Witch Sect performs sacrificial dance rituals. Though not as prosperous as our Tang ceremonial music and etiquette, it possesses unique qualities of its own. Their spirit-summoning formations can communicate with the heavens and the earth, exhibiting remarkable mystical properties."

Zhang Hui listened attentively, nodding repeatedly, an unmistakable longing in his expression.

Lei Jun observed the conversation while sweeping his gaze over the young men standing beside Zhang Hui.

The Confucian youth who had just spoken was named Shangguan Zhengqing, a member of the Shangguan Family and currently one of the Crown Prince’s study companions.

The Shangguan Family was the foremost martial aristocratic clan of the Great Tang, boasting a lineage of unparalleled military achievements. With deep-rooted traditions, they were widely considered the greatest martial family of the era.

The Zhang and Shangguan families were deeply intertwined through generations of marriage, to the point where they were practically one. Many of the Tang Imperial Court’s martial arts legacies were shared between the two families.

However, the Shangguan Family did not limit its descendants to martial arts alone. Those with exceptional talent in other fields were allowed to pursue different paths.

Shangguan Zhengqing had chosen to cultivate within the Confucian Daoist Tradition. He had been the Crown Prince’s study companion since childhood, their ages nearly identical, and they had practically grown up together. His mother was even a direct princess of the imperial Zhang family.

If one were to compare familial ties, it was hard to say whether he or Zhang Ziye, the youngest son of Xunan Prince Zhang Mu, was closer to the Crown Prince Zhang Hui.

Four young men had accompanied Zhang Hui on this journey from the capital.

Aside from Shangguan Zhengqing and Zhang Ziye, there was also Ye Song from the Ye Clan of Qingzhou.

This one was a direct cousin of the Crown Prince. His father and Zhang Hui’s mother were full-blooded siblings, both children of Ye Yan, the current patriarch of the Qingzhou Ye Clan. Ye Song was Ye Yan’s legitimate grandson.

However, among these three, Lei Jun was actually more interested in the fourth person.

It wasn’t because this individual had an impressive background—on the contrary, it was because his background was too ordinary.

His companions were all imperial descendants, noble heirs, and scions of aristocratic families.

Meanwhile, the last young man, as far as Lei Jun knew, was from a humble family. Just a year ago, he had been a student at the newly established Academy, only recently transferred to the Eastern Palace as the Crown Prince’s study companion.

It was said that Zhang Hui had met this friend while attending classes at the Academy under the Emperor’s decree.

Given that the Empress had personally founded the Academy and had been actively promoting talented commoners in recent years, this young scholar named Meng Shaojie naturally attracted attention.

Many speculated that the Crown Prince’s interest in him stemmed from his aunt’s influence.

But there was one small issue…

Meng Shaojie’s aptitude was rather average.

That wasn’t to say he was untalented.

Strictly speaking, Meng Shaojie wasn’t bad. He wasn’t a prodigy or a monstrous genius, but he was still someone with potential.

At Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion, Lin Shan was an instructor at the Academy.

Meng Shaojie wasn’t his student, but since he had become the Crown Prince’s study companion, Lin Shan had taken special notice of him.

He wasn’t an exceptional talent whose brilliance could pierce the heavens, but his scholarly aura was solid, and he was a diligent learner. With the right guidance and resources, barring any unforeseen calamities, he had a fair chance of reaching the Middle Heavens Realm.

If fortune smiled upon him, he might even strive for the Fifth or Sixth Heaven Realm.

Most cultivators in the world never advanced beyond the Lower Heavens Realm, and many remained stuck at the First Heaven Realm for life.

For someone like Meng Shaojie, who had the potential to ascend further, he was already one in ten thousand.

But everything paled in comparison.

Crown Prince Zhang Hui was already a Fourth Heaven cultivator at just nineteen years old. Even among elite sects and holy lands, such talent was hard to find. If people thought he was falling short of expectations, it was only because he was the heir to the Great Tang.

As for Zhang Hui’s study companions—Shangguan Zhengqing, Ye Song, and Zhang Ziye—each was an outstanding peerless genius, nurtured as the future pillars of the Imperial Court, the Shangguan Family, and the Qingzhou Ye Clan.

Placing Meng Shaojie among them was, to put it bluntly, like a chicken standing among cranes.

Perhaps that was why he remained low-key, blending into the background like a shadow.

It was Zhang Hui who approached him, concerned. "Shaojie, are you feeling unwell again?"

Meng Shaojie quickly replied, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am fine."

Zhang Hui turned to Lei Jun and politely asked, "Mount Longhu is the foremost Daoist holy land for alchemy and medicine. Could I trouble Daoist Lei to take a look at Shaojie?"

Lei Jun asked, "What happened?"

Meng Shaojie hesitated before answering, "Elder Lei, it was like this—after we left Bashu, we encountered a rampaging great demon. The earth’s spiritual energy fluctuated violently, and I accidentally fell into a subterranean cavern. The underground energy invaded my body, and I fell seriously ill. Fortunately, the accompanying imperial physicians treated me, and I’ve since recovered. But just now, while walking in the mountains, I suddenly felt a bit disoriented."

Fearing he might trouble Lei Jun, he quickly added, "I think it’s just lingering weakness from my illness. It’s nothing serious."

Lei Jun was about to respond when—

"BOOM!!!"

A deafening thunderclap erupted from the Tianshi Hall of Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion!

Pure golden lightning surged outward!

Though its power was immense, it harmed neither buildings nor people.

The visitors from the Eastern Palace were startled, but unharmed.

As for the disciples of Tianshi Mansion… well, they were already used to these occasional outbursts.

Lei Jun turned to Zhang Hui and explained apologetically, "Our sect leader is at a critical stage of cultivation. My apologies for the disturbance."

Zhang Hui quickly waved his hands. "Not at all! Tang Tianshi is a peerless genius, and word of her breakthroughs in thunder techniques has spread even in the capital. It’s an honor to witness this firsthand."

He was still speaking when—

The Crown Prince suddenly froze.

Meng Shaojie, who was sitting across from him, swayed unsteadily as if drunk.

Then, he suddenly collapsed on the spot.

Zhang Hui: "……"

Lei Jun: "A sudden clap of thunder—it’s bound to be startling."

Zhang Hui: "Daoist Lei speaks wisely, very wisely."

Lei Jun, who was right next to Meng Shaojie, swiftly reached out to support him, preventing the young scholar from hitting the ground. He calmly instructed the stunned disciples of Tianshi Mansion, including Shangguan Hong, "Take Meng to rest. I’ll check on him shortly."

Shangguan Hong and the others quickly responded, moving to carry out his orders.

Zhang Hui, the Crown Prince, spoke up, "Daoist Lei, don’t worry about us. Please see to Shaojie first."

Lei Jun nodded. "That would be best."

With that, Shangguan Hong and the others carried the unconscious Meng Shaojie to a nearby residence, finding a quiet room to settle him. The Eastern Palace entourage followed along, and Zhang Hui turned to Lei Jun. "After observing for half the day, we’ll take a break in the front hall."

Lei Jun nodded. "Rest assured, Your Highness. I took a quick look on the way here. While Meng is unconscious, there’s no major danger. Just to be safe, I’ll help regulate his condition."

Zhang Hui: "I’ll trouble you then, Daoist Lei."

Lei Jun entered the quiet room to examine Meng Shaojie. Meanwhile, the Eastern Palace group took their seats in the front hall to rest.

"Your Highness, no need to worry. Since Elder Lei has said Shaojie is fine, it should be nothing serious." Zhang Ziye, the son of Prince Xun’an, reassured with a smile.

Zhang Hui nodded. "I think the same, but the suddenness of it all is unsettling. I wonder what caused it."

Shangguan Zhengqing and Ye Song also offered a few words of comfort.

Whatever they truly thought about Meng Shaojie, they wouldn’t reveal it in front of Zhang Hui—let alone each other. Besides, they were curious to observe just what was special about this common-born classmate of theirs. If they had any plans, now was not the time to act.

In the quiet room, Lei Jun once again placed his fingers on Meng Shaojie’s pulse.

Now, he could sense something unusual within him.

As Lei Jun channeled a sliver of his own yang-based Daoist power into Meng’s body, he encountered an obvious resistance—something was attempting to reverse yang into yin.

Physically, Meng Shaojie was indeed fine.

But not entirely without issue.

Despite his stable condition, he showed no signs of waking, as if trapped in a deep slumber. It was as if something was suppressing his soul.

And the trigger for this? Most likely, that sudden clap of thunder.

Little Senior Sister, you really are something else… Lei Jun thought, half amused. You were just practicing your techniques without targeting anyone, yet still managed to knock someone unconscious…

Of course, it wasn’t that Tang Xiaotang’s thunder had directly harmed Meng Shaojie.

Rather, his condition had always been unusual.

The key was that her thunder originated from Pure Yang Celestial Lightning, containing a profound essence of pure yang.

It didn’t affect anyone else—but when it struck Meng Shaojie, down he went.

Lei Jun withdrew his yang-based Daoist power, allowing his energy to shift, balancing between yin and yang, before reinserting a strand of yin-based power into Meng Shaojie’s pulse.

As expected, this time, the yin energy faced the opposite resistance—showing signs of reversing into yang, the exact inverse of before.

Lei Jun adjusted his technique, increasing his efforts.

His power wove together, gently probing Meng Shaojie’s soul.

The moment his soul trembled, a phantom-like shadow surfaced within.

Yet, it remained buried deep, refusing to leave.

Lei Jun didn’t want to force it out with brute strength or invoke the Dark Side of the Heavenly Book.

But he had other ways.

Drawing upon the Yin-Yang Creation Principles from the Heavenly Book, Lei Jun carefully manipulated the balance.

His Yin-Yang Sacred Physique gave him natural mastery over the equilibrium of yin and yang, allowing him to lure out the unstable shadow.

Years ago, Chu Andong had given Lei Jun an inkstone, originally crafted by a Confucian scholar and later reforged by a Daoist cultivator. Though Lei Jun had since dismantled it using the Dark Side of the Heavenly Book, that process had deepened his understanding of Confucian cultivation methods.

Now, he applied those insights, using an intricate and harmless method to draw the shadow out.

Under his delicate control, the phantom entity detached from Meng Shaojie’s soul.

Slowly, it materialized, transforming into something real.

It embedded itself in Meng Shaojie’s flesh and blood, revealing its true form—a small, horizontal ruler with a dim, murky surface. Only a single point of glowing light flickered at its center, shimmering unstably.

Lei Jun immediately grasped its nature.

Though his own Daoist power maintained a perfect balance of yin and yang, the very act of pulling the ruler out disrupted its equilibrium—causing the central light to shift slightly.

The moment it moved, Meng Shaojie’s body trembled in response.

"No wonder the imperial physicians and Prince Xun’an couldn’t figure it out," Lei Jun mused.

This peculiar ruler thrived within human flesh, staying stable and nourished. But it could also shift between material and immaterial states.

Whenever the imperial physicians tried to treat Meng Shaojie, it simply turned incorporeal, hiding within his soul.

Then, when Meng Shaojie arrived at Mount Longhu, where yin and yang energies constantly fluctuated, his soul wavered, causing the ruler to move back into his flesh—leading to his frequent dazed episodes.

But when Tang Xiaotang’s Pure Yang Thunder struck—

The ruler got scared and retreated into his soul again.

Only now, through Lei Jun’s precise yin-yang balancing technique, had it been successfully drawn out.

Though it was a difficult process, Lei Jun proceeded with caution.

Finally, the strange ruler, its center still shimmering faintly, completely separated from Meng Shaojie and hovered mid-air, suspended by Lei Jun’s Daoist power.

At that moment, inspiration struck Lei Jun—

[Balance of Motion and Stillness]

Beside him, Meng Shaojie regained consciousness.

Lei Jun didn’t immediately put away the artifact. Instead, he simply smiled at Meng Shaojie. "How do you feel now?"

Meng Shaojie slowly regained his senses. "Elder Lei, just now… what happened to me?"

Lei Jun briefly explained the sequence of events.

Meng Shaojie stared at the Balance of Motion and Stillness, his expression filled with both recognition and realization.

"This looks familiar… When I was attacked by that great demon and fell into the valley, I think I saw it. But I passed out soon after, and when I woke up, I had no idea what had happened… so I never thought much of it."

Lei Jun: "Now that it’s been separated from you, you should be fine moving forward. Take your time to rest and study this artifact. Don’t feel burdened—it’s an opportunity, after all."

With that, the Balance of Motion and Stillness gently floated in front of Meng Shaojie.

Yet, instead of taking it, Meng Shaojie hesitated and asked, "Elder Lei… If this thing had stayed inside me, what would have happened?"