Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 231: Good intentions lead to bad consequences

The Lin Clan of Youzhou was known as the Crouching Tiger of the Northern Frontier, one of the oldest and most prestigious noble families of the Tang Dynasty.

The Lin Clan of Jiangzhou was originally a branch of the Youzhou Lin Clan that had migrated southward in the past.

Although the Youzhou Lin Clan had been entangled in constant friction with Prince Zhao’s Manor—another major power in the Northern Frontier—for the past few centuries, leading to a more low-profile existence, its underlying strength remained formidable. Its deep-rooted influence extended far beyond Youzhou. Across the entire Northern Frontier of the Tang Dynasty, their presence was undeniable.

Despite sharing the same lineage, the relationship between the Jiangzhou Lin Clan and the Youzhou Lin Clan was far from harmonious.

Expecting the Youzhou Lin Clan to actively assist the Jiangzhou Lin Clan was unrealistic—at most, they would refrain from being an obstacle, which was already a significant courtesy to Lin Che and his people.

On the other hand, if the Jiangzhou Lin Clan attempted to make major moves in the Northern Frontier, they would likely find it impossible to keep it hidden from the Youzhou Lin Clan.

If there were any disturbances near the Great Black Mountain in the Northern Frontier, observing the Youzhou Lin Clan’s reactions could provide some insight.

At this moment, Lunar Luminary, Yueyao, interjected, "What specific information do you wish to uncover about the Youzhou Lin Clan?"

Lei Jun replied, "Are they involved in any large-scale or widespread covert operations in the Northern Frontier?"

Yueyao pondered for a moment before responding, "As far as I know, there are no unusual movements at the moment. However, I have heard that the atmosphere between the Youzhou Lin Clan and Prince Zhao’s Manor has been somewhat ambiguous recently. Additionally, some time ago, the former patriarch of the Ye Clan in Jinzhou personally visited the ancestral grounds of the Youzhou Lin Clan."

Lei Jun asked, "Any further details?"

Yueyao shook his head. "Not at the moment."

The others either remained silent or admitted they were unaware.

Lei Jun’s tone remained steady. "I have an ongoing interest in this information. If anyone comes across relevant updates, feel free to contact me."

After he finished speaking, Solar Luminary, Riyao, spoke up. "My question is: does anyone know the current status of Fang Jingsheng?"

The focus has shifted—no longer fixated on Wei Anchang… Lei Jun thought to himself.

During the Battle of the Southern Wasteland, Wei Anchang had survived.

However, given his Ninth Heaven Realm cultivation, his only viable option now was to conceal himself, tending to his wounds while navigating the perilous situation of being an enemy to nearly the entire world.

Even if he fully recovered and reemerged, he would first have to deal with the internal chaos within his own Blood River Sect—where new factions had sprung up in his absence—before possibly seeking revenge on the White Lotus Sect.

Of course, as the Blood River Master, Wei Anchang was unpredictable in his actions.

Currently, though, he had hidden himself even more thoroughly than before. Without making an appearance, it was nearly impossible for outsiders to locate him.

Thus, it seemed that Riyao had temporarily set aside the issue of Wei Anchang and turned to a new target—Fang Jingsheng.

Fang Jingsheng was the current patriarch of the Fang Clan in Jingxiang, a scholar of the Eighth Heaven Realm at the Perfection Stage.

During the large-scale conflict sparked by the Western Region Demon Uprising, he had personally led a contingent of elite Fang Clan members to participate in the battle.

Though he did not perish on the frontier, he had sustained severe injuries.

Upon returning to the Fang Clan’s ancestral grounds in Jingxiang, he remained in seclusion for years to recover. Although he occasionally made brief public appearances, he had largely withdrawn from active leadership, delegating clan affairs to the senior elders.

Consequently, the Fang Clan had also become notably more low-profile in recent years.

Before the war in the Western Region, Fang Jingsheng had been regarded as one of the most promising candidates to break through from the Eighth to the Ninth Heaven Realm.

He was already one of the youngest leaders among the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans of this era. In his youth, he had been hailed as a prodigy and a peerless genius, achieving the Upper Heaven Realm at an extraordinarily young age.

However, the severe injuries he sustained during the war seemed to have disrupted his momentum.

Yet now, Riyao had suddenly taken an interest in this once-prominent figure.

The others naturally made the connection: was it possible that Fang Jingsheng’s injuries were not as severe as widely believed?

Could it be that the Fang Clan patriarch was secretly preparing to ascend to the Ninth Heaven Realm?

Inside the Heavenly Book Starry Sky, the celestial radiance shimmered. But for a moment, silence filled the space as everyone fell into contemplation.

After a while, Lei Jun glanced at Riyao.

Is this person truly Empress Zhang Wantong?

Their questions were always sharp, consistently throwing the entire group into silence…

"I don’t know much about the affairs of Youzhou or Jingxiang," said Mars Luminary, Huoyao, also known as Shen Qubing. He looked troubled. "That means I won’t be able to trade for the answers I seek."

Yueyao asked, "What is it that you wish to know?"

Huoyao, Shen Qubing, replied, "Quite a few things, actually. I want to know the whereabouts of Blood River Sect Master Wei Anchang and the former Sui Dynasty remnant, Yang Yuqi. Oh, and also—does anyone know about any grudges between the future sect master of the White Lotus Sect and Wei Anchang?"

Lei Jun glanced at Jupiter Luminary, Muxing.

This person—Lei Jun could already confirm their identity.

They were none other than the Future Maitreya of the White Lotus Sect.

As for why they had betrayed Wei Anchang and ambushed him…

Lei Daozhang gazed upward, lost in thought.

Muxing, the Future Maitreya, remained calm. "I have heard of the Battle of the Southern Wasteland, but I do not know the details. I am unable to answer your questions."

Huoyao, Shen Qubing, sighed. "Alright, then…"

Yueyao added, "The intelligence being exchanged here is becoming increasingly critical and valuable. Naturally, that makes it harder to obtain answers.

However, if you look at it from another perspective, this is a positive development. It means our communication and cooperation are deepening."

Muxing, the Future Maitreya, remained indifferent to this comment and instead posed a new question. "I want to know the details surrounding the death of Master Jitong of the Vast Void Temple. Can anyone provide insight?"

Upon hearing this, Lei Jun raised an eyebrow.

The name Jitong sounded familiar. After a moment of thought, he recalled that back when the newly established Imperial Academy in the capital was attacked, both followers of the Huangtian Sect and disciples of the Vast Void Temple were involved.

The former severely injured Lin Shan, a representative from the Tianshi Mansion teaching at the Academy. Fortunately, Lin Shan survived, and after a period of recuperation, he had mostly recovered.

The latter targeted a Buddhist representative teaching at the Academy—a senior monk from the Tianlong Monastery named Master Fashan.

Unlike Lin Shan, Master Fashan was not so fortunate. He perished during the attack, and the one responsible for his death was none other than Master Jitong of the Vast Void Temple.

The Tianlong Monastery, as the sacred land of the Buddhist Vow Lineage, immediately dispatched experts to the capital, joining forces with the Tang Imperial Court’s specialists to hunt down and eradicate the remaining members of the Vast Void Temple who had instigated the attack.

In the end, the operation was successful, and the Vast Void Temple’s disciples involved in the incident were all eliminated—including Master Jitong.

Yueyao pondered for a moment before replying, "All I can confirm is that Master Jitong of the Vast Void Temple did indeed perish under the supreme Buddhist divine ability Great Might Tianlong, wielded by the Tianlong Monastery’s direct disciples. However, whether it was truly Master Miaokong’s Great Might Tianlong that delivered the fatal blow—I cannot say for certain."

Muxing, the Future Maitreya, responded calmly, "It’s not quite the answer I was hoping for, but I still appreciate your response. Is there anything you’d like to inquire about? If it’s within my knowledge, I will answer directly."

Yueyao said, "This time, I’m looking for information about a certain treasure—the Treasure of Jia Wood."

Muxing, the Future Maitreya, looked somewhat troubled. "Treasure of Jia Wood? I don’t have any relevant leads…"

Yueyao replied, "That’s fine. There’s no rush. Just keep it in mind. Meanwhile, I’ll also continue looking into more details regarding the death of Master Jitong."

Muxing, the Future Maitreya, nodded. "Understood. Thank you."

Apart from Mercury Luminary, Shuiyao, who was absent from this gathering for unknown reasons, another participant had been mostly quiet throughout—Saturn Luminary, Tuyou.

At last, Tuyou spoke up. "Today, I’d like to seek guidance from all of you."

As he spoke, a string of glowing characters emerged from the celestial radiance surrounding him.

The handwriting was neat, well-structured, and bold—clearly legible.

Under Tuyou’s control, the characters arranged themselves into a row, forming a precise, orderly pattern.

However, they did not form a complete sentence; rather, they seemed to be excerpts, as if transcribed from another source.

Although the words stood alone, Lei Jun—whose perceptiveness had sharpened immensely—only needed a brief glance before sensing a deeper meaning behind them.

He was not deeply versed in Confucian doctrines, yet even he could perceive a unique essence within the text.

However, the aura it exuded was unusual.

Unlike the graceful and refined calligraphy, the intent behind the words was rigid and unwavering—imbued with an air of absolute authority, as if it could not be defied or altered.

Yet, it was not the imperial aura of the Tang Emperor’s sovereign rule.

Rather, it felt like an accumulation of countless traditions and historical legacies, merged with an aura of scholarly refinement.

Lei Jun searched his memory.

The Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans of the Tang Dynasty all upheld generations of scholarly heritage, yet none of them displayed such an aura.

These characters undoubtedly came from the hand of a great scholar, but they felt entirely unfamiliar.

However, since Lei Jun was not a Confucian cultivator, he refrained from making a definite judgment.

"This does not match the academic traditions of the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans, nor does it resemble any imperial lineage," Riyao declared confidently. "Historically, there is no precedent for this. Did you create this script and its meaning yourself?"

Tuyou responded, "No, I did not create it. This writing and its meaning are certainly unique, but they do not resonate with me personally.

I happened upon a piece of writing containing these characters. I have only managed to replicate about fifty percent of its essence. Since it is so unfamiliar, I wished to seek your insights."

Upon hearing this, Riyao fell silent.

Lei Jun and the others examined the characters in fascination.

After a while, they all concluded that they had never seen anything like it before.

Tuyou withdrew the writing. "If any of you come across similar text in the future, I would greatly appreciate it if you could take note of it. My thanks in advance."

That concluded today’s gathering.

No one had managed to acquire much new intelligence, but none of them felt disappointed. They each took their leave and logged out of the Heavenly Book Starry Sky.

Lei Jun, however, lingered a little longer.

He privately reached out to Yueyao.

"I actually have some of the Treasure of Jia Wood you’re looking for," Lei Jun said. "Would Azure Sun Profound Frost suffice?"

Jia Wood represented Yang Wood energy, contrasting Lei Jun’s own Yimu Yin Thunder, which belonged to the Yin Wood element.

Previously, in the Southern Wasteland, Lei Jun had obtained a small vial of Azure Sun Profound Frost from Wang Jingfang, a defector from the Pure Yang Palace.

This treasure was not only infused with pure Yang energy but also carried abundant Wood-based spiritual growth energy—perfectly aligned with the properties of Jia Wood.

"Azure Sun Profound Frost is precisely what I need," Yueyao sighed. "But at the moment, I don’t have any further information on the Youzhou Lin Clan to trade with you."

Lei Jun replied, "That’s fine. Our deal remains open-ended."

Yueyao sighed again. "Looks like I’ll need to put more effort into gathering intelligence."

He did not mention what would happen if, in the long run, the Youzhou Lin Clan simply did not take any significant action. In that case, he would have no information to trade and would simply have to accept the loss.

Lei Jun responded, "Much appreciated."

After exiting the Heavenly Book Starry Sky, Lei Jun silently reflected for a moment.

Fang Jingsheng… Master Jitong…

Tides were rising, and storm clouds were gathering. The trees wished for stillness, yet the wind refused to cease.

Lei Jun shook his head lightly, put his thoughts in order, and resumed his cultivation.

Now that he had direct access to the True-One Altar, even without practicing the Fire Law Talismanic Canon, he could still use traces of Nine Abyss True Fire to assist in refining artifacts.

The Upper Qing Golden Bamboo, nourished by Kui Ox Blood, had undergone a substantial transformation.

Lei Jun had already decided—once he reached the Seventh Heaven Realm, he would reforge this bamboo shoot, elevating it from a Daoist tool to his first true magical artifact.

For now, there was no need to rush.

Instead, his focus was on refining the metallic rails that accelerated his Magnetic Sword Pellet. As his mana deepened, adjustments were necessary.

Previously, when he had unleashed a powerful strike against Elder Tu Dong of the Blood River Sect, the excessive force of the magnetic energy had actually warped the metallic rails.

Now was the perfect opportunity to reforge them.

In the days that followed, Lei Jun continued his cultivation.

One day, his junior fellow disciple, Chu Kun, suddenly came looking for him.

"Senior Brother, do you happen to have any high-grade, powerful spirit talismans with you?" Chu Kun asked.

Lei Jun glanced at him. "Why? Are you heading out?"

Chu Kun nodded. "I’m considering going on a journey."

Given his current cultivation level, he was unable to craft high-grade spirit talismans himself.

With Wang Guiyuan away from the sect and Yuan Mobai in seclusion, Chu Kun naturally turned to Lei Jun for assistance.

Knowing his junior brother’s personality, Lei Jun was fairly certain that this "journey" was not merely a casual excursion. However, he did not pry, trusting that Chu Kun had his own considerations.

Just as Lei Jun was about to agree, a glowing sphere of light flickered in his mind, displaying a series of words:

"Good intentions can lead to disaster. A kind act may sow the seeds of misfortune. The safety of loved ones rests upon a single thought."

Following this message, three omen readings appeared before him:

[Upper-Moderate Omen]: Give Chu Kun a mid-grade high-level spirit talisman. There is a chance to obtain a Fourth-Grade Opportunity with no risk or repercussions. Auspicious.

[Moderate-Moderate Omen]: Do not give Chu Kun a talisman. No additional gains or losses. Neutral.

[Lower-Moderate Omen]: Give Chu Kun an exceptional or high-grade spirit talisman. No immediate risk, but hidden dangers await. Ominous.