Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 233: Fourth-grade opportunity, Chentai stardust

Listening to Lin Che's words, his son Lin Lang hesitated as if wanting to speak but stopping himself.

“The Ye Clan of Jinzhou wants to use our Jiangzhou as the vanguard to charge ahead and take risks—I am well aware of this,” Lin Che said calmly. “But since we now have a common enemy, cooperation must be built on mutual sincerity and contribution.”

Lin Lang understood instantly. “I understand, Father.”

After a moment of thought, he asked, “Father, it seems that Lin Yuwei’s side has also been making some moves lately.”

Lin Che nodded. “Hmm. Chu Mingxian has arrived, hasn't he?”

Chu Zhe—Chu Mingxian—was Chu Yu’s third brother, the third son of Suzhou’s Chu Guolao, and also his most outstanding heir.

In recent years, Chu Zhe had already taken over most of the daily affairs of the Suzhou Chu Clan on behalf of Chu Guolao, and the outside world generally recognized him as the next leader of the clan.

For this reason, much like his father, Chu Zhe usually remained stationed in Suzhou, rarely venturing out.

Yet now, he had quietly appeared on the outskirts of Jiangzhou. This action alone carried an unusual implication.

“As I said before, cooperation is based on mutual sincerity and contribution,” Lin Che remained composed. “This applies to our Jiangzhou as well.”

Lin Lang responded respectfully, “Yes, Father, I understand.”

Lin Che casually wrote a note and handed it to his son. “I still need to continue recovering, but we must start making some preparations in advance. The items listed here should be gathered as discreetly and swiftly as possible. Once I’ve fully recovered, it will be time for us to take action.”

Lin Lang accepted the note with deference.

On Mount Longhu, Lei Jun quietly cultivated.

Suspended above his head, his Dao Seal had changed slightly compared to before.

Now, its overall form was increasingly diverging from the Tianshi Seal.

The Five Elements Thunder Talisman Array that had once existed between Lei Jun and his Dao Seal had fully merged, further refining itself within the seal.

Now, what floated between Lei Jun and the Dao Seal was a hazy radiance of starlight.

Countless tiny stars, fine as millet grains yet densely packed, shimmered like the constellations in the night sky, converging into a nebula.

Each pinpoint of light was constantly in motion, following its own trajectory while also being subtly linked to the others.

This was the manifestation of Lei Jun’s first life-bound spell—Stepping the Big Dipper.

Compared to his earlier Yin Five Thunder Talisman, the process of integrating Stepping the Big Dipper into his Dao Seal was progressing much more smoothly and swiftly.

As the nebula swirled, it gradually took on a humanoid form.

The figure’s physique bore a striking resemblance to Lei Jun himself.

At the moment, the starlight-formed figure remained motionless, seated cross-legged just like Lei Jun.

However, within the flow of its radiance, the profound mystery of shifting stars and altering celestial mansions was evident—vast and majestic.

At a glance, it bore some resemblance to the embryonic form of the Divine Star Avatar, a supreme manifestation of the Tianshi Mansion.

The inheritance of the Tianshi Mansion had a clear lineage, refined and perfected through generations of sages.

To some extent, the Yin Five Thunder Talisman could be considered the foundational step toward the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Manifestation, while Stepping the Big Dipper was the foundation for the Divine Star Avatar.

The divine arts of the Tianshi Mansion were far more profound than ordinary techniques. Simply mastering the Yin Five Thunder Talisman and Stepping the Big Dipper alone could not directly lead to the cultivation of the Yang Thunder Dragon or the Divine Star Avatar.

However, for disciples of the Tianshi Mansion who had honed these two as their life-bound spells, once they ascended to the Upper Three Heavens realm and began practicing divine arts, they would have a significantly smoother path toward mastering the Yang Thunder Dragon and the Divine Star Avatar.

Lei Jun continued meditating, regulating his breath.

Meanwhile, the star-formed figure above him slowly ascended, merging into his Dao Seal.

The floating seal gleamed, undergoing further subtle transformations.

Although Stepping the Big Dipper was a core inheritance of the Tianshi Mansion, every practitioner’s cultivation was uniquely adapted to themselves.

Thus, no two Dao Seals were ever identical.

Now that Lei Jun’s comprehension had reached the Clear Tranquility level, his insights into Stepping the Big Dipper differed from others.

As a result, while his Dao Seal was influenced by the Tianshi Seal, its nature was gradually diverging as he refined and condensed his own Daoist understanding.

After another round of breath regulation and focus, Lei Jun’s glowing Dao Seal descended, merging seamlessly into him.

He stood up and pushed open the door of his meditation chamber.

The morning light was soft, with the sun just beginning to rise.

After a night of cultivation, Lei Jun felt refreshed.

There was no need for him to bathe or freshen up—his spiritual energy naturally kept him clean.

As for food, it was entirely optional. He had long mastered the ability to sustain himself without eating, though he occasionally indulged in meals just to savor the mundane pleasures of mortal life.

Lei Jun stepped outside, strolling through the mountain forests.

As he wandered, he observed the natural flow of spiritual energy around the sacred grounds of Mount Longhu.

Though his movements were unhurried and directionless, he felt himself growing closer to the heavens and earth.

After a leisurely walk, he made his way toward the Decree Pavilion.

This place was peaceful. Almost all tasks could be handled by the initiate and talismanic disciples stationed there—Lei Jun only needed to preside over matters from time to time.

Here, he could either dedicate time to cultivation or immerse himself in the vast collection of Daoist scriptures within the pavilion.

On this particular day, near midday, Lei Jun was engrossed in reading when he suddenly sensed something.

Setting his book down, he stepped outside.

A talismanic disciple was approaching with a young Daoist in an apricot-yellow robe.

Seeing Lei Jun, the newcomer quickly bowed. “Elder Lei, Senior Brother Wang has returned to the mountain.”

The yellow-robed disciple was none other than Wang Guiyuan, who had previously left the sect.

After leading Wang Guiyuan inside, the talismanic disciple withdrew.

Lei Jun spoke. “Senior Brother, if you had returned just a little earlier, you would have been able to see Master.”

Wang Guiyuan nodded. “Yes, I heard that Master has entered seclusion. No matter—he will undoubtedly succeed and emerge stronger than ever. I have no plans to leave the mountain again anytime soon, so I will surely be here when he emerges… Uh, Junior Brother, what are you doing?”

Lei Jun circled Wang Guiyuan twice, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

“I can’t tell if you’ve changed much,” Lei Jun murmured.

Wang Guiyuan chuckled helplessly. “Relax, I haven’t been replaced by a demon.”

Lei Jun smirked. “Later, let’s go see Senior Sister and have her take a look.”

After some lighthearted banter, Wang Guiyuan asked, “I was traveling outside, but I heard rumors that Lin Che, the head of the Lin Clan in Jiangzhou, has returned. Is that true?”

Lei Jun replied, “It has been confirmed, but there’s still no word from Senior Sister.”

Wang Guiyuan sighed. “I hope she is safe and well.”

Then, he inquired, “Master is in seclusion—what about Junior Brother Chu?”

Lei Jun briefly explained, “Junior Brother Chu has gone out to travel. Given the current unrest in the world, I lent him the Breath-Taking Flag for protection.”

“That was a wise decision,” Wang Guiyuan said with a solemn nod. “These are troubled times. If possible, it’s best not to leave the mountain. After traveling outside and returning, I feel this more than ever.”

Lei Jun nodded. “I agree with you most of the time… but sometimes, even when you wish to remain still, the winds won’t let you.”

As the two conversed, Wang Guiyuan suddenly recalled something. He took out a miniature storage pouch, a gift from their master Yuan Mobai before he left.

Opening it, he retrieved a large block of pine ink and handed it to Lei Jun.

“I didn’t gain much from my travels,” Wang Guiyuan said, “but I did find this. I have no use for it, but you might.”

Lei Jun examined it and immediately noticed something unusual. “This seems to be refined Confucian ink rather than our Daoist talisman ink.”

Wang Guiyuan nodded. “Exactly. We Daoists may not use it, but perhaps Confucian scholars will. I recall you once mentioned that someone in your Seven Luminaries book study group was a Confucian scholar.”

Given Wang Guiyuan’s personality, Lei Jun didn’t expect him to act as a middleman for any transactions. However, in their past conversations, he had casually mentioned the matter. Especially before Wang Guiyuan left the mountain, Lei Jun had specifically reminded him to keep an eye out.

Back then, Wang Guiyuan had simply replied, “Junior Brother, I think it’s best to minimize dealings with these people. The less trouble, the better!”

Clearly, if it were up to him, he would never have chosen to fully activate that page of the Heavenly Book using the Tianshi Seal.

That said, despite his reservations, Wang Guiyuan had kept Lei Jun’s request in mind during his travels, which was why he had made an exception and brought back that piece of Confucian ink as a “souvenir” for Lei Jun.

…He hadn’t even brought anything back for himself.

“This ink is indeed of excellent quality, and there seems to be a unique mystery hidden within it,” Lei Jun said as he carefully examined the pine ink.

Although Wang Guiyuan had brought back this treasure, he still cautioned, “Just be careful.”

Lei Jun nodded. “Don’t worry, Senior Brother, I understand. And thank you.”

Since Wang Guiyuan didn’t bring it up himself, Lei Jun didn’t pry into where he had been or how he had obtained the peculiar pine ink.

However, he had a vague feeling that this ink might have originated from the Suzhou Chu Clan.

Lei Jun had limited knowledge of Confucian classics and literary qi.

But the inkstone he had previously studied, which contained both Daoist and Confucian elements, had come from Chu Andong—from the Suzhou Chu Clan.

Comparing the two, he felt a faint familiarity in the essence radiating from this pine ink. It seemed to also stem from the Suzhou Chu Clan’s long-established scholarly heritage.

Although Lei Jun had no use for Confucian ink, he still took it out from time to time to study, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the Confucian tradition.

Firstly, as the saying goes, "A stone from another mountain can help polish jade"—learning from other traditions could provide insights into his own Daoist cultivation and the principles of heaven and earth.

Secondly, as he had discussed with Wang Guiyuan, sometimes, even if one wished to remain still, the winds would not allow it.

Since that was the case, it was wise to abide by another old saying: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

Of course, not all Confucian scholars in the world were his enemies.

But a significant portion of his potential adversaries were Confucian cultivators.

Naturally, Lei Jun wouldn’t turn a blind eye to this reality.

Besides, he had always been interested in the various cultivation traditions.

Wang Guiyuan’s return to the mountain was undoubtedly good news.

However, as time passed, bad news also surfaced.

Chu Kun, who had left the mountain, had yet to return.

He occasionally went on journeys, and the duration varied. There had been times when he was away for extended periods, but this time, it was exceptionally long.

The New Year’s Grand Ceremony had come and gone, yet Chu Kun was still absent. This made Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan exchange worried glances.

Lei Jun sifted through his collection of Thousand-Mile Transmission Talismans, debating whether to try and contact their junior brother.

Fortunately, as spring gradually warmed the land, Chu Kun finally returned.

“Senior Brother Wang is back too?” Chu Kun said cheerfully.

Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan both scrutinized him. “Are you alright?”

Chu Kun smiled bitterly. “I’m fine, but I was trapped somewhere for a while. The Thousand-Mile Transmission Talisman wasn’t usable, which delayed me for a long time. Otherwise, I would’ve made it back before the New Year.”

As he spoke, he returned the Breath-Taking Flag to Lei Jun.

Lei Jun took it and, with a brief inspection, could tell that while Chu Kun had used the treasure, he hadn’t excessively drawn on its spiritual power.

From the looks of it, Chu Kun had been telling the truth.

It seemed he had been trapped and had tried to use the Breath-Taking Flag to carve a path out, rather than using it for self-defense.

Perhaps the environment he encountered had been confining but not particularly dangerous. Or maybe he had other spiritual treasures for protection.

Chu Kun didn’t go into detail about his experiences.

At that moment, he felt more than a little unlucky—but also relieved.

On his expedition to explore Spirit Mountain, he hadn’t encountered any human threats, but he had run into an overwhelming natural disaster.

Thankfully, he hadn’t acquired any high-grade or supreme-grade Spirit Talismans.

Otherwise, he would have been buried alive under the mountain.

The apocalyptic scene of collapsing earth and sky had been so terrifying that even with all the protective treasures in the world, he might not have seen the light of day again.

He had been careful with the “gateway,” but apparently, he needed to be even more cautious…

“A natural disaster? No enemies?” Lei Jun asked.

Chu Kun shook his head. “I believe it was just my own carelessness. Unless someone was vastly more powerful than me, I didn’t detect any signs of malice.”

“To be safe, go see Senior Sister, the Sect Master, later and have her check you over,” Lei Jun suggested.

Chu Kun nodded quickly. “If Senior Sister has time, of course.”

Normally, if someone far stronger than Chu Kun had intended him harm, they would have just attacked outright.

If the power gap were significant, even the Breath-Taking Flag wouldn’t have been enough to protect him.

However, they couldn’t rule out the possibility that some unseen force had deliberately set a long-term trap, like fishing with a long line.

So even Chu Kun himself felt it would be wise to seek out Tianshi Tang Xiaotang for an inspection.

He also had a lingering sense that the Spirit Mountain he had explored was… unusual—beyond what he had initially anticipated.

“Though there were risks, I didn’t return empty-handed,” Chu Kun said with a grin, quickly displaying his spoils.

Despite the daylight, tiny specks of starlight glimmered in the air, dazzling to the eye.

Lei Jun focused his gaze and saw that, at the center of the starlight, countless loose star fragments had clustered together, vaguely resembling a slumbering fetus.

“This power… it feels somewhat similar to the legendary Stellar Core…” Wang Guiyuan murmured thoughtfully. “But this has an even more primordial form.”

Lei Jun found the sight familiar. He recalled seeing a description in an ancient text back in the Decree Pavilion.

“Celestial Embryo Star Dust?”

Chu Kun beamed. “That’s right! It’s Celestial Embryo Star Dust!”

Lei Jun nodded. “This is truly rare. It hasn’t been seen for many years—I’ve only ever read about it in ancient records.”

In recent years, the world’s spiritual energy had surged, making cultivation easier for practitioners.

Normally, such an environment should also lead to the re-emergence of long-lost heavenly treasures, befitting this new golden age of cultivation.

However, just as young cultivators still needed time to accumulate their strength, rare spiritual materials also required years to mature.

Not all extinct treasures could simply reappear.

Celestial Embryo Star Dust was known to be particularly rare, even in historical records.

“Junior Brother, you have the Celestial Constellation Sacred Physique—this treasure was practically made for you,” Lei Jun said.

Chu Kun split the star dust into several portions. “I read in an old text that this treasure can aid our sect’s disciples in cultivating the divine ability Divine Star Avatar.”

Wang Guiyuan waved his hand. “Don’t count me in. You two take it. I’m still far from mastering the divine arts of the Upper Three Heavens, but Lei Junior Brother will need it soon.”

Lei Jun and Chu Kun had no need for excessive formalities. Lei Jun simply said, “Keep a portion for me, and we’ll decide how to use it later.”

Chu Kun asked, “Second Senior Brother, have you decided what divine ability you’ll cultivate after reaching the Seventh Heaven?”

Lei Jun shook his head. “Not yet. I’ll decide later.”

His current focus was on Life Canon and Divine Star Avatar, but he had yet to make a final choice.

Now, with the Celestial Embryo Star Dust, he had more flexibility in his decision-making.

With Lei Jun’s continuous refinement of his Daoist path, he gained new insights almost daily.

By keeping a portion of the Celestial Embryo Star Dust, he would have more options when the time came.

If he wanted to quickly cultivate his first divine ability to enhance his combat strength after stepping into the Seventh Heaven, he could immediately choose Divine Star Avatar. With his Clear Tranquility level comprehension combined with the Celestial Embryo Star Dust, he could rapidly master this great divine art.

However, if circumstances allowed for a more methodical approach, he could take additional time to ponder his choice.

As time passed and Lei Jun continued his cultivation, many things gradually began to shift.

Roughly a month later, on a certain night, Lei Jun was meditating in the quiet chamber of his residence, silently visualizing and refining his spirit.

Suddenly, his mind stirred slightly.

Inside the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven, that page of the Heavenly Book remained stable.

However, the dark side of the Heavenly Book, which was closely linked to it, had begun to ripple.

Lei Jun carefully examined the changes within, feeling a bit surprised.

He wasn’t shocked that there was a change—he had anticipated that the dark side of the Heavenly Book would undergo some transformation eventually.

What surprised him was that this shift had arrived sooner than expected.

Lei Jun had originally assumed that such a phenomenon would only occur after he had successfully ascended to the Upper Three Heavens.

After some careful analysis, he confirmed that there was no immediate danger.

With that reassurance, Lei Jun focused his consciousness and immersed himself into the dark side of the Heavenly Book.

The experience was somewhat similar to when he had previously entered the Heavenly Book and found himself in an expansive cosmic space filled with stars.

But this time, the scene before him was entirely different.

Instead of a vast, deep black cosmos, he found himself surrounded by an endless expanse of pure white.

Within the boundless white space, countless tiny black dots were scattered throughout.

They resembled ink droplets splattered across a sheet of white paper.

Or perhaps…

They looked like black stars, dispersed across a pure white universe.