Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 260: Cultivating Arts Like Stars, Divine Abilities Ascend

Lin Jian, known as the Nine Streams Scholar, took his title from the mountains and rivers of Jiangzhou, Yuzhang, and Yuanzhou, with Qingmei Creek among them—one of the places he frequently visited in his youth.

From this perspective, it was indeed possible that something remained here.

But Lin Jian had been in seclusion for many years—what could have lasted until now? Lei Jun pondered.

He first conducted a broad examination of the mountains and rivers surrounding Qingmei Creek, confirming that no other people or Great Demons were present.

Then, standing at the center, he released two streams of Daoist power, one black and one white, carefully searching the area.

Just like Xu Yuanzhen, Yuan Mobai, and the others before him, Lei Jun, with his current cultivation, could find any rare natural treasures within a set range simply by focusing his efforts—aside from a few exceptional cases, nothing could escape his perception.

Soon, the black and white energies trembled in unison, sinking deep into the mountain rock.

The next moment, the waters of Qingmei Creek began to ripple.

The jade-belt-like stream seemed to boil, yet its flow did not stop.

Then, as the water steamed upward, a thick mist rapidly spread.

Beneath the churning waters, in the depths of the rising mist, a hidden water vein emerged—one that was utterly different from its surroundings.

Like a fish darting through boiling water, it rushed into the distance in an instant, as though it possessed its own sentience and will.

This unique water vein was emerald jade in color, shimmering with a faint radiance, akin to a galaxy of stars.

Like a luminous jade river, hidden beneath the mist, it seemed as distant and mysterious as the Milky Way, captivating yet fleeting.

"Yuchen True Water?" Lei Jun nodded slightly at the sight.

He had read about it in ancient texts—Yuchen True Water often formed at the horizon where sky and water met, absorbing the essence of water below while aligning with celestial constellations above, embodying the mystical power of the Water Luminary Star.

However, according to records, it had not appeared in many years.

In recent times, as the world's spiritual energy surged, many once-lost spiritual artifacts had begun to reappear.

Yuchen True Water was inherently highly sentient, and in the hands of the right person, it could serve even greater purposes.

For the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, whose heritage was deeply rooted in the Dao of Mountains and Rivers, Yuchen True Water was a supreme treasure.

However, for Lin Jian, while precious, it was not urgent.

What he most urgently needed was a spiritual artifact that could heal his injuries and extend his lifespan.

Yuchen True Water alone could not achieve this.

But according to legends, there existed a spiritual herb called Jietian Vine, which was said to grow within Yuchen True Water, nourished by it.

And Jietian Vine was precisely what Lin Jian desperately needed—a life-restoring, lifespan-repairing elixir.

Even so, as Lei Jun watched the mist-covered, living, intelligent water vein disappear into the distance, he did not pursue it.

His expression remained calm, the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman glowing faintly within his eyes.

Instantly, the vast mist before him scattered.

And with the mist dissipated, the scene before him changed entirely.

The mountains remained the same.

Qingmei Creek remained the same.

Everything from moments ago had vanished like an illusion, leaving nothing behind.

Only now did Lei Jun hear a faint recitation echoing in his ears:

"The endless roads lead to nowhere, as the Nine Tributaries split from the Great River."

The voice, tinged with age, remained clear and resonant, its rhythmic cadence imbued with power, affecting the very landscape itself.

And so, the scene before Lei Jun changed once more.

Qingmei Creek expanded rapidly, swelling like a great river.

The surrounding mountains and rivers unfolded like a scroll painting, then contracted inward, enclosing Lei Jun within.

The once-gentle creek now rushed forward like a surging torrent, splitting into nine tributaries.

Within each tributary, a Yuchen True Water vein seemed to shimmer.

Yet, they were all both real and illusory.

Most notably, the nine tributaries did not reflect the actual limits of Qingmei Creek—hidden within them was a boundless transformation, capable of branching and multiplying infinitely.

"A restriction left behind by Lin Jian." Lei Jun understood instantly.

Just as Xu Yuanzhen had once left behind an Infernal Flame Tiger at Green Mountain when she failed to find the Tianshi Seal, Lin Jian, an Eighth Heaven Confucian Scholar of the Recitation Lineage, had left behind his own poetic verse at Qingmei Creek.

For Confucian scholars, at the Seventh Heaven, mastery over recitations was called "Entering the Divine", while at the Eighth Heaven, it was known as "Surpassing the Divine".

As the saying went, "Surpassing the Divine, Entering Perfection."

To Surpass the Divine meant that poetry and prose became one with nature, resonating with heaven and earth, while drawing everything nearby into the scholar’s cultivated domain.

That Yuchen True Water from before—appearing as if it had escaped like a living creature—was merely a deception.

An illusion, designed to lure intruders away, protecting the true Yuchen True Water hidden within Qingmei Creek.

If one saw through this first illusion, only then would Lin Jian's poetic domain truly reveal itself.

And the nine-tributary river before Lei Jun was also an illusion, a manifestation of the recitation realm.

For those with weaker cultivation, stepping into this illusory domain meant being trapped indefinitely, lost in an endless maze with no escape.

This was, in a way, a polite warning before aggression—a layered defense.

To outsiders, the expansion and contraction of the illusion were seamless, leaving no trace.

Anyone detecting anomalies would simply fall into the same process all over again.

An endless maze, capable of trapping countless intruders.

For someone of Lei Jun’s cultivation, however, Lin Jian’s domain posed no danger at all.

While Lin Jian was indeed an Eighth Heaven scholar, he was old and frail, no longer possessing the vast divine abilities of his prime.

Moreover, the poetic realm of Qingmei Creek was not an attack personally cast by Lin Jian, but merely a lingering restriction he had left behind.

The Recitation Lineage borrowed power from heaven and earth, ensuring the restriction would not weaken over time.

But if confronted by a cultivator as powerful as Lei Jun, the restriction’s spiritual integrity would gradually dissipate under sustained assault.

Without Lin Jian to reinforce it, the spiritual energy gathered here would naturally fade away.

Thus, Lei Jun remained unshaken, standing atop the nine tributaries within the illusory realm.

Normally, breaking such a restriction required three steps:

1. Arrange the Stars and Dipper, protecting oneself and resisting the illusion’s effect on the soul.
2. Use the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman, stripping away illusions to see the truth.
3. Summon the Doumu Star God Apparition, forcibly attacking the restriction’s core to dismantle it through power.

… But Lei Jun did not need to go through this process.

He had a much simpler method.

For ownerless restrictions, his approach was exceptionally effective.

Standing atop the river, Lei Jun raised his hand.

A shadow appeared within his palm.

It did not expand, merely lingering within his grasp, yet an invisible force spread across the entire poetic domain.

The realm immediately destabilized.

The landscape trembled.

The once orderly, flowing illusion began to collapse.

Under the power of the Dark Side of the Heavenly Book, the scene before Lei Jun shifted once again.

The infinite tributaries vanished.

Qingmei Creek returned to normal.

The mountains returned to normal.

As if nothing had ever happened.

And the Yuchen True Water—was gone.

Directly activating the Dark Side of the Heavenly Book’s power consumes my own Daoist energy rather quickly, as if borrowing and repaying in equal measure… Lei Jun’s expression remained unchanged as he closed his five fingers, causing the shadow in his palm to vanish.

At this moment, two streams of black and white Daoist energy once again flew from him, extending into the mountains and rivers surrounding Qingmei Creek.

The creek water split apart.

A water vein like emerald jade emerged from underground.

Within the flowing water, countless points of starlight flickered, hazy and ethereal, appearing from a distance like a galaxy of stars.

This was the true Yuchen True Water.

Lei Jun gestured, and the intertwining black and white Daoist energy spiraled together, wrapping around the solid, almost tangible water vein and drawing it before him.

It flowed like a ribbon of starlight, its rippling brilliance never ceasing.

Lei Jun lit a stick of incense, offering distant respect to Qingmei Creek, which had now returned to its usual state.

The wisps of smoke rose straight into the sky, a silent prayer to the heavens.

Then, following his usual practice, Lei Jun first took the Yuchen True Water vein away from the mountains and rivers of Qingmei Creek, relocating it to a more stable location before carefully examining it.

Upon inspection, he made a discovery.

This Yuchen True Water vein had slight impurities and was not entirely pure.

It wasn’t that the water vein was polluted, but rather, there were traces of foreign material mixed within.

Sea sand… Lei Jun understood immediately.

Lin Jian had left the Yuchen True Water here, reinforced with his own Daoist restrictions, subtly purifying the water vein over the years.

Most likely, it had contained far more sea sand in the past, but after such a long purification process, only a small amount remained.

If Lin Jian had taken the water vein and purified it himself, he would have long since succeeded.

However, Lin Jian had left the Yuchen True Water in Qingmei Creek, relying on the natural flow of spiritual energy to cleanse it, while he himself departed—for the same reason tied to the sea sand.

From the sea sand, it was evident that this Yuchen True Water was not naturally formed within Qingmei Creek or its surrounding mountains.

More likely, it had come from overseas.

Then, due to the shifting tides of the world's spiritual energy, it had submerged underground, traveled upstream against the Great River, and eventually settled beneath Qingmei Creek in Yuanzhou.

The sea sand mixed within the Yuchen True Water might point to its place of origin.

While sea sand appeared ordinary, its earthly spiritual essence varied from region to region, exhibiting subtle differences.

Such distinctions were so minute that not only ordinary people, but even cultivators of low to mid-level realms would struggle to detect them.

However, Lin Jian, an Eighth Heaven Confucian Scholar, still possessed keen vision despite his declining body and strength.

He could discern the finest differences in sea sand, which led him to trace it back to its source—venturing overseas to find the birthplace of this Yuchen True Water vein.

There, he had likely been searching for his true goal—the Jietian Vine.

By leaving the Yuchen True Water in Qingmei Creek, relying on the natural flow of spiritual energy to purify it, he ensured neither task was delayed.

However, what happened afterward was probably beyond Lin Jian’s expectations.

He had set out overseas to seek the Jietian Vine, perhaps only with a tentative attitude, not entirely certain he would succeed.

Thus, he had not informed his clan members before leaving.

Yet, unexpectedly, he never returned.

This led to a mystery, leaving the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou helpless in the face of their ancestor’s sudden disappearance.

As for what had happened to Lin Jian after he ventured overseas, Lei Jun was uncertain.

For now, it seemed that everything had been Lin Jian’s own actions.

Then what about the other missing hidden elder of the Lin Clan, Lin Zhan?

Lei Jun shook his head slightly.

Without any clues, there was no point dwelling on it.

Without hesitation, he separated the last remaining traces of sea sand from the Yuchen True Water vein.

The direction indicated by this sea sand was most likely the Changjie Island in the Eastern Sea, as foretold by the Lower-Moderate Omen.

Lei Jun had no intention of going to the island to search for the origin of the Yuchen True Water vein or the possibly existent Jietian Vine.

Though he was a little curious, the Lower-Moderate Omen foretold danger with no guaranteed gains—heading there would be pointless and risky.

So, as always—

If someone wanted to go, they were welcome to go.

Right, members of the Lin Clan?

…

Lin Yuwei and Lin Jinsong, along with a group of elite members from the Southern Lin Clan, were currently searching across the Eastern Sea.

Back then, Lin Jian had set out overseas with only a tentative mindset, so he had left no clear instructions for his descendants.

However, the artifacts he left behind contained their own spiritual essence.

Normally, they remained dormant, but once activated, they shone once more.

Lin Yuwei, Lin Jinsong, and their group followed the vague guidance of these relics, navigating through twists and turns to Lin Jian’s last known location in the human realm.

"Fifth Brother…" Lin Jinsong stood beside Lin Yuwei.

Both were from branch families of the Southern Lin Clan, having supported each other over the years. They were true allies, bound together in shared fate.

Lin Jinsong was also Lin Yuwei’s most trusted confidant and political ally.

Now that the Southern Lin Clan’s main bloodline had suffered devastating losses, the branch families had risen in power, and after years of endurance, they were finally in a position of influence.

However, the current dire situation of the Southern Lin Clan made things far from easy for them.

Their next move would be critical.

"No matter which path we take next, our clan must strengthen itself. If we can bring back our granduncle, it will be a key step forward," Lin Yuwei understood what Lin Jinsong wanted to say.

Lin Jinsong fell into a brief silence before asking, "And if Granduncle opposes us aligning with the Tang Imperial Court?"

Lin Yuwei replied, "That depends on how the Imperial Court decides to act at that time."

Lin Jinsong nodded silently.

Their group sailed through the waves, cautiously avoiding both demon tribes and human factions.

After several days of searching, their direction became clearer.

Eventually, they arrived at Changjie Island in the Eastern Sea.

At first glance, the island appeared unremarkable, seemingly nothing more than a desolate landmass.

Lin Yuwei scanned the surroundings.

Among the group, he had the highest cultivation level and, as a cultivator of the Confucian Divine Archery lineage, his perception was exceptional.

In this aspect, he even surpassed Lin Jian himself.

Surveying the area, Lin Yuwei quickly noticed something unusual.

He descended to the island’s surface.

The dense forest parted on its own, revealing a pathway.

Lin Jinsong and the others quickly followed.

"… A Void Gateway!"

After a long breath, Lin Yuwei spoke, "There is actually a Void Gateway here. But where does it lead?"

The surrounding Lin Clan members exchanged uneasy glances.

Everyone was reminded of the Great Black Mountains in the Northern Frontier.

If not for that event—if not for the gateway to another world hidden there—would the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou have fallen to such ruin?

Someone whispered, "In recent years, with the world's spiritual energy surging, it’s possible that many new secret realms have formed, or that old realms have reopened…"

Lin Yuwei: "Granduncle disappeared without a trace. We must not be careless."

The group collectively nodded in agreement.

Lin Yuwei also refrained from approaching further and instead drew his Treasure Bow.

As he pulled the bowstring, radiant energy automatically gathered, condensing into an arrow aimed at the mountain peak ahead on the island.

Then, Lin Yuwei loosed the arrow—his Hao Ran Literary Qi forming a streak of light that vanished upon release, leaving no visible trajectory.

When the arrow reappeared, it was suspended in midair.

It did not land on the mountain peak of Changjie Island, but instead, it hovered motionless in the air.

The air rippled like waves on water, trembling incessantly.

The arrow seemed to be held in place by an invisible force, locked in midair.

Out of caution, Lin Yuwei fired a barrage of arrows.

Each arrow froze in midair, as if nailed to an invisible, transparent "door."

Light scattered in all directions.

Finally, a hidden Void Gateway began to reveal its true form.

"I'll probe it first. The rest of you stay back for now," Lin Yuwei took a deep breath.

Lin Jinsong: "Fifth Brother… let me go instead!"

Lin Jian and Lin Zhan had both vanished. Lin Che and Lin Chou were dead.

Lin Yuwei was now the last remaining Eighth Heaven pillar of the Southern Lin Clan.

"… Be careful. Don’t push yourself," Lin Yuwei hesitated before saying, "Just investigate the other side of the gateway. Don't rush to find Granduncle, and don’t go in too deep."

Lin Jinsong: "Understood."

With a longsword at his waist, he stepped forward.

Drawing his sword, his Hao Ran Literary Qi surged, roaring like a great river, shaking the very air.

The Void Gateway twisted further, emitting a faint glow from within.

Lin Jinsong held his sword and stepped inside.

Behind him, Lin Yuwei kept a watchful gaze on the Void Gateway, his heart still heavy with worry despite the lack of resistance.

Other members of the Lin Clan, either spread out to stand guard or remained by Lin Yuwei’s side, all staring tensely at the invisible "gateway" in the air.

Time ticked by—Lin Jinsong did not return.

Just as Lin Yuwei's brows furrowed, the Void Gateway trembled violently.

The next moment, a flash of light shot out from within.

Lin Yuwei was already prepared—an arrow flew from his bow, intercepting the streak of light in midair.

Both the arrow and the light fell to the ground together, revealing its true form.

It was a longsword.

A sword so familiar to the Lin Clan—it was Lin Jinsong’s personal weapon.

And now, it was broken in half, with only the front portion of the blade remaining.

Lin Yuwei's expression changed instantly as he rushed forward to grab the broken blade.

Within the shattered remains, residual Hao Ran Qi condensed into a brilliant light, forming two words in the air:

"Barbaric" and "Martial".

Upon seeing these words, Lin Yuwei and the other Lin Clan members visibly paled.

The message Lin Jinsong had conveyed was unmistakable—

The world beyond this Void Gateway also contained the same violent, domineering, iron-blooded martial intent as the foreign realm beyond the Great Black Mountains.

Lin Yuwei raised his bow, pointing its arrowhead at the Void Gateway on the island.

But nothing else emerged from the "gateway."

There was no further sign of Lin Jinsong.

There was no trace of Lin Jian.

At this moment, the island was eerily silent.

Yet the invisible "gateway" loomed like a beast's gaping maw, waiting to devour its prey.

Lin Yuwei stared ahead for a long time before speaking:

"Report this to the clan… and to Imperial Capital as well."

…

"Mm, done."

Lei Jun had completely purified the Yuchen True Water, removing all impurities of sea sand.

Over the years, natural purification had already removed most of the sea sand, leaving only the final traces for Lei Jun to clear away.

A highly versatile spiritual water vein had now fully fallen into Lei Daozhang’s hands.

This Third-Grade Opportunity was now secured.

"Master's foundation is Star Alignment and Destiny Star Divinity, and he also cultivates Water-Fire Yin-Yang techniques. This Yuchen True Water should be highly useful to him." Lei Jun nodded repeatedly.

Such a water vein was likely even more potent than Celestial River Crystal.

In fact, this Yuchen True Water, like Celestial River Crystal, could be considered a spoils of war from the Battle of Jiangzhou.

Lei Jun then used his techniques to divide the Yuchen True Water vein into three parts.

Although each individual water vein became weaker, the quality of Yuchen True Water was inherently exceptional, making it more effective when distributed for different purposes.

Having settled everything, Lei Jun returned to his ancestral home at Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu.

Of the three divided Yuchen True Water veins, Lei Jun kept one for himself.

Combined with the Grand Celestial Jade he had acquired in Jinzhou, he had new ideas to experiment with for developing new Daoist arts and divine abilities.

The second water vein, Lei Jun attempted to integrate into Mount Longhu itself.

If successful, it would become one of the sacred mountain’s spiritual springs, allowing present and future disciples to benefit from its power over generations.

There were historical precedents for such things.

However, Mount Longhu’s ancestral grounds were already inherently rich in spiritual energy.

Attempting to transplant external water veins was not easy, requiring long-term effort.

The third Yuchen True Water vein, Lei Jun brought to his master, Yuan Mobai.

"Chongyun has been thoughtful," Yuan Mobai smiled after hearing Lei Jun’s plans. "Yuchen True Water is truly rare."

Beyond its natural rarity, it was even more valuable because it aligned perfectly with Yuan Mobai’s cultivation methods.

Lei Jun: "As you have always taught, Master—opportunities align with destiny, and disciples must act in accordance with the Dao."

He briefly recounted his experiences at Lan Yue Blessed Land and Qingmei Creek, though he did not mention his choice between Qingmei Creek in Yuanzhou and Changjie Island in the Eastern Sea.

After listening, Yuan Mobai nodded slightly.

"Although the Nine Streams Scholar remains missing, at least now we have uncovered the mystery of why he never appeared during the Battle of Jiangzhou."

As he spoke, Yuan Mobai retrieved a letter from beside him and handed it to Lei Jun.

"You were delayed outside purifying the Yuchen True Water, so you missed a few days. This letter just arrived from Imperial Capital."

Lei Jun took the letter and read it.

It was from the Tang Imperial Court, reporting that after the Southern Lin Clan members set out to sea, Lin Yuwei had personally reported the discovery of a Void Gateway on an uninhabited island in the Eastern Sea, leading to the Martial Domain.

The Seventh Heaven Lin Clan Elder, Lin Jinsong, had disappeared within, his life and death unknown.

The Void Gateway was extremely dangerous, and the Imperial Court was requesting a decision.

The Tang Imperial Court had also notified Tianshi Mansion because of Xu Yuanzhen’s past experience with the Void Gateway at the Great Black Mountains.

That gateway, at least, had led to a desolate ruin with no inhabitants.

However, the situation behind this Void Gateway was unknown—there could be unforeseen dangers.

Currently, within the Tang Dynasty, the person most knowledgeable about Martial Domain’s Daoist Intent was Xu Yuanzhen.

Thus, the Imperial Court reached out to Tianshi Mansion to discuss how to handle the situation while also requesting Tianshi Mansion to track down Xu Yuanzhen, who had disappeared at sea after pursuing King of the Thousand-Leaf Butterflies.

"This matter could be significant or trivial, but it must be handled with caution," Lei Jun nodded.

Lin Yuwei and Lin Jinsong had gone overseas—Lei Jun truly hadn't known.

Back then, Daoist Lei had merely gone through the notes left behind by the Nine Streams Scholar, Lin Jian.

Whether the Southern Lin Clan would discover any clues about Lin Jian because of it, and whether they would take action afterward, Lei Jun didn’t care.

Everyone could follow their fate as it unfolded.

No one had appeared at Qingmei Creek, and Lei Jun likewise didn’t concern himself with whether others would go to the Eastern Sea.

Now, however, the outcome had turned out even better than expected.

The Southern Lin Clan really had sent people there.

And they had even lost Lin Jinsong, a Seventh Heaven cultivator.

However, Lei Jun felt no particular schadenfreude over it.

Outsiders might not know, but Lei Jun himself had also passed through the "gateway" above the Great Black Mountains.

The sight of that shattered landscape in the foreign realm had left a lasting impression on him as well.

So, Lin Jian and Changjie Island were connected to that place?

That was worth keeping an eye on.

As for Lin Yuwei, his first reaction was to report the situation to the Tang Imperial Court—signaling that the Southern Lin Clan had made its decision.

Lei Jun didn’t particularly care.

The Southern Lin Clan aligning with the Tang Imperial Court didn’t guarantee that they would suddenly become allies of Tianshi Mansion.

Besides, Lin Yuwei and the others needed to be far more wary of the Ye Clan of Qingzhou and the Chu Clan of Suzhou going forward.

"Qingzhou and Suzhou may not necessarily make any major moves in the short term."

Yuan Mobai then told Lei Jun another matter: "More detailed news has come from the west—many unfamiliar monks of the Hand Seal lineage have appeared at Vajra Monastery."

Lei Jun grew interested. "Master, are you saying…?"

Yuan Mobai gave a slight nod. "They call themselves the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru. This is the very lineage from which Vajra Monastery originates. While they haven't explicitly stated it, they are most likely from Sumeru in the Nine Heavens."

Lei Jun: "So, within the gates of Vajra Monastery, there exists a portal leading to Sumeru—or, rather, the monastery’s founding patriarch built Vajra Monastery around that gateway."

Previously, it wasn’t just Sumeru—the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths had all severed their connections to the human realm.

Now, with the surging tides of spiritual energy, the previously sealed Void Gateways had begun to loosen, and at last, an opportunity for reactivation had arisen.

In other words, Vajra Monastery had found its way home—it was no longer an orphan.

But for the other factions in the Tang Dynasty, this could mean something very different.

Leaving aside the Tang Imperial Court, the Confucian aristocratic families that upheld their traditions would have to tread carefully.

How they should respond would require further observation and contact before any conclusions could be drawn.

Although the Empress had personally traveled to Guanzhong, where she now faced both the demon chaos and this sudden appearance of the Vajra Division from Sumeru, her temporary absence from the Central Plains had opened a window of opportunity for the noble families.

However, with the situation still unclear, Ye Yan and Chu Xiuyuan, both Ninth Heaven Confucian Scholars, would not act rashly.

Moreover, the Lin Clan of Youzhou and the Ye Clan of Jinzhou had suffered heavy losses and needed time to recover.

For Tianshi Mansion, this development was neither entirely good nor entirely bad.

Currently, in the Tang Dynasty, if Confucianism no longer held the dominance it once did, the relationship between Buddhism and Daoism would become more delicate…

If there was one piece of good news, it was that Vajra Monastery’s relationship with the other three Great Buddhist Holy Lands was also rather tenuous.

"The Great Void Temple probed Vajra Monastery—and managed to reveal some of its true strength." Yuan Mobai recounted.

But in doing so, the Great Void Temple had suffered a disaster.

First, Abbot Yuanmie had tried to test Vajra Monastery, only to suffer a humiliating defeat, barely escaping with his life.

Before he could fully recover, he was suddenly ambushed by the Tang Divine Strategy Army!

Shangguan Yunbo, wielding the Dangkou Golden Halberd.

Xiao Xueting, bearing the Mountain and River Sword.

Alongside them were several elite military cultivators.

In the battle that followed, only Yuanmie managed to escape under the cover of his master, Dharma King Jixiang, while the rest perished.

Having hidden on the seas for years, painstakingly rebuilding their strength, the Great Void Temple had lost the majority of its core members in this one engagement.

Of the upper echelons, only Abbot Yuanmie and a handful of monks who hadn’t been present had survived.

Among the fallen were Dharma King Jixiang, along with four others—two Eighth Heaven and three Seventh Heaven monks.

Xiao Xueting, who had kept a low profile ever since returning from the Southern Wasteland, had become all but invisible in the court’s affairs.

But now, in one decisive move, she had assassinated the previous abbot of the Great Void Temple, Dharma King Jixiang.

The only disappointment was that Yuanmie had managed to escape.

Shangguan Yunbo was now leading the hunt to track him down.

Meanwhile, Xiao Xueting, carrying the Mountain and River Sword, had disappeared entirely.

No one knew whether she had gone to reinforce Guanzhong—or if she had gone elsewhere.

An Eighth Heaven martial powerhouse, bearing a supreme divine weapon—

Her absence only made her more unsettling.

"General Xiao—she isn’t even fifty yet, is she?" Lei Jun nodded. "She may be slower than Little Senior Sister, but she’s certainly no slower than the Future Maitreya or Yuanmie."

Yuan Mobai smiled. "This is now the era of your generation."

Lei Jun: "Master, you’re still very young as well."

Among his peers, Yuan Mobai was indeed young—not just within Tianshi Mansion, where he was low in seniority but high in status, but across the entire cultivation world of the Tang Dynasty.

Those of his generation who were younger than him could be counted on one hand—Chu Yu and Yue Xiling were among the very few exceptions.

"For the new to surpass the old—that is a good thing." Yuan Mobai chuckled, shaking his head. "But unfortunately, Huajie may not be able to keep up with you."

Lei Jun: "Each has their own fate, and the future is unpredictable. Who knows—perhaps one day that kid will surpass us all. Aside from still being a bit gluttonous, at least he’s gotten rid of his laziness."

Yuan Mobai smiled approvingly.

After chatting a while longer, Lei Jun took his leave.

Next, it was his turn to train his own disciple—Zhuo Huajie, or rather, Zhuo Huajie the Little Glutton.

As Lei Jun had said, while the kid was still rather greedy, he had been diligent in his cultivation.

Given his innate foundation, his progress had been remarkably fast.

While training his disciple, Lei Jun continued refining his own divine abilities.

Under the starry night sky,

Elder Lei sat in a meditative posture.

Beneath him, his three-tiered altar, condensed entirely from his own Daoist energy, shimmered with a tangible presence.

Above, the Star Array and Dipper Formation mirrored the real stars in the heavens.

The Yuchen True Water, under Lei Jun’s constant refinement, lost its previous form—now transformed into a stream of flowing light.

With a calm expression, Lei Jun flicked his fingers once more.

Having once refined the essence of the Zi-Mu Condensing Essence Pearl, he now merged its power with his own Daoist energy, further refining the Great Celestial Jade.

The Great Celestial Jade flickered with light.

Deep within Lei Jun’s pupils, the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman emerged.

The gemstone and talisman's glow gradually aligned—

Until they synced completely.

With a final gesture, Lei Jun infused all the Yuchen True Water into the Great Celestial Jade.

The gem trembled violently, nearly shattering.

Above the altar, the heavenly stars encircled and reinforced it.

At last, the Great Celestial Jade calmed.

Its spiritual essence had deepened—while still the same, it now bore subtle transformations.

Under Lei Jun’s gaze, the gem slowly ascended toward the heavens.

Higher.

Higher.

It continued to rise.

Beyond the reach of the naked eye.

Even beyond the perception of most cultivators.