Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 274: The Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Dharma Image and the Mysterious Sky Thunder Ancestor Dharma Image

The purple Thunder Dragon roared, its righteous and masculine energy surging straight into the Nine Heavens.

If Lei Jun hadn’t been carefully restraining his power, allowing it to circulate freely within himself rather than letting it burst out, this single roar—half dragon’s cry, half thunderclap—would have shaken all of Mount Longhu.

Right now, under his control, the thunder was contained, not spilling outward. Yet, waves of draconic might spread through the room, and arcs of purple lightning danced continuously within the meditation chamber.

This was the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, the ancestral legacy of Tianshi Mansion on Mount Longhu.

Thunder roared above the Nine Heavens, its nature pure Yang, its power repelling all evil.

To wield this divine thunder, one had to master the foremost among the Three Great Talismanic Canons recorded in the Three Realms True Canon—the Thunder Law Talismanic Canon.

Aside from the Li family bloodline, this art had been lost to the Mount Longhu lineage for a hundred years. Now, it reappeared in the hands of an outsider disciple of Tianshi Mansion.

Through constant study and refinement, Lei Jun had finally made progress in mastering the Thunder Law Talismanic Canon.

Rolling purple divine thunder formed dense thunderclouds, filling the meditation chamber. Within the storm, a colossal purple Thunder Dragon loomed, flickering in and out of sight.

Lei Jun sat cross-legged atop the swirling purple thunderclouds, watching the Yang Thunder Dragon coil and rise within the storm.

His hands moved through various Daoist seals before pressing together at his chest.

At once, the purple thundercloud beneath him contracted, and with it, the Yang Thunder Dragon solidified. Finally, it seemed as though a real Thunder Dragon had manifested above Mount Longhu.

Lei Jun cupped his hands in a formal Daoist salute toward the enormous dragon before him.

As of today, he had taken his first true step in mastering this supreme Daoist mystical art.

In the days to come, through continued refinement and deeper comprehension, he could further grasp the profound mysteries of the Thunder Law Talismanic Canon, unlocking even more intricate transformations.

Lei Jun exhaled a long breath, dispersing the purple thunder. As the lightning dissipated, the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Apparition also unraveled.

He clasped his hands behind his back and paced slowly through the meditation chamber.

After a long while, Lei Jun suddenly halted.

Then, his hands once again shifted through a series of Daoist seals, finally pressing together before him.

The next moment, a surge of black lightning appeared.

Unlike the purple Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, which was bold and radiant, purely righteous in its majesty, this black lightning was silent and unfathomable, its mysteries concealed within. As it spread outward, it resembled dark ocean waves, rolling and surging endlessly.

Lei Jun stood amid this black ocean, the surface rising and falling in undulating swells.

Gradually, a black dragon’s head began to take shape, emerging from the darkness.

A Black Thunder Dragon.

At present, it was not as refined or tangible as the earlier Purple Thunder Dragon—its form was still rough and incomplete.

Yet, another Thunder Dragon had taken shape. Another thunder apparition was being born.

Above Lei Jun’s head, five talismans flickered in unison, forming a talisman array. Finally, the entire formation condensed into a single black talisman.

This was Lei Jun’s own creation—the Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talismanic Canon.

From this self-created talismanic canon, Lei Jun had begun to manifest a unique apparition:

The Mysterious Firmament Thunder Ancestor Apparition.

Like Tang Xiaotang’s Pure Yang Thunder Ancestor Apparition, this was an entirely new branch of thunder arts, independent from Mount Longhu’s Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Apparition.

Since it was newly created, there was still much to refine and improve.

If not for possessing both a Celestial Physique and Clear Tranquility Comprehension, Lei Jun would never have been able to condense two thunder apparitions in such a short time.

His cultivation had indeed advanced rapidly, but overall, he had followed the steady and methodical path taught by Yuan Mobai, progressing one step at a time.

Only after reaching the Seventh Heaven Realm and beginning to condense his own apparitions did he find ways to accelerate the process.

The Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talismanic Canon was an evolution of his life-bound spell, so it already had a strong foundation.

With the unique advantages of his Two-Element Celestial Physique, he was able to grasp and cultivate both Yin Thunder and Yang Thunder at an accelerated pace, aiding his comprehension of the Thunder Law Talismanic Canon.

Now that the Thunder Law Talismanic Canon was firmly established and the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Apparition had been condensed, the process had, in turn, further accelerated the development of his self-created Mysterious Firmament Thunder Ancestor Apparition.

It was a cycle of exploiting loopholes.

Of course, the biggest loophole he had leveraged was the fact that he had already mastered the Doumu Star God Apparition in advance.

With that as a foundation, he had successively cultivated both the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Apparition and the Mysterious Firmament Thunder Ancestor Apparition, allowing him to wield three major apparitions at the Seventh Heaven Realm.

“Hmm… I need to refine my comprehension further and continue solidifying my foundation.” Lei Jun nodded, his mind calm and steady.

For now, no one else knew about the Mysterious Firmament Thunder Ancestor Apparition. However, the Mysterious Thunder he had created had already been revealed to the world.

Aside from the yet-to-be-perfected Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talismanic Canon, Lei Jun officially incorporated the Five Thunder Talisman and the Yin Five Thunder Orthodox Talisman—which he had created in the Lower Three Heavens and Middle Three Heavens—into the foundational and advanced Talismanic Scriptures of Tianshi Mansion, strengthening his sect’s legacy.

As a High Priest Elder, he had the authority to make such decisions, requiring only a formal ritual to inform the ancestral masters.

News of this quickly spread, stirring a great deal of discussion among the younger disciples of Tianshi Mansion.

Elder Lei’s legendary status was now second only to Tang Tianshi and Elder Xu.

Compared to them, Elder Lei’s rise had been more straightforward and clearly documented, unlike the meteoric and enigmatic ascents of the others.

Moreover, in daily affairs, Elder Lei conducted himself with a measured and steady demeanor.

He felt more approachable, earning both admiration and a sense of inspiration from others.

As a result, many young cultivators began selecting Lei Jun’s Five Thunder Talisman and Yin Five Thunder Orthodox Talisman for study.

Training with the Five Thunder Talisman was manageable—it was complex, but those who delved into it found its intricacies endlessly fascinating.

However, studying the Yin Five Thunder Orthodox Talisman was far more difficult, causing many disciples to falter.

Lei Jun observed this and continually refined the two talismans, simplifying their structure to make them more accessible and adaptable.

This was an essential process.

Every supreme technique in Tianshi Mansion’s history had undergone a period of refinement, evolving through generations of disciples until they became polished cornerstones of the sect’s legacy.

Of course, Lei Jun didn’t have to complete this process alone.

Over time, as successive disciples of Tianshi Mansion continued to study and perfect the talismans, the Five Thunder Talisman and Yin Five Thunder Orthodox Talisman would, like the Thunder Talisman and the Five Thunder Orthodox Talisman, become stable and refined tools—not necessarily more powerful, but far more practical.

That said, Lei Jun enjoyed researching Daoist arts and mystical abilities. So beyond his personal cultivation, he remained dedicated to fine-tuning the talismans he had integrated into the sect’s scriptures.

Meanwhile, a new research topic had caught his attention:

How could he, a talismanic cultivator, incorporate and imitate the divine sword techniques of Shushan’s Artifact Refining Sect?

With Chen Donglou’s Command Sword and lingering Immortal Soul Fragments as his foundation, he had the basics.

But mastering them seamlessly—without raising suspicion among those familiar with Chen Donglou—would require extensive practice.

Time passed in relentless cultivation.

Lei Jun was deeply immersed in his work, thoroughly enjoying the process.

Beyond Mount Longhu, however, the world remained in turmoil.

Two years had passed since the Shocking Incident at Xiaoding Mountain in Shushan.

During this time, Mount Longhu and the other two Daoist Holy Lands had continuously cooperated with the Tang Imperial Court to purge the Mortal Dao Nation’s forces.

The remnants of the Mortal Dao Nation had gone underground, lying low in hopes of weathering the storm.

Yet, the tides of fate were ever-changing.

Just as one crisis seemed to settle, another would rise.

And eventually, the Mortal Dao Nation’s patience paid off.

The long-dormant Southern Wasteland stirred once more.

At first, it was merely the Blood River Sect’s sect master, Wei Anchang, returning to the martial world—an event that reignited tensions within the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect.

However, the initial turmoil was mostly confined within the Southern Wasteland.

This time, when Wei Anchang reemerged in the world, the commotion he caused wasn’t as great as when he first attempted to unify the Witch Sect. That was because there were already dissenting voices within the Blood River Sect.

Back when Wei Anchang and the Blood River Sect were forced to flee the Southern Wasteland, a new generation of Blood River powerhouses began to emerge, among whom Xing Feng initially rose to prominence.

Unlike most of the Blood River elites, Xing Feng had always displayed a distinct difference—he could be considered a conservative within the Blood River lineage.

When the Blood River Sect suffered defeat and was besieged by other Witch Sect experts, Xing Feng personally stepped in to save many of his fellow disciples. Over the years, as his strength continued to grow, so did his prestige within the sect.

Though Xing Feng was also fierce and battle-hardened, he placed greater emphasis on debts and grudges rather than killing for the sake of killing. He rarely provoked conflict without reason, and his style was vastly different from Wei Anchang’s.

Now that Wei Anchang had returned, the first obstacle in his path was this junior.

Due to the nature of Blood River’s cultivation lineage, most of its disciples craved rapid advancement and were willing to ignore the risks. Furthermore, their practice naturally nurtured a violent and bloodthirsty disposition, leading most of them to side with Wei Anchang.

Yet, a portion of the Blood River disciples remained loyal to Xing Feng, creating a clear rift within the sect.

If Wei Anchang couldn’t handle the upstart within his own ranks, it would not only weaken the sect’s cohesion and strength but also tarnish his personal reputation.

Thus, like a battle between a new beast king and an old one, a confrontation between Wei Anchang and Xing Feng was inevitable.

Although Wei Anchang held the advantage of a Ninth Heaven cultivation realm and the majority’s support, he had also made many enemies—few wished to see him thrive.

Failing to immediately take down Xing Feng meant that Wei Anchang’s return started on a sour note, his momentum stifled.

Yet, Wei Anchang neither panicked nor grew angry.

All he needed was more blood, more lives, and more slaughter.

But soon, an unexpected major upheaval in the Southern Wasteland caught even Wei Anchang off guard.

Within a short period, all eyes turned toward the region—not only those of the Tang Dynasty but also those of the Western Region’s Buddhist sects and even various demon clans.

Because at that moment—the Jiuli Secret Realm had reopened.

And it had connected to one of the legendary Nine Heavens and Ten Earths—the Earth Sea!

The fabled Jiuli people had reappeared in the world.

At Tianshi Mansion, Yuan Mobai had personally traveled to the Southern Wasteland and was currently there.

Through his master, Lei Jun could receive firsthand information.

“It is indeed the Jiuli people. So far, they have acted with restraint. However, the entire Jiuli Secret Realm is shrouded in black mist, blocking out the sky. Fortunately, the mist has not spread beyond its borders,” Yuan Mobai relayed via voice transmission.

Lei Jun asked, “Has there been any contact with them?”

Yuan Mobai replied, “Both the Reincarnation Abyss, the holy land of the Cursing Lineage, and Gepo Mountain, the holy land of the Divine Dance Lineage, have sent envoys to make contact. But the details remain unclear. Over at Reincarnation Abyss, their Holy Master, Feng Gui, is personally handling the situation. Brother Sun has no further updates at the moment.”

Lei Jun continued, “The Tang Imperial Court should have sent people by now, right?”

Yuan Mobai answered, “They already had personnel stationed in the Southern Wasteland. Previously, we even visited Ailao Mountain in Nanzhao one after the other.”

“Oh?” Lei Jun responded with interest.

Yuan Mobai’s trip to Ailao Mountain in the Southwest was due to his personal… bear lineage—no, scratch that—his personal connections. Specifically, Elder Sun Li from Reincarnation Abyss.

According to Sun Li, Zheng Dongying had once traveled to Ailao Mountain.

Zheng Dongying was a Seventh Heaven cultivator of the Artifact Refining Branch from Shushan Sect, and a High Elder of the sect.

She was also the personal disciple of Supreme Elder Wei Qiyue. Two years ago, when Xiaoding Summit fell into chaos, she had followed Wei Qiyue, Fu Dongsen, Hong Jie, and others into Qingxiao Hall, disappearing from the mortal world as a member of the Mortal Daoist Nation.

Sun Li recalled that he had briefly encountered Zheng Dongying in the Ailao Mountain region. The two had merely passed by each other without much interaction.

At the time, the Mortal Daoist Nation had not yet been exposed, and Zheng Dongying had concealed her identity, so Sun Li hadn’t paid much attention to her presence.

The reason he brought it up now was that Ailao Mountain had been in turmoil back then.

In the southwest, the Southern Wasteland’s great demons and the Snow Plains’ great demons were engaged in fierce battles, and Ailao Mountain was one of the battlegrounds.

For someone like Sun Li, a Witch Sect cultivator, traversing such perilous regions was expected. But for Zheng Dongying to leave Tang-controlled Bashu and risk traveling there, she must have had a reason.

Now that the Mortal Daoist Nation’s secret had been exposed and considering the events at Nanzhao’s Stone Forest, Snow Dragon Mountain, and Ancient Wood Mountain, Sun Li speculated that there might have been something hidden in Ailao Mountain.

After discussing with Sun Li and Lei Jun, Yuan Mobai determined that something was likely concealed there. However, now that Zheng Dongying and her group had been exposed, whatever was hidden had either been moved or destroyed. Still, they might find clues, so he went to investigate.

His luck was neither good nor bad.

While in the western region of Ailao Mountain, Yuan Mobai did find some traces, but their value remained uncertain.

He had originally planned to return to the mountain later to analyze them carefully.

However, the Tang Imperial Court’s representatives had also gone there, though they were a step too late.

Now, with the shocking developments in the Southern Wasteland, both Yuan Mobai and the Tang Imperial Court had turned their focus to the Jiuli Secret Realm.

“That General Shen seems to be there as well,” Yuan Mobai remarked.

Lei Jun nodded slightly. “Their intelligence is quite sharp.”

Yuan Mobai said, “I will remain in the Southern Wasteland for a while longer. Take care of things at the mountain.”

Lei Jun replied, “Don’t worry, Master. Though Senior Sister Xiaotang has yet to emerge from seclusion, Eldest Senior Sister recently returned to the mountain. I also assist Uncle-Master Shangguan in managing the mansion from time to time. The real concern is you, Master—you’re alone out there, so please take care.”

After returning from the Eastern Sea, Xu Yuanzhen had resumed her usual lifestyle—spending some time at the mountain, but spending most of the year traveling.

Or rather, wandering around.

And each time she returned, she never came back empty-handed.

According to her, she even discarded some items she considered useless or unworthy…

But the ones she did bring back—whether or not they were useful for Daoist Talismanic Cultivators—were at the very least rare and precious natural treasures.

For example, this time, she brought back a spiritual material called Haoran Cloud Radiance.

It resembled ethereal mist, expanding into a vast white fog when released, but condensing into a glowing cloud when stored.

Not only did it contain abundant spiritual energy, but it also resonated with the Righteous Qi cultivated by Confucian scholars.

Undoubtedly, it was a precious artifact for Confucian cultivation.

Seeing this, Lei Jun immediately thought of Meng Shaojie, though he decided not to contact him just yet.

Instead, his junior brother, Chu Kun, approached him.

“Senior Brother, would you mind lending me a couple of your personally crafted Heaven’s Vision and Earth’s Hearing Talismans?”

Lei Jun glanced at him and smiled. “Going out to train?”

Without elaborating, Chu Kun nodded casually. “Yeah, I need them for scouting and detecting danger.”

Lei Jun studied him for a moment before nodding. “With your current cultivation, there are many places you can go, but caution is always necessary.”

Then, he personally crafted two Heaven’s Vision and Earth’s Hearing Talismans and handed over a Thousand-Mile Transmission Talisman.

“If anything happens, contact me.”

Chu Kun accepted them, thanked Lei Jun, and left the mountain.

Lei Jun didn’t actively monitor his junior brother, but he guessed that the kid wouldn’t go far.

He was probably going out for training, but in a different sense of the word.

Lei Jun didn’t pry into his fellow disciples’ secrets; he simply focused on improving his own cultivation and mastering mystical Daoist arts.

After attaining the Celestial Physique, aside from the convenience it brought in cultivating mystical abilities, his daily cultivation also progressed more smoothly, and he could feel his growth more intuitively.

In the Talismanic Branch, the Seventh Heaven realm was called Tongtian.

In a way, it could also be called the Path to the Heavens.

This realm was more of a process rather than a fixed stage or checkpoint.

Once a cultivator set foot on this Path to the Heavens, they would continue moving forward indefinitely.

But it was an extremely profound and arduous road.

Many cultivators who had already reached the Upper Three Heavens might spend the rest of their lives on this path.

Even those with exceptional talent might spend over a century here, passing through the golden window of their cultivation prime, only to ultimately halt at the Eighth Heaven.

Even someone as gifted as Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang had spent over ten years on this path.

Of course, that might not have been their absolute limit.

But cultivation was a deeply personal journey, and there were countless mysteries within it.

Who they were now was the best version of themselves, and the path they had taken was the one most suited to them.

Lei Jun was currently walking the same path.

Thanks to his numerous opportunities, he felt himself moving faster and faster.

But he hadn’t yet reached the end—he still had to keep pushing forward.

Not to mention, at the very top of this Path to the Heavens, there was still the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation waiting between the Seventh Heaven and Eighth Heaven.

Lei Jun remained calm and composed, continuing his cultivation.

Aside from his own training, his other responsibility was teaching his first disciple.

Baobao had a strong foundation, and he was constantly transforming that foundation into actual strength.

Because of this, his progress was far faster than most.

At this point, he had already reached the Third Heaven Altar Realm of the Talismanic Branch.

By the established standards, he was now qualified to participate in the Talisman Conferral Ceremony.

It had been six years since the last Talisman Conferral Ceremony, and after the New Year, on the fifteenth of the first month, a new ceremony would take place.

Lei Jun’s eldest disciple, Zhuo Huajie, was already confirmed to participate in this round.

…Assuming everything went smoothly.

The uncertainty lay with the current Tianshi, Tang Xiaotang—whether or not she would exit seclusion before the New Year.

However, before the New Year, another matter came knocking at Lei Jun’s door.

“Huajie has been improving rapidly. Lei Junior Brother, your guidance has been excellent.”

Zhang Jingzhen visited Lei Jun’s residence, smiling as she looked at the round little apprentice, who had a serious and adult-like expression.

Lei Jun replied, “A master leads the way, but cultivation depends on the individual. He may be a bit lazy at times, but he’s diligent when it comes to training.”

A certain round apprentice stood obediently behind Lei Jun, eyes lowered, paws clasped together in front of him.

Hearing his master’s words, his expression remained solemn and respectful, but his front paws subtly shifted positions—one of his small habits when he was pleased.

“Lei Junior Brother is right.”

After a brief pause, Zhang Jingzhen continued candidly, “I came here today with a question. I’d like to hear your thoughts.”

Lei Jun nodded, “Please, Senior Sister, speak freely.”

Zhang Jingzhen asked, “Do you have any plans to take in another disciple?”

Lei Jun replied, “In this matter, my master taught me to follow fate. If I encounter a destined individual in my travels, I may bring them back and introduce them to our sect.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingzhen nodded in understanding. “Master Yuan taught well. We cultivators should follow the will of Heaven and act according to fate. That’s how it should be.”

After some casual conversation, Zhang Jingzhen bid farewell.

Zhuo Huajie escorted Senior Uncle Zhang out of the residence and, upon returning, asked, “Master, was Senior Uncle Zhang recommending someone to you as a disciple?”

Although he wasn’t the most perceptive person, he had seen similar situations before and found nothing surprising about it.

Lei Jun replied, “Not necessarily her own idea. She was likely acting as a middleman, conveying the intention of the Tang Imperial Family.”

Over the years, there had still been royal descendants joining Mount Longhu.

But Lei Jun’s current status and position were far from ordinary.

Normally, Zhang Jingzhen would have turned such requests away.

This time, she was likely personally asked by high-ranking members of the Tang Imperial Family to see where Lei Jun stood on the matter.

Lei Jun didn’t particularly seek out disciples, but neither did he take on students just as a favor.

As he had said—it depended on fate and connection.

Winter arrived, and the New Year drew near.

The question of whether or not to prepare for the upcoming Talisman Conferral Ceremony left the Tianshi Mansion momentarily hesitant.

Fortunately, Tang Tianshi didn’t put them in a difficult position this time.

She exited seclusion before the New Year.

However, she seemed far more interested in something else than the upcoming Talisman Conferral Ceremony.

“Senior Sister is still on the mountain? That’s perfect!”

A certain Tianshi burst into hearty laughter.

“Come, come! I finally have an external manifestation of my Divine Court now! You’ve got Eternal Deep Space, and I’ve got the Pure Yang Realm—let’s spar again!”