Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 275: One is still and the other is moving, a chance comes naturally

"Pure Yang Domain?"

Xu Yuanzhen had been preoccupied with refining something on the mountain recently.

Hearing Tang Xiaotang’s bold proclamation after exiting seclusion, she remained indifferent. "Alright, let's give it a try."

Lei Jun, intrigued, observed the battle.

In the Daoist Talismanic Branch, reaching the Eighth Heaven Realm meant stepping into the Divine Court Stage, which was divided into Four Manifestations of the Divine Court: Inner Manifestation, Middle Manifestation, Outer Manifestation, and Upper Manifestation—corresponding to the first through fourth levels of the Divine Court Stage.

If the Seventh Heaven Realm’sTongtian Stage was a bridge between mortals and the heavens, then truly crossing the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between the Seventh and Eighth Heavens marked one’s true ascension into the celestial realm.

At the Fifth Heaven Realm, talismanic cultivators constructed their Dao Palace; upon reaching the Eighth Heaven Realm, they built their Divine Court.

For these cultivators, the path of cultivation was a journey of deepening their connection and comprehension of the cosmos. Their Divine Court was the tangible manifestation of their understanding and their reconstructed model of the universe.

At first, this manifestation existed solely within their own bodies—hence the term Inner Manifestation. In a sense, it was akin to forming a personal inner universe.

From a combat perspective, the most direct benefit was that the Inner Manifestation could contain multiple apparitions at once, allowing the cultivator to summon and wield two apparitions simultaneously in battle.

Although Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang possessed unique physiques that allowed them to manifest multiple apparitions early in the Tongtian Stage, they lacked the support of an Inner Manifestation. While they could cultivate and train with dual dragons or dual tigers, they could only maintain one apparition at a time in actual combat. Activating a second apparition required dissolving and reforming the first, or switching between them.

By cultivating the Inner Manifestation, these limitations no longer applied.

Advancing further to the Middle Manifestation meant that the cultivator’s inner universe expanded further, beginning to resonate and interact with the external cosmos. Though not yet capable of full projection, this stage provided an additional layer of defense during combat—though from the outside, this defense was barely perceptible.

At the Outer Manifestation, the cultivator’s inner universe grew strong enough to fully reveal itself outwardly, forming an independent microcosm distinct from the world.

A cultivator of the Third-Level Divine Court Stage who projected their Outer Manifestation essentially established a separate realm—a domain infused with their own Dao comprehension.

Though still imperfect, this domain followed the cultivator’s will, with its laws and principles shaped by their mystical abilities. Within it, the cultivator gained an overwhelming home-field advantage, making every action exponentially more powerful.

Since each cultivator's Divine Court reflected their unique understanding of the Dao, even those who practiced identical techniques could develop distinctly different Outer Manifestations.

Thus, every Outer Manifestation was one of a kind.

For example, the former Tianshi, Li Qingfeng, had an Outer Manifestation known as the Dragon-Tiger Dao Palace.

Xu Yuanzhen's was called Endless Abyssal Void.

And now, Tang Xiaotang had named hers Pure Yang Domain.

As Lei Jun observed their battle, he saw an immense field of Pure Gold Radiance expand from Tang Xiaotang’s core, encompassing a vast area as though forming a world of pure gold.

Within this world, golden lightning and raging flames intertwined.

Opposing her, a massive Black Thundercloud coalesced around Xu Yuanzhen.

The black storm expanded, resembling a frozen glacier suspended in midair.

But the moment this thunder glacier clashed with Tang Xiaotang’s Pure Yang Domain, it began to change.

Deep within the black thundercloud, an endless and desolate abyss emerged—like the infinite void of space.

All light and heat seemed to be drawn away, leaving only boundless solitude and freezing darkness.

Gold and black. Fire and cold.

The edges of these two miniature worlds met in midair and began pressing against each other.

Their confrontation was silent yet intense.

In Lei Jun’s vision, the battlefield soon condensed into a massive sphere—half gold, half black—its two halves surging and colliding, neither yielding to the other.

The difference in cultivation between them was an undeniable fact.

As Xu Yuanzhen had pointed out, some paths she had already walked while Tang Xiaotang had yet to traverse them. This intangible disparity was real and unavoidable.

Advancing from the Third-Level Outer Manifestation to the Fourth-Level Upper Manifestation represented the next step.

At the Upper Manifestation, a cultivator’s microcosm matured into a complete small world of its own.

Compared to the Outer Manifestation, the Upper Manifestation was more stable, larger in scope, and offered a more proactive edge in combat. Beyond offense and defense, it allowed cultivators to forcibly draw opponents into their domain.

One day, if a cultivator transcended to the Ninth Heaven Realm’s Great Ascension Stage, their Upper Manifestation would transform into a Great Ascension Dao Domain, achieving even greater mystical prowess—approaching the level of true Dao itself.

The golden-black sphere trembled in midair for a long time before it slowly began to separate.

Two worlds—one gold, one black—parted and faced each other once more.

The golden Outer Manifestation gradually retracted until it disappeared, leaving only Tang Xiaotang, her eyebrows and hair still shimmering gold.

She no longer displayed her earlier excitement, nor did she seem discouraged. Instead, she was unusually quiet.

Her golden brows furrowed slightly as she gazed ahead, lost in thought.

Opposite her, the black domain also withdrew, collapsing into a Black Thundercloud that settled beneath Xu Yuanzhen.

Xu Yuanzhen did not mock her but gave a slight nod. “It’s a bit rough, but that’s fine. What matters is that it has potential.”

Tang Xiaotang said nothing, lost in contemplation.

As her thoughts deepened, her golden brows and hair gradually returned to black. She hovered motionless in the air.

Xu Yuanzhen did not disturb her. With a casual wave, she returned to her own cave to resume her work on refining spiritual artifacts.

After a while, Tang Xiaotang descended, her gaze sweeping the surroundings. Noticing Lei Jun still watching, she curled her lips. “Keep your venomous mouth shut.”

“I was just going to remind you,” Lei Jun spread his hands, “that the Talismanic Conferral Ceremony is coming up soon.”

“If you plan to enter seclusion again, you might want to preside over the ceremony first.”

Tang Xiaotang puffed up her cheeks. “...I remember.”

She suddenly gave Lei Jun a suspicious look.

“Now that I’ve calmed down from the excitement of leaving seclusion, you… seem different from before?”

Having been isolated for a long time, she had missed recent events. Hearing Lei Jun recount the past years' developments, her eyes widened.

“I missed so much?!”

Lei Jun shrugged. “It happens.”

What caught Tang Xiaotang’s attention the most, however, was Lei Jun’s latest breakthrough in his bone structure.

“So it really is the Two-Element Celestial Physique?”

Lei Jun nodded. “Yep.”

Tang Xiaotang immediately circled him twice, eyes gleaming. “Tell me everything. In detail.”

Lei Jun saw no reason to hide it from her and explained further.

By the end, a Taiji Diagram emerged behind him, with Yang and Yin swirling in balance—half brilliant light, half deep shadow.

Tang Xiaotang watched, fascinated. Behind her, a Taiji Diagram also appeared—half transparent, half pure gold.

The two diagrams reflected each other, and she nodded repeatedly.

She sighed, looking at Lei Jun with begrudging admiration. “I admit it. You really are ridiculously lucky.”

Lei Jun smirked. “You’ve been carefree for nearly forty years—I’ve only had two.”

Then he mentioned the recently completed Heavenly Palace Tablet.

Tang Xiaotang’s eyes lit up upon hearing that it might elevate one’s comprehension from Clear Tranquility to Natural Insight.

“Oh? I’ll have to check that out later.”

Lei Jun cautioned, “It’s only an opportunity—whether it works depends on other factors.”

“Worth a shot. Your dumb luck is outrageous, but I’ll still give it a try.”

She suddenly grinned slyly.

“Besides, I’m not entirely out of luck myself. If the east doesn’t shine, the west will. You think Natural Insight makes you untouchable? We’ll see about that.”

Lei Jun glanced at her thoughtfully.

Tang Xiaotang’s thoughts jumped again as she muttered, “Aside from Fu Dongsen… Hong Jie, Wei Qiyue, and Wang Dongchu? Damn, what’s up with Shushan…”

She clicked her tongue and said, “Back when I was in Jinzhou, I met Wei Qiyue once. I had a feeling that something was off with the Shushan Sect, and it turns out it all leads back to this. But at the time, her intentions weren’t so obvious, so I couldn’t be sure she was up to something.”

Lei Jun nodded slightly.

When Tang Xiaotang first mentioned this, Lei Jun had speculated that Shushan was focusing on the battle at Jiangzhou Lin Clan’s ancestral land, where the so-called external alchemy experts secretly aided Tianshi Mansion.

It was likely that Wei Qiyue had come for precisely that reason.

However, she was deep and calculating, and back then, she hadn’t shown any clear hostility toward Tang Xiaotang, which was why her instincts hadn’t fully picked up on it.

“Is Chen Donglou really dead?” Tang Xiaotang turned to ask Lei Jun. “And Ziweijian is in Earth Sea?”

Lei Jun responded, “Based on the information Elder Chen of Shushan received at the time, Ziweijian was indeed in the Earth Sea, where the Jiuli people were active. But so many years have passed, so whether that’s still the case remains to be verified.

“I’ve been focused on my own cultivation these past two years. I planned to investigate when I had the opportunity in the future. As for whether I can find Ziweijian, that’s up to luck. If you’re interested, I can pass the sword’s trace to you.”

Tang Xiaotang casually said, “I’m a little curious. I haven’t personally experienced the wonders of Shushan’s six great treasures. But I’m not particularly inclined to search for it myself. If you find it someday, let me borrow it for a look.”

She raised her hand and flicked her fingers. A talisman paper appeared between her index and middle fingers.

“I’ve been focusing on this, aside from refining the Four Sceneries of the Divine Court.”

Lei Jun took a glance and immediately understood. “Pure Yang Talisman?”

Unlike his own Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talisman, which he had gradually advanced step by step from the basic Five Thunder Talisman, Tang Xiaotang’s Heavenly Radiance Pure Yang Talisman and Divine Firmament Pure Yang Talisman were self-created after she had already reached the Upper Three Heavens realm.

Its foundation lay in her Pure Yang Celestial Physique.

This meant that if others wanted to study and comprehend her self-created talismans, the difficulty would be extremely high.

In recent years, besides her own cultivation, Tang Xiaotang had also been working on simplifying and systematizing her mystical Daoist arts and talismans. She hoped to leave behind a lasting legacy for her sect and contribute to the Talismanic Archives of Tianshi Mansion.

Naturally, this was far more difficult than Lei Jun’s approach.

After all, Lei Jun’s talismanic techniques were not derived from an innate special physique like hers.

Still, Tang Xiaotang was not only born gifted, but her comprehension was also exceptional.

This Pure Yang Talisman was an early-stage achievement of her work.

For now, it was still a basic-grade spirit talisman, but it was a promising start.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before she could create higher-grade talismans.

When that happened, Tianshi Mansion’s Talismanic Scriptures would gain another powerful addition.

Of course, this wouldn’t mean that anyone could easily cultivate a Pure Yang Thunder Dragon or a Pure Yang Fire Tiger like her.

But at the very least, it provided a possible path forward.

In the long run, as knowledge and techniques accumulated, even if later generations could not fully manifest the might of a Pure Yang Celestial Physique, they would still gain access to a new cultivation avenue.

Lei Jun took the Pure Yang Talisman from Tang Xiaotang, examined its intricacies, and repeatedly nodded.

“There’s a lot of brilliance in this… truly remarkable.”

At that moment, Tang Xiaotang suddenly remembered something.

“Oh right, you mentioned before that you obtained Yi-Zhuan Qiankun Qi. Do you still have any left?”

Lei Jun replied, “I still have a little left. Do you need it?”

Tang Xiaotang said, “Uncle-Master Yuan might need it more in the future. I don’t plan on refining it, but lend it to me so I can study it for a while.”

Lei Jun nodded and took out the cauldron, which he had been carefully nurturing. He handed it to Tang Xiaotang.

As soon as she received the cauldron and inspected the Yi-Zhuan Qiankun Qi within, she nodded slightly.

“This is indeed quite the rare spiritual material.”

After a few more exchanges, Tang Xiaotang returned to Tianshi Hall.

On one hand, she needed to consolidate her insights from her previous sparring match with Xu Yuanzhen.

On the other hand, she needed to prepare for the upcoming New Year Ceremony and Talisman Conferral Ceremony.

Early on, Tianshi Tang had been rather enthusiastic about such grand ceremonies, as they added prestige to her name.

But as time went on, she started finding them tedious.

So, for the Talisman Conferral Ceremony, she once again only served as the Supervision Master.

This year, the Initiation Master, who was also the main host of the ceremony, was Shangguan Ning.

Lei Jun, Zhang Jingzhen, and other elders assisted from the side.

As usual, Xu Yuanzhen did not participate in such formal events.

Of course, that didn’t diminish her presence at all.

Although the guests from outside didn’t see her in person, she was still a central topic of discussion.

Or rather, one of the main topics.

The other three figures often mentioned alongside her were Tang Xiaotang, Lei Jun, and Lei Jun’s only direct disciple—Zhuo Baojie.

As the guests watched Tianshi Tang and Elder Lei preside over the ceremony, and then saw the rotund figure in a deep-red Daoist robe stepping forward for the Talisman Conferral, many of them felt a surge of emotions.

After the ceremony ended, Shangguan Ning hosted the remaining guests on the mountain.

“The eldest disciple of Daoist Lei has now received his Talisman Conferral,” remarked Prince Zhang Mu of Xunan, his demeanor refined and composed like that of a scholarly Confucian master, despite being of imperial descent.

Both Shangguan Ning and Zhang Jingzhen nodded slightly.

Zhang Jingzhen spoke calmly, “Junior Brother Lei has no plans to take on additional disciples for now.”

Zhang Mu exhaled lightly. “I see…”

Shangguan Ning added, “These matters should not be forced. Let things take their natural course.”

Zhang Mu sighed and said nothing more.

Currently, Xu Yuanzhen, perhaps the strongest cultivator in Tianshi Mansion—or even the entire Tang Daoist sect—was just as well-known for her personality as she was for her strength.

She had never taken in a disciple.

Not even back when her master, Li Qingfeng, was still alive.

The only two people she had ever personally brought back to Mount Longhu were Tang Xiaotang and Lei Jun—both of whom had now become legendary figures.

By Daoist tradition, they should have been her disciples, but in the end, both ended up under different masters.

If even Tang Xiaotang and Lei Jun had gone their own way, who else could expect to be taken in by her?

Meanwhile, Tang Xiaotang herself had never shown any signs of accepting disciples either.

The only one to break precedent was Lei Jun.

Naturally, many within the Tang Imperial Court hoped to have one of their own enter his lineage.

However, as Shangguan Ning and Zhang Jingzhen had said, this was something that could only happen naturally.

Zhang Mu couldn’t help but feel speechless as he recalled the round little Daoist disciple in deep-red robes at the ceremony.

Regardless of how Prince Xunan felt, Lei Jun and his disciple paid it little mind.

Right now, Lei Jun was passing on the third volume of the True Canon of the Dao of Righteousness to Zhuo Baojie, just as his own master, Yuan Mobai, had done for him.

Zhuo Baojie sat upright, listening with utmost seriousness.

Lei Jun’s voice, however, took on a teasing tone.

“Bao Bao…”

Zhuo Baojie didn’t even correct his nickname this time. He just sat up straight and said solemnly, “Master, please instruct me.”

Chu Kun sighed. “I’ve been delayed longer than expected.”

He casually pulled out a spiritual fruit and handed it to Zhuo Huajie.

Zhuo Huajie’s small eyes darted around rapidly, but his face remained serious and formal as he received it with proper etiquette. “Thank you, Martial Uncle, for your generous gift.”

Chu Kun chuckled. “Since you’ve completed the Talisman Conferral and can now enter the Upper Qing Thunder Altar Grotto-Heaven, I figured I’d feed you a little first. That way, you don’t go on a rampage inside and completely wreck the place.”

Zhuo Huajie straightened his expression. “Martial Uncle, you overestimate me. I wouldn’t dare.”

Lei Jun smiled and waved his first disciple away before turning to Chu Kun. “What’s up?”

Chu Kun took out another item. “This trip wasn’t particularly fruitful, so I don’t have anything especially valuable for you. But I remembered you had some arrangements elsewhere, and I wondered if this might be useful to you.”

He held out a brocade box.

When the box was opened, a faintly glowing crystal lay inside.

The glow was gentle, but the aura it emitted made Lei Jun’s eyes light up.

The energy within was mild and nourishing, yet it contained a deep Daoist essence related to returning to the innate state—the Mother of All Things principle hidden within.

At first glance, it seemed ordinary, but its Daoist resonance and spirituality were extraordinarily profound.

It was the perfect representation of the Innate Mother’s nature.

Lei Jun sifted through his memory of the countless ancient texts he had studied during his time in the Decree Pavilion. “Yuantian Mother Crystal?”

Chu Kun nodded slightly. “Exactly.”

For cultivators of the Talismanic Branch, this was certainly a rare spiritual treasure, but its practical uses were limited.

However, for cultivators of the Daoist Alchemical Sect, this was immensely valuable—even more so than the Immortal Spirit Seed!

With the Yuantian Mother Crystal, a Sixth Heaven cultivator who had already formed their Dao Embryo would have a significantly greater chance of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

For Lei Jun himself, it wasn’t all that valuable.

But for Kang Ming, who carried inheritance from both the Talismanic Branch and the Alchemical Sect, this was an unparalleled treasure.

Kang Ming had forcefully taken over Wen Zhaoqian’s body, integrating the remnants of his Nascent Soul and Golden Core, but that didn’t automatically make him a true Nascent Soul cultivator.

He was currently stuck at the threshold between the Dao Embryo and Nascent Soul, and he needed to push through that barrier himself.

With the Yuantian Mother Crystal, combined with his innate talent and Wen Zhaoqian’s legacy, this breakthrough would become effortless.

However, Yuantian Mother Crystal was incredibly rare.

Even in the Pure Yang Palace, it was hard to find—let alone in the outside world.

Lei Jun accepted the treasure and thanked Chu Kun, but he didn’t immediately give it to Kang Ming.

It wasn’t that he wanted to use it as leverage or extract anything from Kang Ming.

Rather, he was waiting for the right moment.

“By the way, have you considered taking on an elder’s position?”

A thought crossed Lei Jun’s mind, and he suddenly asked Chu Kun.

At the Fifth Heaven, Chu Kun was already qualified.

The Tianshi Mansion was still somewhat lacking in manpower, especially in the mid-level ranks.

After all, Lei Jun himself had been promoted to Elder at the Fifth Heaven.

However, Chu Kun was currently in a rapid growth phase, and if he wanted to focus purely on cultivation, that was completely understandable.

The mansion wasn’t as short-staffed as in previous years, so it wasn’t an urgent matter.

Chu Kun asked, “What’s the mansion’s stance on this?”

Lei Jun replied, “Elder Shangguan and Senior Sister Zhang think you should gain some experience in official duties. Junior Martial Sister and Master don’t particularly care either way.”

Chu Kun pondered for a moment before saying, “Give me a few days to think it over.”

But knowing Chu Kun, Lei Jun could tell he was leaning toward accepting the position.

“I’m interested, but there are still some things I need to consider,” Chu Kun admitted openly. “Let me weigh my options carefully.”

Lei Jun nodded. “Take your time. It’s your decision.”

Chu Kun suddenly grinned. “By the way, Senior Brother, a lot of people are betting on whether you’ll reach the Eighth Heaven before you turn fifty.”

Lei Jun remained composed. “It won’t be easy. If I just continue following my current cultivation pace, the odds aren’t great.”

If he had upgraded his Yin-Yang Sacred Physique to the Two Elements Celestial Physique earlier in life, he would’ve had a shot.

But that upgrade only happened two years ago, and now that he was already forty-six, time was tight.

Not to mention, there was still the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation waiting between the Seventh and Eighth Heavens.

Chu Kun mused, “Senior Brother, you’ve always been blessed by fortune, with great luck and extraordinary opportunities. I believe you can do it. I’ll keep an eye out for anything that might help.”

Lei Jun smiled. “I appreciate your faith. But in the end, it’s all about fate and effort.”

The two chatted a bit more about the subject, but Lei Jun didn’t dwell on it.

He continued cultivating at his own pace, without any intention of leaving the mountain in search of lucky encounters.

Winter passed, and spring arrived.

His eldest senior sister, Xu Yuanzhen, who had been staying on the mountain for an unusually long time, finally grew restless.

“I’m heading to Zhongnan Mountain for a bit,” she said casually.

Lei Jun had only intended to see her off, but suddenly, the Light Sphere in his mind flickered—words began to appear:

“Clouds break over Zhongnan, winds rise from Beiguang. One still, one in motion—opportunity is formed.”

Then, three omens emerged:

• Upper-Moderate Omen: Traveling to Beiguang Mountain outside Zhongnan offers a chance to obtain a Second-Grade Opportunity, but there may be turbulence and entanglements—Good Luck.

• Moderate-Moderate Omen: Traveling to Pure Yang Palace in Zhongnan Mountain will bring no additional gains nor losses—Neutral.

• Moderate-Moderate Omen: Staying on Mount Longhu will bring no additional gains nor losses—Neutral.

Lei Jun’s gaze deepened.

This trip… might not be so simple.