Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 276: Beheading with One Sword

Lei Jun looked at the three omen lots, feeling a bit surprised internally, though his expression remained unchanged.

"Zhongnan Mountain? Senior Sister, are you heading to Pure Yang Palace?"

Xu Yuanzhen casually replied, "Mm, just taking a look. I’ve been working on some new things recently, so I figured I'd take a trip."

Lei Jun pondered for a moment. "Senior Sister, are you suspecting…?"

Xu Yuanzhen said, "Whether or not Mortal Dao Nation still has people within Pure Yang Palace, it’s too early to say. I’ll use this trip to take a look."

So, among the three omen lots, the Moderate-Moderate Omen was likely referring to accompanying Senior Sister Xu to Pure Yang Palace on Zhongnan Mountain… Lei Jun considered this carefully.

A neutral omen didn’t necessarily mean the trip would be completely uneventful.

It could mean that something would happen, but because of Xu Yuanzhen’s presence, any potential trouble would be resolved.

The reason it was a neutral omen was likely because there would be no danger or loss—but also no particularly significant gains.

That was where the true opportunity and rewards would lie.

A Second-Grade Opportunity was rare… Lei Jun deliberated briefly before making a decision.

"Senior Sister, I’ll also head to Zhongnan Mountain." Lei Jun said, "You take your path, I’ll take mine. We’ll move separately but keep in touch."

Xu Yuanzhen was indifferent. "Sure, do as you like."

However, Tang Xiaotang seemed intrigued. "Oh? What’s the catch?"

Lei Jun replied, "Not sure yet. But I’ll also take the opportunity to check out Huangtian Sect’s ancestral altar—maybe I’ll get lucky."

Tang Xiaotang thought for a moment. "Hmm, I see. You guys really know how to pick your timing. I’m right at a crucial stage in developing the Heavenly Radiance True Fire Talisman and Divine Firmament Celestial Thunder Talisman."

She was never one to sit still, but when it came to cultivation, she could settle down and focus.

Lei Jun smiled. "Looking forward to your results, Junior Sister."

Though he said this, Lei Jun did not leave the mountain as openly as Xu Yuanzhen did.

Instead, he concealed his departure, leaving behind a Heaven-Seer Earth-Listener Talisman to create the illusion that he was still on the mountain. He entrusted it to Senior Brother Wang Guiyuan and Third Martial Brother Chu Kun to maintain the deception.

Before even stepping out of the sect’s ancestral grounds, Lei Jun activated the Hidden Path Technique from his Heavenly Travel Talisman to mask his presence further, using his Illusory Mirror to reinforce the effect.

Once he departed from Mount Longhu’s ancestral grounds, Lei Jun traveled northwest, crossing the Great River toward Guanzhong.

As planned, he and Xu Yuanzhen each took their own separate routes.

Compared to Lei Jun, Xu Yuanzhen traveled in a far more leisurely manner, pausing frequently along the way.

As a result, Lei Jun was the first to arrive in Guanzhong.

Though curious about the region, he stayed focused on his goal, avoiding the old Tang capital of Chang’an entirely and heading directly toward Zhongnan Mountain.

He even bypassed the main peak where Pure Yang Palace was located, continuing north instead.

At the northernmost part of the Zhongnan Mountain Range lay Beiguang Mountain, a relatively remote and unremarkable area in terms of spiritual terrain.

Lei Jun wasn’t very familiar with this region, so he arrived early to familiarize himself with the environment.

To avoid exposing his presence, he kept a low profile, moving carefully as he scouted the area.

A brief survey revealed nothing unusual.

However, Lei Jun felt a faint sense of unease—something about the flow of spiritual energy in the mountain’s earth veins seemed slightly off.

This anomaly wasn’t obvious unless one knew to look for it. Since he had prior knowledge that something might happen in Beiguang Mountain, he managed to pick up on these subtle irregularities.

However, without directly probing into the earth veins, it was difficult to uncover more in the short term.

Lei Jun took note of this and chose not to investigate further. Instead, he decided to wait patiently.

"When the clouds break over Zhongnan, the winds shall rise in Beiguang."

This suggested that something would happen at Zhongnan Mountain first, triggering a reaction at Beiguang Mountain.

Most likely, it would be something Xu Yuanzhen stirred up at Pure Yang Palace.

Lei Jun turned his gaze southward.

That direction led to Pure Yang Palace, nestled atop the main peak of Zhongnan Mountain.

During the Guanzhong Demon Uprising, Pure Yang Palace had been overrun. Survivors had retreated to Chang’an for refuge.

After the crisis passed and the great demons withdrew, the disciples of Pure Yang Palace reclaimed their ancestral grounds.

Even so, a Daoist Holy Land like Pure Yang Palace had suffered immensely under the demons’ rampage.

Due to the widespread slaughter and lingering demonic energy, the environment around their ancestral grounds had become severely tainted.

The disciples were left with no choice but to painstakingly cleanse the land.

Unlike Bodhi Monastery, which had been forced to relocate entirely, Pure Yang Palace had enough surviving elders to lead the purification effort.

Under their guidance, the disciples slowly restored the spiritual energy of their sect’s grounds, working tirelessly to return it to its former splendor.

The process would take a long time, but they had never wavered in their efforts.

Now, even Sect Master Huang had returned to the mountain. Though Pure Yang Palace had yet to regain its former majesty, the worst of the demonic corruption had been expelled.

It would be a long road to full restoration, but they remained steadfast.

Lei Jun waited patiently.

Then, suddenly, his eyes gleamed as his Celestial Ground-Through Talisman activated, flashing with light.

His senses picked up numerous approaching figures—including several high-level cultivators.

Already concealed, Lei Jun immediately restrained his presence even further.

The Illusory Mirror turned, its dark side casting a faint glow that further obscured him.

He lifted his Breath-Taking Flag, blending his presence into the surrounding mountains as though he were part of the terrain itself.

The incoming group was not coming from the direction of Pure Yang Palace—but rather from the opposite side, north of the Great River.

There were two distinct groups.

One had the larger numbers, clad in monk robes of a style entirely different from the Buddhist disciples of the Central Plains.

These were monks of the Western Vajra Sect.

The second group was smaller, dressed in black-outer, white-inner Daoist robes—the attire of Pure Yang Palace disciples.

Leading the Pure Yang Palace group were two figures, one man and one woman.

The man was elderly, with snow-white hair yet a youthful face, exuding an aura of immortality and wisdom.

Lei Jun recognized him immediately.

This was Lü Jinduan, a senior elder of Pure Yang Palace—someone he had encountered a few times before.

The relatively young Pure Yang Palace priestess was someone Lei Jun had never met in person, but he had seen many portraits of her before.

Her name was Jiang Yu.

She was the woman born with a Pure Yin Celestial Physique who, ironically, had entered the Pure Yang Palace. Undoubtedly, after Yue Xiling, she was the most outstanding rising star of Pure Yang Palace’s younger generation, having already successfully formed her Nascent Soul at a young age, reaching the Upper Three Heavens realm.

Lei Jun’s Two-Element Celestial Physique allowed him to balance and integrate multiple forms of power in a harmonious and versatile way.

However, in terms of raw cultivation speed, he was slightly slower than those with extreme-attribute physiques, such as Tang Xiaotang with her Pure Yang Celestial Physique and Jiang Yu with her Pure Yin Celestial Physique.

Lei Jun couldn’t help but wonder about Jiang Yu’s aptitude.

Pure Yang Palace had always regretted missing out on Tang Xiaotang. Jiang Yu’s entry into their sect was, to some extent, a form of redemption for them.

Judging by her rapid cultivation progress, it was clear that while a Pure Yin Celestial Physique joining Pure Yang Palace might seem like an ironic joke, their teachings and inheritance had fully nurtured her potential, rather than stifling it.

On the other side, the Western Region’s Buddhist representatives included three Upper Three Heavens cultivators, all well-known figures whom Lei Jun recognized.

One of them, a Seventh Heaven monk, appeared aged and elderly—he was none other than Long Jia Shangren, an elder of Vajra Monastery. He was the very monk who once obtained a clue about the Tianshi Seal and had ventured to Mount Longhu in hopes of trying his luck.

Another Seventh Heaven monk, appearing around thirty years old, but actually much younger, had a calm and steady demeanor with deep, profound eyes. His name was Suo Yang, the current abbot of Vajra Monastery.

Years ago, when he was still a youth, Vajra Monastery had declared him the next abbot and dispatched a group of powerful monks to escort him back to the monastery.

During the journey, they were ambushed by the White Lotus Sect and the Vast Void Temple.

Many high monks from Vajra Monastery perished in battle, but young Suo Yang ultimately made it back safely.

He lived up to expectations, achieving the Upper Three Heavens in an astonishingly short time—his speed rivaled even that of Tang Xiaotang.

Lei Jun knew that Vajra Monastery possessed a unique secret technique for their abbots, allowing one successor per generation to cultivate at an accelerated rate.

Even so, he still found it remarkable.

The technique was mainly a rapid advancement method, designed to push the abbot to the Upper Three Heavens as fast as possible.

According to past trends, however, once a Vajra Monastery abbot reached Seventh Heaven, their cultivation speed would slow down dramatically.

Whether Suo Yang could break that pattern remained to be seen.

That said, his circumstances were vastly different from those of his predecessors.

In the past, Vajra Monastery had been an isolated stronghold in the Western Region, and the abbot had to hold the monastery together against external threats.

But now, with the resurgence of Mount Sumeru, and the Vajra Division experts descending into the mortal world, the Western Region’s Buddhist sects had become an unignorable force.

However, with Vajra Monastery now absorbed into the Vajra Division, Suo Yang’s position had changed.

Whether it was a rise or a fall, only he himself could know.

Standing beside him was another monk from Mount Sumeru.

He appeared no older than twenty, with a dignified, radiant presence, his features strikingly handsome—his face was like polished jade.

Yet, despite looking the youngest, he was actually the strongest among the Western monks.

He was an Eighth Heaven cultivator, inheriting the Mudra Techniques lineage of Buddhism.

Although he looked younger than Suo Yang, his actual age was far greater than his youthful appearance suggested.

Lei Jun had never met him in person before, but he was all too familiar with his name.

Sangjie Shangren.

Yes… the same Sangjie Shangren who had been beaten up by Tang Xiaotang.

At first glance, his face didn’t seem particularly punchable.

But who knew what he was truly like inside?

Lei Jun silently concealed his presence, avoiding direct eye contact with the group.

Both Daoist Alchemical Sect cultivators and Buddhist Mudra Lineage monks emphasized both the soul and the physical body, making them highly attuned to spiritual awareness.

The Western Region’s Buddhist sects were particularly adept at detecting hidden presences.

If a Daoist Alchemical Sect cultivator didn’t project their Yang Spirit or Nascent Soul outward, then a Buddhist Mudra master could actually hold the advantage in spiritual perception.

However, Lei Jun had already withdrawn his mana and presence, blending seamlessly with Beiguang Mountain, making it difficult for even Sangjie Shangren and Lü Jinduan to detect him.

Even without actively listening, some fragments of the monks' conversation still drifted into his ears.

From what he gathered, Sangjie Shangren, Suo Yang, and Long Jia Shangren had just returned from the Northern Frontier beyond the desert and were now visiting Pure Yang Palace.

Upon receiving the news, Pure Yang Palace had sent Lü Jinduan and Jiang Yu to welcome them partway and escort them inside.

Recently, the Western Region’s Buddhist sects had been highly active, taking the initiative in many situations.

The three great Daoist holy lands had all secretly taken notice.

However, since the Buddhists had yet to show overt hostility, Pure Yang Palace naturally maintained its etiquette.

Especially given Pure Yang Palace’s weakened state at present.

To personally greet Sangjie Shangren, Lü Jinduan, an Eighth Heaven Elder of the Vermilion Bird Hall, had gone out in person—a sign of high respect.

During the Guanzhong Demon Uprising, Pure Yang Palace had suffered heavy casualties.

Afterward, only four Eighth Heaven elders remained in the sect, just enough to fill the four great elder positions.

• The former Azure Dragon Elder had perished, and his replacement, Rong Guangchen, was an ancient senior, even older than the sect master Huang Xuanpu. He had spent years in seclusion but emerged after the palace suffered great losses.

• The White Tiger Elder remained Guan Jing, now the backbone of Pure Yang Palace, leading the reconstruction of their ancestral hall.

• The former Vermilion Bird Elder, Wang Xuan, had gone missing, and his successor was Lü Jinduan.

• The former Black Tortoise Elder, Gu Han, had been confirmed as a member of the Mortal Daoist Nation and was also one of the traitors who orchestrated the sect’s downfall. His replacement was Yue Xiling, who had recently broken through to Eighth Heaven after the demon uprising subsided.

Meanwhile, the remaining Seventh Heaven elders were working to stabilize the sect under the leadership of Rong Guangchen, Guan Jing, and others.

With Lü Jinduan and Jiang Yu leading the Western Buddhist monks away, they continued south toward Pure Yang Palace, bypassing Beiguang Mountain without stopping.

However, they had barely left when Lei Jun sensed a great disturbance in Beiguang Mountain.

The spiritual energy within the earth veins surged wildly, causing the entire mountain to tremble.

“What on earth is Senior Sister doing over at Pure Yang Palace?” Lei Jun wondered, intrigued.

Upon closer inspection, he realized that only Beiguang Mountain seemed affected—the rest of Zhongnan Mountain remained undisturbed.

Without hesitation, Lei Jun searched the mountain.

Soon, he found a cracked valley where the mountain rock had split open.

Beneath the surface, a hidden realm was emerging.

As a Talismanic Branch cultivator, Lei Jun couldn’t wield a sword the way a true Artifact Refining Sect master could.

But he had his own methods.

With magnetic force surging, the Seven-Star Sword immediately pierced into the violent gale.

The wind’s power was formidable, capable of shredding most magical artifacts to dust. Fortunately, the Seven-Star Sword, being a high-tier treasure, was strong enough to withstand it.

As the sword sliced through, the Eight-Cornered World formed by the Eightfold Wind began to lose stability.

Immediately, other forms of energy and spiritual power started seeping out.

This place truly was a prison.

The escaping spiritual energy was bright and blazing, forming streaks of fire in the air—white-gold flames flickering amidst the wind.

The sight made Lei Jun feel both familiar and unfamiliar.

Familiar—because this was Pure Yang True Fire.

He had seen it countless times with Tang Xiaotang.

Unfamiliar—because this Pure Yang True Fire was different from hers, originating from an entirely different cultivation method.

This was the Pure Yang True Fire cultivated through the Daoist lineage of the Pure Yang Palace.

The Eight-Cornered World created by the Eightfold Wind hadn’t fully collapsed yet, meaning those trapped inside still couldn’t escape.

But through the gaps in the wind, as strands of firelight seeped through, Lei Jun could faintly hear a voice coming from within:

“Senior Martial Uncle Rong, say no more. Your so-called Mortal Dao Nation—forget that I was never interested in the first place, but just for Gu Han’s betrayal—colluding with demon clans to disrupt my sect—I would never stand with the likes of you! No matter how long you lock me up, my answer remains the same. Stop wasting your time and just end this already!”

The voice was unfamiliar to Lei Jun.

But he had a strong suspicion—

Wang Xuan?

The identity wasn’t as surprising as the name he mentioned—"Senior Martial Uncle Rong"—which unmistakably pointed to Elder Rong Guangchen, the highest-ranking elder of Pure Yang Palace’s Azure Dragon lineage!

Lei Jun almost facepalmed.

So now it’s Shushan’s Hong Jie and Pure Yang Palace’s Rong Guangchen… The old masters are forming an alliance, huh?

…No, actually, that wasn’t quite right.

Rather than them still being ambitious despite their age, it was more likely that precisely because they were aging, they wanted to make one last move before it was too late.

Xu Yuanzhen had said she was here in Zhongnan’s Pure Yang Palace to test her luck after finishing some breakthroughs.

And it turned out… she actually stumbled upon something big.

Whether out of appreciation for talent or for ulterior motives, Rong Guangchen had kept Wang Xuan’s Nascent Soul imprisoned on Beiguang Mountain all this time, and no one had known.

But thanks to Xu Yuanzhen’s visit, the secret was finally exposed.

Lei Jun kept analyzing the situation while continuing to slice through the Eightfold Wind with his Seven-Star Sword.

Then, suddenly—

His pupils flickered.

Deep within his Heaven-Piercing Ground-Reaching Talisman, light surged once more.

The Sky-Seeing Earth-Listening Talisman he had left outside the mountain had quietly activated, warning him—

Someone else was approaching.

A New Arrival

In Lei Jun’s sight, he saw two Daoists—one man and one woman.

Their attire differed—

• The man was dressed as a Pure Yang Palace cultivator.

• The woman wore the robes of a Shushan Sect cultivator.

The man was Guo Ling, a former elder of Pure Yang Palace, whom Lei Jun had previously encountered outside the New Huangtian Sect Altar in the Western Sichuan Snow Mountains.

Back then, Guo Ling had been operating as an out-of-body Nascent Soul projection.

But now, his true body was here in person.

As for the Shushan female Daoist, she was none other than Zheng Dongying, the direct disciple of Wei Qiyue and a former elder of Shushan Sect.

Both of them wore grave expressions.

Zheng Dongying asked, “What is this place?”

Guo Ling frowned deeply. “I only know this is a restricted area. I was ordered to investigate, but…”

Just as he was about to enter the mountain, his face suddenly changed.

Zheng Dongying also whipped her head around toward another direction.

Another person had arrived.

It was Jiang Yu—a member of Pure Yang Palace.

Sensing the unrest at Beiguang Mountain, Lu Jinduan had stayed behind to entertain guests, while Jiang Yu came to check the situation.

Although she wasn’t sure what exactly was happening, the first thing she saw upon arrival was—

Guo Ling, a supposedly "dead" former elder of Pure Yang Palace, standing side by side with Zheng Dongying, who had been officially declared a traitor by the Tang Imperial Court.

Guo Ling and Zheng Dongying were about to speak—

But Jiang Yu didn’t even bother talking.

A fight broke out instantly.

The Clash

Both Guo Ling and Jiang Yu were at the Seventh Heaven of the Daoist Alchemical Sect.

They were well aware of each other’s abilities.

Now, encountering each other in battle, neither revealed their Nascent Soul—instead, they fought in close combat.

The Daoist Alchemical Sect’s cultivators were renowned for their physical strength, and in an internal duel, their power was even more apparent.

While they weren’t as fast as martial artists, every strike and movement carried tremendous force—not only affecting their bodies, but also unleashing massive shockwaves that shattered the surrounding mountains and terrain, resembling a massive earthquake.

In a battle between two Alchemical Sect cultivators, victory wasn’t easily determined.

Their defensive capabilities were simply too strong.

Even if someone found an opening, it was difficult to capitalize on it for an immediate advantage.

Victory had to be ground out over time, like water eroding stone.

Zheng Dongying didn’t immediately interfere.

Her flying sword floated in the air, gathering more and more concentrated sword light.

She was building up power—

Preparing to unleash a devastating strike.

But before she could attack, she was forced to act sooner.

Guo Ling was losing ground fast.

Although he wasn’t visibly injured, a layer of black ice was spreading across his body.

The Pure Yin Profound Ice was slowing his movements, making him an easy target.

Guo Ling took a deep breath, igniting his Pure Yang True Fire—

Only then was he able to resist Jiang Yu’s freezing power.

But—

Fire and water were opposites.

When water was stronger, it extinguished fire.

When fire was stronger, it overpowered water.

And in this case—

Guo Ling’s Pure Yang True Fire couldn’t overpower Jiang Yu’s Pure Yin Profound Ice!

Jiang Yu’s entire body radiated intense cold, producing black ice that continued freezing Guo Ling while protecting her own body.

Zheng Dongying gritted her teeth and finally launched her attack.

Her main weapon, the Threaded Sword, shot out.

It wasn’t a massive explosion of power—

Instead, it was a thin, delicate sword light, sharp and resilient, effortlessly slicing through black ice.

Jiang Yu was forced to retreat, breaking her momentum.

Guo Ling seized the moment, reigniting his Pure Yang True Fire to melt the ice and regain his footing.

But now—

He looked at Jiang Yu with a far more serious expression.

Before more words could be exchanged—

A new voice suddenly rang out.

"Wei Qiyue only taught you how to argue, not how to wield a sword?"

Zheng Dongying whipped around.

Emerging from the cavern inside the mountain was—

A plain-robed Daoist.

Her pupils shrank.

"Chen… You?!"

Zheng Dongying was utterly shocked.

She had just been talking about Chen Donglou—

And now—

He was standing right in front of her.

"Then let me teach you."

Chen Donglou raised a hand.

A sword light flashed.

It completely ignored distance—

And in the next instant—

Zheng Dongying’s head flew into the air.