Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 277: Second-class opportunity, the foundation of the Divine Court

A cultivator of the Daoist Artifact Refining Sect at the Seventh Heaven's Dan Dissolution Realm had long shed their mortal body. Like Zheng Dongying’s current appearance, their form was entirely a manifestation of their immortal soul.

Being decapitated did not necessarily mean certain death.

However, at this moment, both Zheng Dongying’s head, which had flown into the air, and her body, which remained in place, could no longer hold together. As if unable to withstand some immense force, they began to collapse and disintegrate from within.

As her remains scattered, faint thunder and flames could be heard, erupting and consuming her immortal soul.

With this final blow, her soul could no longer endure. It was obliterated on the spot, completely dissipating into nothingness.

Meanwhile, the sword light that had struck her down flickered in midair, showing a subtle separation—one becoming two, or two merging into one—one bright, one dark, like twin stars orbiting each other.

It was the sixth sword of the Seven-Star Sword: Kaiyang Sword.

When this sword was originally forged, it was made as a pair—one primary, one secondary. The sword light, one bright and one dark, could either separate or merge as one.

Strictly speaking, the Seven-Star Sword was actually a set of eight flying swords, not seven.

After slaying Zheng Dongying, the Kaiyang Sword did not stop. It continued flying forward, passing over Jiang Yu and Guo Ling behind her, before plunging into the ground. The mountain ridge was split apart from the center, and the sword light, embedded in the earth, radiated an icy chill like a boundary marker, warning all to halt.

Although Guo Ling had not been the target, a cold fear involuntarily gripped his heart at that moment, making him too afraid to act recklessly.

Even Jiang Yu, who had just been arguing with Zheng Dongying earlier, was deeply shaken.

She, too, had lingering doubts about Chen Donglou, who had disappeared for years, suddenly reappearing in the martial world.

Now, both Jiang Yu and Guo Ling were equally stunned—not just at the fact that Chen Donglou had truly returned, but also at the sheer power of that single sword strike.

Standing proudly amidst the mountain ridge, "Chen Donglou" let the renowned Seven-Star Sword hover around him, its blades drifting and converging in midair. The sharp, biting aura of the swords kept Guo Ling from making any rash moves and even caused Jiang Yu to remain frozen in place.

Although the execution had some flaws, overall, the effect was quite convincing.

Lei Jun silently nodded in satisfaction.

He was neither a prodigy like Kang Ming nor someone blessed with a fortuitous dual inheritance like Chen Yi.

As a cultivator of the Talismanic Branch, Daoist Lei did not practice the Artifact Refining Sect’s sword-controlling techniques—or rather, he did not use conventional sword control techniques.

Instead, he had his own self-created magnetic "sword technique."

This was something Lei Daozhang was quite proficient in.

By now, he could condense magnetic force with ease.

Under normal circumstances, if someone carefully examined the traces left behind after his magnetic force condensed and his flying sword was launched, they might notice something unusual.

However, Chen Donglou’s Seven-Star Sword was a complete set of seven swords.

As the Kaiyang Sword flew forward, the other six swords remained in midair, splitting and merging repeatedly, their sword intent surging wildly.

This effectively concealed the two Two-Element Celestial Talismans Lei Jun had used to generate his magnetic force.

The reason Lei Jun had specifically chosen the Kaiyang Sword was precisely because of its twin-star characteristic.

After extensive practice, he had refined his method—the main sword executed the attack, while the secondary sword subtly infused the strike with a bit of the Heavenly Book’s dark side energy.

By sending out the sword light in a staggered manner, he erased any lingering traces of magnetic force before anyone could even notice.

Jiang Yu and Guo Ling, overwhelmed by the speed of the strike, had no chance to see through the deception.

Compared to carefully gathering energy before releasing an attack, Lei Jun’s strike had appeared effortless. His precision at this range was guaranteed, even though the attack had not reached its full power.

But it was already more than enough.

After all, this time, he wasn’t using sword pellets—he was wielding Chen Donglou’s legendary flying swords, an upgrade akin to trading a musket for a cannon.

Of course, there were drawbacks.

At its core, this was still an enhanced version of the Magnetic Sword Pellet technique—just with flying swords instead of pellets.

As a result, while the speed and destructive power were unparalleled, Lei Jun couldn’t wield the Seven-Star Sword with the same seamless control as a true master like Chen Donglou, Wang Dongchu, or Zheng Dongying.

But that didn’t matter right now.

The Kaiyang Sword had already struck the ground as a warning, preventing Jiang Yu and Guo Ling from making any rash moves.

Now that the sword had stopped at close range, Lei Jun could casually recall it whenever he pleased—but, of course, he had to keep up appearances and not rush things.

Lei Jun gestured, summoning the remaining objects left behind by Zheng Dongying, which floated toward him.

"Trying to contact Fu Dongsen won’t be easy."

Disguised as Chen Donglou, Lei Jun wore an expression of disdain, sifting through the items before finally selecting a single flying sword. With a flick of his finger, he lightly tapped it.

"Following them… for what?"

The sword trembled, its blade glowing—not as an attack, but as a Shushan Sect flying sword messenger.

"Fu Dongsen," "Chen Donglou" sneered. "Instead of focusing on your sect’s Daoist techniques, you place your hopes on receiving the Heavenly Palace's talismanic ranking? Clinging to the past—how can you ever move forward?"

"You’ve brought nothing but shame upon Shushan!"

"I summoned you, but you refuse to come? Fine—then don’t blame me for being ruthless. For every one of your people I see, I will kill them. If I see two, I’ll cut down both."

With that, he flicked the sword again.

The sword light flashed and vanished on the spot, flying swiftly into the distance.

Lei Jun secretly observed as the sword disappeared into the void.

The mental connection between him and the sword did not simply weaken with distance—it was as if something had severed it.

Taiyi Innate Tower—absorbing stars, shifting moons, distorting space… truly worthy of its reputation.

Lei Jun nodded to himself.

With such a treasure in place, even if he intercepted more flying sword messages from Zheng Dongying, Liu Dongzhuo, and others, it would still be difficult to trace Fu Dongsen’s whereabouts.

But that didn’t matter.

Repetition breeds mastery.

With enough accumulated experience and clues, quantity would eventually lead to qualitative change.

Not to mention, at the New Huangtian Sect’s altar in the snowy mountains of Sichuan, another arrangement was already in motion.

After sending Fu Dongsen a message in Chen Donglou’s tone, borrowing the Celestial Seed’s purple light to disguise it, Lei Jun paid it no further attention.

His gaze shifted toward Jiang Yu and Guo Ling.

"Elder Chen, I offer my respects."

The Daoist priestess had now composed herself. Facing "Chen Donglou," she neither humbled herself nor acted arrogantly, giving a formal Daoist bow.

"I heard that Pure Yang Palace recently accepted a disciple with a Pure Yin Celestial Physique. That would be you?"

Jiang Yu nodded. "I am but a humble junior. Elder Chen, please grant me your guidance."

"A master leads the way, but cultivation is up to the individual."

"Elder Chen speaks wisely. I train diligently day and night, never daring to slack off."

She glanced at the restrained Guo Ling. "I hope Elder Chen will spare his life so I may take him back to Pure Yang Palace for interrogation."

"Chen Donglou" smirked. "Shushan is Shushan. Pure Yang is Pure Yang. Clean your own house first before discussing anything else."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the mountain.

At that moment, Lü Jinduan appeared in the distance, hurrying toward them.

Seeing "Chen Donglou", a flicker of surprise flashed across the old Daoist's face.

But when he caught sight of Wang Xuan’s Nascent Soul drifting out of the mountain, his shock deepened.

"Lü Martial Uncle..." Wang Xuan studied him for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

Given the circumstances, he didn’t know who to trust anymore.

In some ways, he even trusted Chen Donglou of the carefree Shushan Sect—who had always been indifferent to authority—more than his own sect members.

But at this point, he had no choice left to make, and there was no worse fate to fear.

Without the unexpected presence of Chen Donglou, he wouldn’t have simply gone from one predator’s den to another.

Thus, despite his weakened state, Wang Xuan composed himself and asked straightforwardly:

"Lü Martial Uncle, how is the Sect Master? Where are Rong Guangchen and Gu Han?"

He also listed two other Pure Yang Palace elders who had reached the Seventh Heaven Realm.

Lü Jinduan's heart clenched, but he kept a neutral expression. "...Martial Uncle Rong?"

Wang Xuan's voice was steady. "I was first ambushed by Gu Han and then attacked by a great demon, losing my physical body. Later, I managed to escape as a Nascent Soul and encountered Rong Guangchen.

I thought he would uphold justice, but it turned out he was the true mastermind.

He suppressed my Nascent Soul and imprisoned me here."

Lü Jinduan took a deep breath before responding: "The Sect Master is in the palace. You and Jiang Yu, return with me."

He then turned toward Chen Donglou—or rather, Lei Jun in disguise—and said:

"Daoist Chen, it’s been years. I hope you’ve been well."

"Chen Donglou" replied casually: "No need for pleasantries. The Eight Scenery Wind here is quite useful, so I’ll be taking it. As for your Pure Yang Palace’s internal affairs, that’s for you to sort out. I’ve already said—Shushan is Shushan, and Pure Yang is Pure Yang."

Guo Ling’s situation was one thing, but the conflict between Wang Xuan and Rong Guangchen was no trivial matter.

Seeing that "Chen Donglou" had no interest in getting involved, Lü Jinduan didn’t press the issue.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "If our sect receives news about Fu Dongsen and the others, we may inform you. Likewise, if you have any leads on Gu Han—"

"Chen Donglou" cut him off. "If you get news about Fu Dongsen, notify Xiaoding Mountain directly. As for Gu Han... we’ll see."

With that, he turned and left without hesitation.

Lü Jinduan watched "Chen Donglou" disappear, shaking his head slightly.

At the very least, this man wasn’t part of the Mortal Dao Nation—not an enemy.

That alone was a good thing.

He kept his thoughts to himself and turned toward Jiang Yu.

After listening to her account of events, he shifted his gaze to Wang Xuan.

"I understand your concerns. The truth will come to light soon enough. But until then, Wang Xuan, you will have to endure this a little longer."

Wang Xuan sighed. "At this point, waiting a little longer makes no difference. The situation can’t get any worse.

I only hope that the disturbance here doesn’t alarm Rong Guangchen and push him to take drastic action."

Lü Jinduan nodded, then instructed Jiang Yu: "Keep a close watch on Guo Ling."

"Yes, Martial Uncle-Grandmaster." Jiang Yu bowed.

---

Lei Jun distanced himself from Beiguang Mountain, but did not immediately drop his disguise as Chen Donglou—instead, he first concealed his presence entirely.

Only after finding a secluded and secure location did he stop and attempt to contact his Senior Sister, Xu Yuanzhen.

"Rong Guangchen," Lei Jun said as they exchanged information.

Xu Yuanzhen's voice, however, sounded somewhat distant. "Mmm. I know."

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow. "Senior Sister, you sound... disappointed?"

Xu Yuanzhen: "Mmm. A little."

You were expecting the mastermind to be Pure Yang Palace's Sect Master, Huang Xuanpu, weren’t you... Lei Jun instantly figured out her thoughts.

"Sometimes, the person pulling the strings isn’t the most obvious suspect.

But they also could be. Don't dwell on it too much, Senior Sister."

Even if Xu Yuanzhen suddenly told him Huang Xuanpu wasn’t even the original person anymore, Lei Jun wouldn’t be shocked.

"Maybe this time, only Rong Guangchen got exposed, while Sect Master Huang is still hiding deep in the shadows."

After all, old schemers unite…

"Where do you even hear all this random nonsense?" Xu Yuanzhen asked. "Are these the stories you were telling Xiaotang?"

Lei Jun smirked. "Yep."

Xu Yuanzhen sighed. "Well, at least we got something out of this. Rong Guangchen is… interesting."

Lei Jun glanced at the Eight Scenery Wind he had acquired and nodded.

Then, Xu Yuanzhen’s tone suddenly perked up with a hint of amusement.

"He’s reversed his aging."

Lei Jun’s expression tightened slightly.

In the cultivation world, once a cultivator passed their prime and entered their decline, further progress was nearly impossible. At best, they could maintain their strength, and even that became a struggle in old age.

By the final phase—the twilight years—even maintaining their level became impossible, leading to an inevitable rapid decline.

Rong Guangchen was one of the oldest elders in Pure Yang Palace, even older than Huang Xuanpu, Lü Jinduan, and Guan Jing.

However, among his generation, he had entered the sect relatively late—so he wasn’t quite six hundred years old yet, meaning he hadn’t fully reached the twilight phase.

Still, he was over four hundred years old, already in mid-to-late decline.

While there were exceptional cases of late-life breakthroughs, they were extraordinarily rare—so rare that each one became a legend, comparable to peerless geniuses.

These anomalies were known as "old trees sprouting new buds."

But Xu Yuanzhen hadn’t described it that way.

She had said, "reversed his aging?"

"He received a talisman decree," Xu Yuanzhen explained. "Most likely from the so-called Heavenly Palace."

"In other words, he holds an official position in that Heavenly Palace?" Lei Jun frowned. "Which means he’s temporarily free from the constraints of age, returning to his peak—or perhaps even surpassing it?

Because his cultivation no longer fully belongs to himself, but comes from the talismanic authority granted by the Heavenly Palace?"

"So... does this prove the Heavenly Palace still exists?"

Xu Yuanzhen: "Not necessarily. It’s also possible Rong Guangchen just found a loophole."

Lei Jun understood immediately.

He himself had managed to wield three different Dharma Manifestations at Seventh Heaven, partially by exploiting a loophole through his Two-Element Celestial Physique—which, in turn, had its own loopholes.

If Rong Guangchen had done something similar…

Then the Mortal Dao Nation would undoubtedly seize this as a major clue to further investigate the mysteries of the Heavenly Palace.

But for Rong Guangchen personally, was this a golden opportunity?

Or had he stepped into a trap?

That remained to be seen.

---

Meanwhile, as the news of Rong Guangchen’s "reverse aging" and defection from Pure Yang Palace spread, the already unstable Tang Dynasty plunged further into turmoil.

Old Capital, Chang’an.

Inside the Tang Emperor’s palace, the Empress sat calmly at her desk, reviewing official reports.

Hearing Xiao Xueting’s briefing, her brows furrowed slightly.

"Rong Guangchen received a talisman decree?"

She pondered in silence for a moment.

Then, she asked, "How are Chunhui and Meng Shaojie progressing? Has there been any contact from that so-called ancient Talismanic Sect cultivator?"

Xiao Xueting: "Not recently."

The Empress nodded. "Send Meng Shaojie the Star Constellation’s Twenty-Eight Rhythms and have him pass it along."