Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 280: Master Lei gives people opportunities, and his hands are fragrant

The Buddhist aura of the concealed prayer beads flashed like a fleeting shadow and quickly disappeared.

However, Sangjie Shangren still managed to catch a trace of it.

Although the Buddhist aura had faded, it seemed entangled with the spiritual energy of the Witch Sect’s Gu techniques.

Based on his deduction, a Southern Wasteland Gu Master had likely attempted to explore and refine a Buddhist treasure, leading to the accidental leak of its aura.

The person had then done their best to suppress and conceal it, causing the aura to fade completely.

Even though the Buddhist aura was difficult to track, Sangjie Shangren had locked onto the residual traces of the Gu techniques and continued his pursuit.

Upon stepping into the area around Dunjiang Valley, the Gu aura also began to disappear.

Sangjie Shangren remained calm and unperturbed. With a composed expression, he pressed his hands together in front of him and formed a Buddhist mudra.

As the mudra took shape, a subtle golden glow of Buddhist light seemed to ripple across his entire body.

The Vajra Monastery hailed from the Vajra Division, a direct and orthodox lineage of the Buddhist Mudra tradition. And even now, it was merely the tip of the iceberg.

Sangjie Shangren himself originated from Mount Sumeru and was a true successor of the Vajra Division, possessing profound Buddhist mastery.

A hallmark of monks from the Buddhist Mudra tradition was that their practice revolved around mudras, cultivating both their chakras and physique, balancing body and mind in perfect harmony.

Thus, as Sangjie Shangren formed the mudra, his spiritual awareness and perception sharpened further, allowing him to sense the concealed Gu energy burrowing deeper into Dunjiang Valley.

More importantly, the faint flicker of the Buddhist aura had not vanished completely.

Sangjie Shangren withdrew his mudra and immediately advanced in pursuit.

Unfamiliar with the terrain, he normally wouldn’t recklessly venture deep into an unknown region, especially within the stronghold of the Witch Sect in the Southern Wasteland.

However, he had already heard some information regarding Yutian Grotto.

The Gu Master present there—Tian Linlong—was someone Sangjie Shangren was aware of. Currently, his position in the Southern Wasteland was rather precarious.

Through the Vajra Monastery, Sangjie Shangren had a broad understanding of various powers both within and outside the Tang Dynasty.

Tian Linlong was indeed an elder of the Yin Mountain Grotto, the sacred land of the Gu lineage in the Southern Wasteland. However, his extensive dealings with outsiders had made him a figure of suspicion within his own sect.

Thus, the likelihood of Yin Mountain Grotto supporting him was slim.

On the other hand, his associates—Yang Yuqi and his faction—were undoubtedly remnants of the former Sui imperial family, declared criminals by the Tang Dynasty.

Currently, with masters from the Tang Divine Strategy Army, such as Shangguan Yunbo, active in the Southern Wasteland, Yang Yuqi and his people would not risk exposing themselves so easily.

Tian Linlong had also been lying low ever since leaving Yutian Grotto, keeping his whereabouts hidden and avoiding drawing attention.

This meant that quietly tracking him could present an opportunity for Sangjie Shangren to reap some unexpected gains.

“The key lies in that ‘Treasure of Avīci.’ This man has no need for conversion to Buddhism,” Sangjie Shangren judged while continuing his pursuit.

Tian Linlong was no longer young, and his ties with Yang Yuqi’s group were an added complication.

With the return of the Nine Li remnants, the political landscape of the Southern Wasteland had become even more intricate. At present, the Western Buddhist sects had no immediate plans to intervene.

Even if arrangements needed to be made in advance, someone like Tian Linlong was not a necessary contact.

The wiser approach was to establish influence within the Tang Dynasty itself.

Naturally, the imperial family was a key focus.

But the Daoist and Confucian factions were equally important.

Especially the Daoists—who had produced an exceptional number of geniuses in recent years—enough to make Sangjie Shangren take notice.

Notably, Tang Xiaotang of the Tianshi Mansion and Jiang Yu of the Pure Yang Palace.

If they could be converted to Buddhism, it would be an incredible gain.

Of course, that would not be easy and would require careful, gradual efforts.

If the Daoist sects were to decline, however, the task would become much simpler.

From this perspective, the rise of the Mortal Dao Nation was not necessarily a bad thing.

Perhaps it was only a matter of time before they clashed… Sangjie Shangren mused inwardly.

Until then, the Western Buddhist sects would do well to avoid unnecessary karmic entanglements, lest they inadvertently become embroiled in conflicts with the Central Plains Daoists or the Mortal Dao Nation.

With this in mind, Sangjie Shangren found it unsurprising that Yuan Mobai and Long Jia Shangren had yet to approach Youning Lake.

Perhaps letting things unfold naturally was the best course of action.

With that thought, he sent another transmission to Long Jia Shangren.

Without pausing his steps, he followed the traces of the Gu worms deeper into Dunjiang Valley.

Meanwhile, Lei Jun had already arrived outside Dunjiang Valley.

He did not look back.

As long as the great monk from the Western Buddhist sects went in, that was all that mattered.

As for what happened next, Lei Jun had no intention of interfering, nor was he particularly interested in the outcome.

He simply sorted through the Gu-related artifacts Tian Linlong had left behind, manipulated them briefly, and sent them into Dunjiang Valley.

Given the passage of time, Lei Jun was uncertain whether Dunjiang Valley still remained the deadly, inescapable deathtrap it once was.

Regardless, it was enough that the great monk had gone in.

The concealed prayer beads—the Fifth-Grade Opportunity mentioned in his Moderate-Moderate Omen—were definitely no longer in Dunjiang Valley.

Hopefully, the other Fifth-Grade Opportunity mentioned in the Lower-Bad Omen still remained, so the monk wouldn’t make the trip for nothing.

In a way, Lei Daozhang was simply “offering flowers to the Buddha”—a gesture of goodwill, in his own way.

Bestowing opportunities upon others left a lingering sense of satisfaction.

It had just been a while since he last did something like this. He wondered if he was still as skilled at it…

Glancing down at his own palm, Lei Jun shook his head slightly.

Ignoring the situation at Dunjiang Valley, he made his way to reunite with his master, Yuan Mobai.

At the moment, Yuan Mobai was still leisurely walking with Long Jia Shangren.

Lei Jun was in no hurry to reveal himself. Instead, he hid in the shadows, carefully observing the surroundings to check for any other Western Buddhist monks.

Long Jia Shangren, having just received Sangjie Shangren’s message, was in no rush either. With a calm mind, he let go of all distractions.

However, the world was unpredictable.

Though he and Yuan Mobai had avoided approaching Youning Lake, someone else was actively heading toward them.

In the distant sky, clusters of white lotus blossoms rose and fell, flickering into existence and vanishing again, soaring through the clouds at remarkable speed.

Among the lotuses, figures darted continuously.

One of them wielded a long halberd, slashing through the sea of lotus flowers, closing in on the massive Ninth-Grade Lotus Platform at the center.

The young monk seated upon the lotus platform was none other than the Future Maitreya of the White Lotus Sect.

He sought to break through the encirclement, fleeing through the air while battling with Shangguan Yunbo and his Divine Strategy Army soldiers.

Long Jia Shangren observed the scene and pressed his hands together in a mudra. Turning to Yuan Mobai, he said, “The White Lotus Sect is a publicly declared enemy of the Tang Dynasty. Elder Yuan, why don’t we lend the general a helping hand?”

Yuan Mobai had no objections. “The Master’s reasoning is sound.”

A Daoist and a Buddhist monk ascended into the air.

Lei Jun remained hidden, watching the battle from afar without moving.

Strictly speaking, the Tianshi Mansion had no direct ties with the White Lotus Sect—no past favors, no grievances.

Thus, although Lei Jun did not agree with the White Lotus Sect’s ideology, he had no intention of joining the assault.

At this moment, he was merely an observer.

The White Lotus Sect originated from the three great Buddhist traditions, formed by those who defected from them. As a result, it simultaneously inherited all three lineages, a fact well known to the world.

However, every disciple of the White Lotus Sect, after joining, would choose one of the three paths—Vow, Zen Combat, or Precepts—as their primary focus. Each had its own achievements.

Yet at this moment, Future Maitreya appeared to be practicing all three Buddhist paths at once?

It was true that practitioners of the Vow lineage could, upon reaching a certain level, temporarily emulate other Buddhist techniques through the power of their great vows.

But when Yuan Mobai had just exchanged blows with Future Maitreya, he instinctively felt that the young monk’s Zen Combat mastery was profound—it did not feel like mere emulation.

Was his true foundation in Zen Combat?

Yet, the Dharma Lotus he had condensed through his Buddhist radiance seemed like a textbook manifestation of Precepts power. Otherwise, how could it have such formidable defensive strength?

Future Maitreya, after exchanging a blow with Yuan Mobai, did not suffer a loss, but his movements noticeably slowed.

However, his techniques flowed seamlessly. His hands retracted naturally, forming a hand seal in front of his chest.

Watching from the encircling forces of the Divine Strategy Army, Long Jia Shangren of Vajra Monastery was visibly shaken. He blurted out, "The Wisdom Fist Seal?!"

A supreme hand-seal technique outside the White Lotus Sect, belonging to the great Buddhist traditions of the Western Region—this young monk had actually mastered it too?

No matter how much Long Jia Shangren wanted to deny it, the overwhelming power of the Wisdom Fist Seal, which could shatter all barriers, was already evident, helping Future Maitreya carve out an escape path.

From a distance, Lei Jun watched this unfold, feeling just as surprised.

This so-called Future Maitreya was another deeply hidden figure.

Every time he had appeared in the mortal world before, it had been like a fleeting glimpse of a rainbow.

Even in the great battle of the Southern Wasteland, where he had faced Blood River Sect’s leader, Wei Anchang, he had restrained himself.

It wasn’t until today, when he found himself cornered in a deadly siege, that this young monk finally revealed his true abilities.

He had genuinely broken the long-standing Buddhist tradition of practicing only one discipline, making him an extremely rare anomaly.

However, this only applied within Buddhist traditions.

This achievement wasn’t just due to superior bone structure—his comprehension and talent had far exceeded anyone’s expectations.

In terms of comprehension, he was quite similar to Meng Shaojie.

The only difference was that Meng Shaojie excelled in historical studies, while Future Maitreya specialized in Buddhist doctrines.

To put it in Buddhist terms—he possessed wisdom roots.

A born Buddha-child.

This battle alone would shake the world.

In terms of talent and foundation within Buddhist cultivation, his potential was comparable to that of Little Senior Sister…

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow.

Through several postnatal refinements, his comprehension had far surpassed ordinary people.

He saw things clearly with just a glance.

The reason Future Maitreya had mastered the Hand-Seal lineage of Buddhism was due to his past encounters with the monks of Vajra Monastery.

From Vajra Monastery’s perspective, his technique lacked a bit of orthodoxy.

Yet from just scattered fragments, he had managed to develop an entirely new approach.

An undeniable display of sheer talent.

But the irony?

This Buddha-child had not landed in orthodox Buddhism—he had landed in the White Lotus Sect.

Shangguan Yunbo was also shocked.

However, the more extraordinary this young monk’s talent appeared, the more resolute the Divine Strategy Grand Marshal became in his intent to kill him.

Moving at lightning speed, he wielded the Dangkou Golden Halberd, pressing forward like a relentless shadow.

Yet, at this moment, two Ninth-Grade White Lotus Platforms merged into one, forcibly absorbing Shangguan Yunbo’s strike before continuing to flee.

Prince Xiang, Zhang Luo, unleashed a storm of arrows, but even his barrage couldn’t stop the White Lotus monk from escaping.

With a flash of Buddhist radiance, the White Lotus monk had already broken out of the encirclement.

Only Shangguan Yunbo could keep up with him now.

The rest had already fallen behind.

Although Shangguan Yunbo continued to pursue, Future Maitreya now had a much easier time escaping.

This battle would undoubtedly make his name resound across the land.

Yet, Future Maitreya himself felt no joy.

His situation was entirely different from that of Tang Xiaotang or Jiang Yu.

Today, though it seemed like he had stolen the spotlight, he had merely turned himself into a bigger target.

The future would only become more difficult for him.

Moreover, today’s battle had been neither necessary nor valuable.

Not only had he failed to locate the Buddhist treasure he was searching for, but he had also exposed more of his abilities, making it even harder for him to continue his search unnoticed.

A complete loss.

A pointless disaster.

Greed, attachment, and delusion—truly, all are deadly poisons…

The young monk sighed in self-reflection.

He vaguely sensed that the incredibly important Buddhist artifact he sought was not too far away.

But at this moment, he had no way of confirming or searching for it.

His priority was to escape as quickly as possible.

Yuan Mobai watched Future Maitreya flee.

Before Prince Xiang Zhang Luo and Long Jia Shangren could speak, he was the first to ask Long Jia Shangren:

“Master, the technique Future Maitreya just used—it didn’t seem to be purely derived from the Vow lineage. What exactly was it?”

The purple-robed youth had retracted his usual warm smile, his expression now rarely serious.

Long Jia Shangren’s expression was even more severe.

"Wisdom roots bearing a poisonous fruit... What a pity. What a pity."

Prince Xiang Zhang Luo did not lower his longbow. Instead, he addressed Yuan Mobai and Long Jia Shangren.

“In that case, we cannot let this heretical monk escape so easily. Let’s plan our next move to surround and eliminate him—”

Before he could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed.

He swiftly turned to look in another direction—toward Dunjiang Valley.

The distance was far.

Even with Zhang Luo’s exceptional eyesight, he could not directly see what was happening in Dunjiang Valley.

But he could feel it.

A massive shift in the earth veins' spiritual energy was occurring, with the source pointing straight to Dunjiang Valley.

And as a result, a violent earthquake was now spreading in their direction, causing the land beneath them to tremble.

What kind of force could cause such upheaval?

What was happening over there?

Zhang Luo’s face was filled with suspicion.

Long Jia Shangren, however, was utterly shaken.

Not long ago, he had communicated with Sangjie Shangren, knowing that he had gone to search for the Avīci Buddhist Relic near Dunjiang Valley.

And now, such an upheaval had erupted from that very location.

An ominous shadow loomed over Long Jia Shangren’s heart.

Feeling the tremors, he quickly apologized to Zhang Luo before attempting to contact Sangjie Shangren.

He tried for a long time.

No response.

Long Jia Shangren was both horrified and helpless.

Seeing Zhang Luo’s inquiring gaze, he could only tell the truth.

Zhang Luo’s expression remained unreadable.

After offering a few words of consolation, he suggested they head to Dunjiang Valley to investigate.

Long Jia Shangren, deeply unsettled, could only agree.

Yuan Mobai, ever cautious, followed along without objection.

But when they arrived at Dunjiang Valley, they were met with nothing but devastation.

The river had stopped flowing.

Mountains had collapsed.

The ground was riddled with cracks and fissures.

But what terrified Long Jia Shangren the most—

The overwhelming demonic aura saturating the air.

And it wasn’t from the Witch Sect.

Or even the Nine Li.

It was the aura of a true Great Demon.

And only two names immediately came to his mind—

The Four-Eyed Python King.

The Dragon-Headed Demon Banyan.

Among the greatest demons of the Southern Wasteland, these two were both comparable in power to a Ninth Heaven human cultivator.

Of the two, the Dragon-Headed Demon Banyan was relatively stable, residing deep within the Southern Wasteland. Though its influence was vast, it rarely moved.

Had it been otherwise, the Southern Wasteland would have suffered even more bloodshed and catastrophe over the years.

The Four-Eyed Python King, however, was far more active.

Not only was it immensely powerful, but it was also notoriously violent, ruling over countless lesser demons and placing constant pressure on the Southern Wasteland and the southern border of the Tang Dynasty.

Fortunately, in recent years, the Python King had been locked in a bitter struggle with another Ninth Heaven Great Demon, the Snowfield Divine Eagle of the highland plateau.

Their ongoing war along the borderlands between the Southern Wasteland and the snowy regions had lasted for years before finally settling down.

Because of this conflict, even as the world’s spiritual energy surged and the number of Great Demons increased, the Southern Wasteland had actually been more stable than the eastern, western, or northern regions of the Tang Dynasty.

Of course, the humans of the Southern Wasteland continued to wage their own relentless battles among themselves.

But now, the arrival of the Four-Eyed Python King had thrown the region into even greater peril.

Although this Great Demon was immensely powerful, Sangjie Shangren’s cultivation was not weak.

Even if he was no match for the Python King, he should have been able to find an opportunity to escape.

But the scene before them…

"Was this truly the work of the Great Demons of this world? It seems like only a single Ninth Heaven-level demon is involved."

A voice drifted from the distance.

Hearing it, Long Jia Shangren was momentarily startled—but then he was relieved.

He turned and saw a middle-aged monk in red robes leading a group of monks as they descended gracefully upon the scene.

It was Jia Sheng Shangren, a Ninth Heaven high monk from the Vajra Division of the Western Region’s Buddhist sects.

Earlier, Sangjie and Long Jia had reached out to their sect in the Western Region, providing a general report of the situation and requesting reinforcements.

But Long Jia hadn’t expected that Jia Sheng Shangren himself would personally come.

“Senior Brother, you’ve come in person? Wouldn’t that leave the monastery vulnerable?” Long Jia Shangren asked in surprise.

The red-robed middle-aged monk replied calmly, “Rest assured, the division has already made the necessary arrangements.”

He then greeted Zhang Luo and Yuan Mobai before surveying the surroundings.

“Sangjie came here alone?”

In the presence of Zhang Luo and Yuan Mobai, Long Jia Shangren avoided mentioning the Avīci Buddhist Relic.

Instead, he simply said that Sangjie had gone off to investigate separately.

Jia Sheng Shangren furrowed his brows slightly but soon relaxed.

“No matter what, we must locate Sangjie as soon as possible.”

With a Ninth Heaven monk like Jia Sheng Shangren leading the way, the group was able to navigate the perilous ruins of Dunjiang Valley with relative ease.

Then, they found him.

Sangjie Shangren.

His skin was ashen white, as if all his blood had been drained from his body.

The high monk of the Vajra Division from Sumeru had fallen.

He hadn’t died to the Four-Eyed Python King’s fangs.

He had been killed by someone else.

It was the Blood River Sect.

Standing among the wreckage, exuding an ominous, blood-soaked aura, was none other than Wei Anchang, the Blood River Sect’s Grandmaster—another Ninth Heaven powerhouse.

The sequence of events was clear.

Sangjie Shangren had first encountered the Four-Eyed Python King in the valley.

The monstrous serpent was brutal by nature, treating all human cultivators as food—regardless of whether they were monks or Daoists.

Forced into a desperate retreat, Sangjie Shangren had tried to flee.

But as fate would have it, he ran into someone just as deadly—someone who also had no dietary restrictions.

Wei Anchang.

In the end, Sangjie had been ambushed and slain by the Blood River Sect’s leader.

Wei Anchang’s attack had also enraged the Python King, leading to a fierce battle between the two, which had momentarily distracted the demon from devouring Sangjie’s body.

But Sangjie was already dead.

"Master Sangjie’s passing is truly unfortunate," Zhang Luo sighed.

"Whether it’s the Four-Eyed Python King or the Blood River Sect, both are far too rampant."

Jia Sheng Shangren was silent for a moment before he nodded.

"Prince Xiang is right..."

Lei Jun was not present at Dunjiang Valley.

He hadn’t felt the need to personally confirm the outcome.

But later, when his master Yuan Mobai described the scene, Lei Jun could already imagine Jia Sheng Shangren’s frustration.

The Western Region’s Buddhist sects had likely planned to fan the flames of conflict, sitting back while others fought.

But Sangjie’s death was disastrous for them.

If no one had been there to witness what had happened, it might have been easier to handle.

Perhaps Sangjie would have been “temporarily inconvenienced”, forced to accept a posthumous sacrifice for the greater good.

But in full view of others?

That would be too heartless.

Lei Jun couldn’t help but feel indignant.

What a chilling betrayal.

At least Zhang Luo, Yuan Mobai, and others had been present—ensuring that the Western Region’s Buddhist sects would be forced to respond.

Good.

Even Buddha has his wrath.

Even monks needed blood and steel in their veins.

It was a shame that their opponent wasn’t the Nine Li, but Wei Anchang of the Blood River Sect and the Four-Eyed Python King were still fitting adversaries.

And they clearly had no qualms about eliminating Sangjie when the opportunity presented itself.

If the monks of the Western Region themselves didn’t care about taking action—

Then who would?

"Masters," Lei Jun thought calmly, "I’m not one to stir up trouble."

"But if this had happened to me, I wouldn’t just let it go."