Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 285: The Best Fortune in the Taoist Temple

The Five Primal Taos—Taiyi (Supreme Easiest), Taichu (Supreme Beginning), Taishi (Supreme Origin), Taisu (Supreme Simplicity), and Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)—represent the Daoist interpretation of the cosmic evolution of the universe.

There have been historical records and rumors linking these to Daoist cultivators' ultimate physiques. The Five Primal Taos exist in a sequential order rather than a hierarchy of strength, each representing a different stage of cosmic transformation. All of them are considered the most suitable bone structures for cultivation. However, they have not appeared in many years, and thus, few mention them nowadays.

Tai Chu, the Supreme Beginning, is formless and intangible. It marks the emergence of the Primordial Qi, undivided by Yin and Yang, without form or substance.

From Tai Yi to Tai Chu, then to Tai Shi, Tai Su, and finally Tai Ji, the process unfolds. Tai Ji then divides into the Two Elements, giving birth to Yin and Yang. This leads to the interaction of the Four Symbols and the Eight Trigrams, ultimately creating all things.

If Tang Xiaotang’s Pure Yang Celestial Physique and Jiang Yu’s Pure Yin Celestial Physique were to undergo further refinement through postnatal enhancement, Lei Jun speculated that they might achieve the legendary Tai Chu Dao Physique.

At present, this remained mere conjecture, but Tang Xiaotang herself held the same belief.

"I think I'm getting closer to figuring it out." Tang Tianshi chuckled.

She had always taken pride in her extraordinary talent.

Even if others possessed similarly gifted physiques and extraordinary comprehension, she remained confident in herself.

The only person who unsettled her slightly was Xu Yuanzhen, whose comprehension surpassed even the realm of "Clear Tranquility" and reached the level of "Natural Insight."

Though she never spoke of it, she cared deeply.

That said, Tang Xiaotang’s mindset had already calmed considerably by now.

She treated the concept of improving one's innate talents, as Lei Jun had, as a natural part of cultivation.

And as she had mentioned before—her luck was not bad.

Though this wasn't an opportunity to enhance her comprehension, she had indeed come across a chance to further refine her celestial physique.

However, it was still only a faint opportunity, far from a guaranteed success.

Tang Tianshi took this in stride, not obsessing over it. As long as there was a chance, that was enough.

Her confidence remained unshaken—she firmly believed she would succeed soon.

As she continued chatting with Lei Jun, a thought suddenly occurred to her. She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"Wait a minute. Something’s off about you. You’re telling me all this... Could it be—?"

"Little Senior Sister, your intuition is as sharp as ever," Lei Jun praised her once again before taking out the First Yang Jade Seal and handing it over.

Tang Xiaotang’s eyes immediately lit up as she snatched it.

She turned it over in her hands, admiring it with great interest. “This is a fine treasure! Just perfect for me!”

Lei Jun: “So?”

Tang Xiaotang’s expression turned slightly regretful. “Unfortunately, it’s still not enough for me to take that next step. But with this treasure, my chances are much higher.”

She spoke bluntly and without reservation. "This jade seal is mine now."

Lei Jun: "On the way back, I already felt that this treasure suited you best. Do with it as you please, Little Senior Sister."

Tang Xiaotang continued inspecting it closely. “Hmm... The Dao resonance and aura are similar to those two scrolls you and Zhang Jingzhen brought back. Is this related to the ancient Talismanic Daoist Sect?”

Lei Jun nodded. "I have preserved some of its Dao resonance. I'll continue researching it later."

Tang Xiaotang grew curious. “You've been studying this for a while now. So, tell me—this so-called ‘Ancient Heavenly Palace,’ is it truly destroyed? Wasn't it said to house celestial beings, and even some of our sect’s ancestors? Where did they all go? Or were those just myths?”

Lei Jun spread his hands. "I can't say for sure."

He glanced at the First Yang Jade Seal in Tang Xiaotang’s hands. “But thinking back now, the Daoist Reformation of our sect’s past might have been far more complicated than we imagined.”

Unfortunately, too much time had passed, leaving only fragmented clues to follow.

"Well, no point dwelling on the past," Tang Xiaotang stood up, pacing excitedly. “What matters is the future!”

"If the past era of weakened spiritual energy was an invisible shackle, then that shackle no longer exists.

"They say no one has ascended in thousands of years, that cultivators today are all stuck at the Ninth Heaven. But now—that needs to change!”

Her words stirred a hint of yearning in Lei Jun’s heart.

“By the way, that monk from the White Lotus Sect—what’s his level?”

Tang Xiaotang’s thoughts jumped from one topic to another as she stopped pacing.

Lei Jun was long accustomed to this. **“Without a doubt, he possesses both a celestial physique and a comprehension level equivalent to Clear Tranquility.

"Of course, the Buddhists don’t use the same terms as us. But his physique and comprehension align with their lineage. He is considered a ‘Heavenly Descended Buddha Child’ and naturally possesses profound spiritual wisdom.

"The specifics remain unclear, but from what we know, he wields the full range of Buddhist mystical arts with ease, breaking past what we usually consider to be the limitations of different cultivation paths.”**

Tang Xiaotang wasn’t bothered by the Future Maitreya’s astonishing talent. Instead, she listened with great enthusiasm.

"Not bad, not bad. I thought Li Tianqing of Gepo Mountain **and Yuanmie of the Vast Void Temple were above him. So he was just a little late to show his full potential, huh?

"If I get the chance, I’d love to meet him face-to-face."**

Meanwhile, the young monk they spoke of had also returned to the Tang Dynasty's territory.

Moving quietly, he traveled north and arrived at a temple a little later.

The temple's abbot was a middle-aged monk, appearing to be in his forties or fifties. He looked utterly unremarkable, with no signs of deep cultivation.

Yet, upon seeing the Future Maitreya, he remained composed and respectfully welcomed him into the meditation hall.

Then, he greeted him with a bow. “Senior Brother.”

His age and appearance were real—he truly had no profound cultivation. He merely oversaw a small, obscure temple with few visitors.

But in reality, this unassuming temple was the most crucial stronghold of the White Lotus Sect—without question.

Here, secrecy was its greatest defense.

"Huineng, you’ve worked hard during this time." The Future Maitreya spoke.

The abbot, Huineng, pressed his palms together. "To serve the Holy Lord and Senior Brother is no hardship."

He looked up at the young monk before him. “Senior Brother, you truly concealed your strength well. I am in awe. With the Holy Lord and you leading us, the White Lotus World shall descend.”

The Future Maitreya sighed. “You’ve heard about the situation in the Southern Wasteland?”

Huineng nodded. “Yes.”

“It was a wasted trip,” the Future Maitreya said, “and I became the target of countless enemies. That is not a good thing.”

Huineng acknowledged, “That is true. But because of this, your reputation within the sect has soared. Even our senior, Master Jing Shan, and your junior, Hui Zhen, have had to back down.”

The Future Maitreya shook his head slightly. "That only treats the symptoms, not the root cause."

He stepped past Huineng. “The Holy Lord is still in seclusion?”

“Yes. No decree has been issued yet.”

The Future Maitreya nodded, walking toward the temple wall.

As he reached it, a ripple of white light shimmered across the surface. Without stopping, he stepped forward and vanished into it.

Huineng quietly watched him disappear before pressing his palms together once more.

Then, he turned and resumed his quiet vigil at the meditation hall’s entrance.

After a long moment, Wang Guiyuan finally returned to his senses, his gaze regaining focus.

He turned to close the courtyard gate but paused when he saw Lei Jun standing outside, watching him.

"Junior Brother?" Wang Guiyuan greeted.

Lei Jun stated plainly, "It’s rare to see you like that just now."

Wang Guiyuan nodded. "Yeah, I suddenly recalled something related to Daoist techniques and got lost in thought for a bit."

Lei Jun then spoke with him about what had happened in the Southern Wasteland.

After listening, Wang Guiyuan sighed with a bitter smile: "Junior Brother, you must stay cautious."

"Senior Brother is right," Lei Jun nodded.

Wang Guiyuan sighed. "I only hope our Master returns soon. The Southern Wasteland has become a chaotic mess of dragons and serpents—completely unpredictable."

Then, he changed the topic. "Just now, I had a moment of insight. I should strike while the iron is hot and go into seclusion for a while."

Lei Jun: "Wishing you swift success, Senior Brother."

After bidding farewell to Wang Guiyuan, Lei Jun returned to his own residence.

The first thing he did was check on his eldest disciple’s progress.

Overall, a certain Rolling One had not slacked off in training and was actually quite diligent.

However…

Lei Jun: "Baobao, don’t you think you’ve gotten rounder compared to before?"

The black-eyed little panda blinked innocently. "I… don’t think so?"

Without hesitation, Lei Jun grabbed his round disciple and gave it a good kneading.

Hmm, in a way, the texture had indeed improved.

Zhuo Baojie chuckled awkwardly.

Lei Jun: "I heard the Upper Qing Thunder Altar Grotto-Heaven was raided."

The small panda immediately cried out in protest: "Master! I only ate two bamboo… Oww!"

Lei Jun withdrew his hand, nodding. "So, two pieces, huh?"

Well, eating was fine.

Lei Jun might tease his disciple, but as long as he hadn’t completely destroyed an entire celestial bamboo grove, Lei Jun would cover for him.

After all, due to the mountain badger clan’s unique talents, consuming specific materials was an effective way to accumulate innate potential.

And in this regard, Zhuo Baojie was particularly gifted.

Even back in Bashu, he had already displayed this trait.

In contrast, Master Yuan Mobai was much more restrained in this aspect.

Whether it was because he had passed that phase or because he had an image to maintain… No. Stop. Lei Jun refused to think any further down this path.

Returning to his usual routine, Lei Jun resumed teaching his disciples, assisting with sect affairs, and focusing on his own cultivation.

The path to the Heavens was still long, and he had to keep moving forward.

One day, a visitor arrived from the Daoist Children's Academy.

It was an old acquaintance—Elder Du.

Elder Du's full name was Du Yu, one of the Third Heaven Elders of the Tianshi Mansion. He belonged to the same generation as Yuan Mobai and Shangguan Ning and was currently serving as the Chief Instructor of the Daoist Children's Academy.

"Elder Du," Lei Jun greeted, inviting him to sit.

After exchanging pleasantries, Elder Du got to the point—he was here to invite Lei Jun to give a lecture at the Daoist Children's Academy when he had time.

Such invitations were not frequent, but they were not uncommon either.

Yuan Mobai had taught at the academy multiple times in the past.

So had Yao Yuan, Shangguan Ning, and others.

It was common for high-ranking elders to occasionally teach the young apprentices—not only because their profound Daoist knowledge could greatly inspire the children, but also to strengthen the bond between generations and encourage the younger disciples to strive harder.

Both Lei Jun and Zhang Jingzhen had recently broken through to the Seventh Heaven Realm and, after a few years of adaptation, were now being invited to lecture at the academy.

Of course, there were exceptions.

For example, Xu Yuanzhen had never done anything like this.

But Lei Jun did not mind.

After confirming a date with Elder Du, Lei Jun took time out of his cultivation to prepare his lecture materials.

When the day arrived, Lei Jun’s lecture drew an overwhelming response.

Young apprentices from nearly every academy branch gathered eagerly.

Lei Elder's lessons were simple, yet profound, easy to understand yet filled with deep insights.

Even the academy’s instructors found themselves enlightened, realizing how his teachings applied to their own cultivation.

After the main lecture, Lei Jun stayed behind to answer numerous questions.

Only after this did he bid farewell to Elder Du and the other instructors before leaving the Daoist Children's Academy.

As usual, his demeanor remained calm and composed—not as approachable as his master Yuan Mobai, but just as patient.

Nonetheless, the young apprentices could feel the warmth and care from their elders, strengthening their connection to the sect.

Elder Du watched Lei Jun leave.

To be honest, he had never expected this outcome when Lei Jun first entered the sect.

At the time, the only thing remarkable about him was that he had been brought into the sect by Xu Yuanzhen and later became Yuan Mobai’s disciple.

But who could have foreseen that he would become so extraordinary?

"The younger generation truly surpasses the old," Elder Du thought.

From Tianshi Mansion’s perspective, this was a great blessing.

But Elder Du’s feelings were mixed.

He himself was approaching the end of his prime cultivation years and was soon to enter his declining phase, making it nearly impossible for him to break into the Upper Three Heavens.

Meanwhile, Lei Jun was still in his rising phase—his sun not yet at its zenith.

And his sun was massive.

Compared to countless others, his noonday brilliance would outshine them all.

A feeling of uncertainty crept into Elder Du’s heart.

In just two decades, Tianshi Mansion had faced countless upheavals.

And beyond the sect, the Tang Dynasty itself was no different.

In such turbulent times, some people drifted like floating weeds, while others rode the waves as tide-chasers.

Fate was truly unpredictable.

"If things are already like this, then we can only hope that more of our sect members can rise above the tides," Elder Du prayed in his heart. "Only then can the Tianshi Mansion weather the storm."

As Lei Jun left the academy, he ran into a familiar face—Senior Brother Luo Haoran.

Beside Luo Haoran was a young girl, about fourteen or fifteen.

Lei Jun glanced at her briefly.

Her actual age matched her appearance.

There were no signs of possession or other abnormalities.

"Lei Elder," Luo Haoran greeted with a Daoist bow, smiling. "Meet my new disciple."

Lei Jun returned the bow slightly. "Senior Brother Luo, you've found a promising talent?"

"This child's name is Qin Caiwei," Luo Haoran said. "We met by chance, and I felt it was fate. So, I brought her back to join the sect."

According to tradition, if she successfully passed the initiation and became a formal disciple, she would officially be Luo Haoran’s first student.

Lei Jun studied the girl again and turned back to Luo Haoran with a smirk: "So, this is your first disciple?"

Luo Haoran nodded. "Fated encounters are rare. Such things should be treasured—but also handled with caution."

As they spoke, Lei Jun suddenly felt a flicker within his Light Sphere.

Words emerged in his mind:

【The old winds sweep the sky, the new sapling rises in the East.】

Then, two fortune slips appeared:

1. 【Supreme Good Omen】 – If you head to Xiaoxue Peak in the middle reaches of Xunjiang before noon, you will receive a Third-Grade Opportunity. There are no current dangers or future risks. Great fortune!
2. 【Moderate-Moderate Omen】 – Stay in Mount Longhu. No gains, no losses. Neutral.

A Supreme Good Omen?!

Lei Jun remained outwardly calm but was utterly shocked.

A Supreme Good Omen?!

Lei Jun maintained his usual composed expression, but inwardly, he was startled.

The location was close, just outside Mount Longhu, in the middle reaches of Xunjiang.

His gaze lingered on Luo Haoran, though he deliberately avoided looking directly at the young girl, Qin Caiwei.

But considering the words "The old winds sweep the sky, the new sapling rises in the East," the “new sapling” likely referred to her.

However—nothing seemed off about her.

Moreover, his divination had only revealed two possible fates—one being a neutral outcome, the other being an undisputed Supreme Good Omen with no risks.

What was the reason behind this?

Qin Caiwei had already entered Mount Longhu today.

If something was at play, what could she possibly have arranged outside the sect in such a short time?

Lei Jun’s instincts tingled. He wasn’t the type to pry into people’s secrets unless it posed a threat or issue.

He put his thoughts aside for now.

He casually asked Luo Haoran, "Judging by her accent, she’s from Xunzhou?"

Luo Haoran nodded. "Yes. Quite surprising, actually. Most suitable candidates from Xunzhou have already been recruited by our sect. Finding her by chance along the Xunjiang River was unexpected."

Lei Jun’s eyes flickered slightly.

As expected—Xunjiang.

His fortune slip specifically pointed him toward Xiaoxue Peak in the middle reaches of Xunjiang.

Still, given the nature of the fortune, he decided to wait and observe for now.

Thus, Qin Caiwei, the newly admitted Daoist apprentice, unknowingly gained a mark in Lei Jun’s mind before she had even settled in.

After parting ways with Luo Haoran and Qin Caiwei, Lei Jun checked the time.

There was still time before noon.

Without hesitation, he left the sect and made his way toward Xiaoxue Peak in Xunjiang.

The journey was quick, as it was not far from Mount Longhu.

Upon arrival, he found the peak covered in a light layer of snow, fitting its name.

What truly caught his attention, however, was the faint mist lingering around the mountain.

Within that mist, a gentle radiance flickered, slowly ascending toward the sky.

Lei Jun immediately understood the reasoning behind his fortune slip’s time limit—

By noon, this radiance would completely dissipate, leaving nothing to be gained.

He cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

There were no hidden figures, no lurking ambushes—nothing unusual.

After a moment’s thought, he stepped forward and gathered the glowing mist.

A name instantly surfaced in his mind:

【Rising Celestial Flow】