Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 287: Lei Jun's First Ordination Ceremony

As the illusory Path to the Heavens continued to ascend, Lei Jun's connection with the natural world grew ever stronger.

Various profound truths of nature unfolded before his eyes, drawing him in completely.

Comprehending and assimilating these natural principles not only captivated him but also steadily strengthened his cultivation and deepened his foundation of mana.

The first six volumes of the True Canon of the Dao of Righteousness seemed to integrate seamlessly within this Path to the Heavens, allowing him to internalize their essence fully.

The Tianshi Mansion’s True Daoist Legacy, a collection of scriptures accumulated over many generations, was already highly refined.

With the exceptional comprehension abilities of Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang, there were rarely opportunities to innovate upon this fundamental canon.

However, as their cultivation progressed, reviewing the early volumes of the True Canon of the Dao of Righteousness now brought new insights each time, yielding ever greater understanding.

At this moment, as Lei Jun’s connection with nature became even more seamless and harmonious, he further refined his knowledge.

With a stronger foundation, the momentum of the Path to the Heavens, fueled by the Ascension Flowing Radiance, accelerated its upward expansion.

This cycle of positive reinforcement greatly enhanced Lei Jun’s cultivation speed.

“Hmm, this Ascension Flowing Radiance is indeed quite effective.”

Lei Jun had a clear understanding of his own cultivation progress.

When Chu Kun had asked him earlier, he had estimated that he would need another five or six years to complete the accumulation for the Heaven-Penetrating Realm, fully solidifying his Path to the Heavens.

After that, he would have to prepare for the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between the Seventh and Eighth Heavens, the duration of which was uncertain, but it would undoubtedly take additional years.

So, under normal circumstances, reaching the Eighth Heaven wouldn’t happen until after he turned fifty.

Lei Jun didn’t mind this timeline.

His Celestial Physique, superior bone structure, and Clear Tranquility Comprehension were already well established, and he was still far from the two-hundred-year cultivation window deadline, meaning he had plenty of time to continue progressing.

However, with the aid of the Ascension Flowing Radiance, his remaining cultivation in the Seventh Heaven would be nearly twice as fast.

After making a rough estimate, he figured that he would only need about three more years to complete this stage.

Furthermore, with the Eight Sceneries Wind in his possession, the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between the Seventh and Eighth Heavens would be significantly less dangerous.

If all went well, there was a chance he could break through to the Eighth Heaven before turning fifty.

Not bad.

If he couldn’t make it, so be it. If he could, even better.

Since there was a chance, why not go for it?

“But I can’t let this become an obsession. Otherwise, my state of mind might become unstable, and I could end up failing at the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation.”

Lei Jun chuckled to himself.

Despite saying this, he remained calm and composed.

In the following days, he continued cultivating at his own steady pace, progressing step by step without rushing.

He maintained a balanced routine, alternating between effort and rest.

Aside from his cultivation, he fulfilled his duties as a High Priest Elder, assisting Shangguan Ning, Zhang Jingzhen, and others in managing the affairs of the Mansion—

And occasionally petting cats…

Wait, scratch that.

Instead, he focused on urging his one and only apprentice to take his training more seriously.

Lei Jun even found time to visit the Daoist Children’s Academy, where he held lectures and nurtured the young talents of the Tianshi Mansion.

Unlike many cultivators who secluded themselves in isolation for years at a time, he maintained a steady and natural rhythm, one that suited his current state of mind and cultivation needs.

The Path to the Heavens continued to soar, growing more refined with every step, never pausing in its advance.

—Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Book Universe, after a long period of absence, all seven members were unexpectedly gathered once again.

The atmosphere between them was noticeably more relaxed than before.

Though true trust was still lacking, the sense of estrangement and wariness had significantly diminished.

While full gatherings had been rare recently, private conversations among them had become far more frequent.

Now that they were reunited, there was no longer a need for Lunar Luminary (Taiyin Yueyao) to act as a mediator to liven up the discussion.

Their conversations had become much more natural and casual.

Lunar Luminary got straight to the point:

“Since we’re all here, let me ask—does anyone have any confirmed information on Shushan’s Chen Donglou?”

Flame Luminary (Huoyao) Shen Qubing muttered:

“That’s a tough one. Finding this Elder Chen is much harder than tracking down someone like Fu Dongsen from the Mortal Daoist Nation. Even the Shushan Sect can only leave him messages, but they have no way of contacting him directly, right?”

Lunar Luminary replied calmly:

“I have no hostile intentions. I simply wish to make his acquaintance.”

Lei Jun remained composed, keeping his thoughts to himself.

Any information about ‘Chen Donglou’ would never come from his mouth.

There was no reason to expose a well-maintained alias.

He wasn’t certain if his control over the dark side of the Heavenly Book was exactly the same as Solar Luminary’s (Riyao’s) control over the primary book.

If their roles were identical, then Solar Luminary would be able to access everyone’s identities and even monitor some of their private messages.

However, she wouldn’t necessarily be able to track their locations or know what they did outside the Heavenly Book Universe.

Though Lei Jun wasn’t entirely sure of this, he wouldn’t risk exposing himself unnecessarily.

When it came to the mysterious ‘Chen Donglou’, everyone claimed to have no leads.

Lunar Luminary didn’t press further, and the discussion continued naturally.

At that moment, Solar Luminary shifted the topic:

“Does anyone have any intel on the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru in the Western Regions?”

Lei Jun listened with intrigue.

Meanwhile, Jupiter Luminary (Muxing) Future Maitreya spoke up:

“I’d like to purchase a large quantity of Soul-Sealing Stones. Does anyone have extra stock?”

Solar Luminary: “I do. Do you have any information I might be interested in?”

Future Maitreya: “Most of what I know about the Vajra Division is fairly surface-level. I’m not sure if it’s valuable enough, but I have other things that might interest you. Can we discuss privately later?”

Solar Luminary: “Fine.”

Lei Jun observed Future Maitreya’s glowing presence and then spoke up:

“I’m interested in any current information on the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. I’m not picky about which specific region.”

As he spoke, he pondered.

Future Maitreya had previously ventured into the Southern Wasteland in search of Buddhist relics, only to be forced into revealing his true power when ambushed.

But what exactly was he looking for?

Was he after any high-grade Buddhist artifact, or was he specifically targeting the secret prayer beads tied to the legendary ‘Avīci Hell’?

And now, he was looking for a large supply of Soul-Sealing Stones.

What did he plan to do with them?

Later, Lei Jun privately contacted Saturn Luminary (Tuxing).

“I heard that Tianshi Mansion’s Xu Yuanzhen and Prince Huayang Zhang Rui once explored a certain secret realm together. Do you know anything about this?”

Saturn Luminary: “Yes, I’m aware of it.”

Lei Jun: “I don’t have further leads on this for now. Would you accept other forms of trade or information instead?”

Saturn Luminary (Tuxing) pondered for a moment before asking, “Do you have a large quantity of spiritual items beneficial to Confucian scholars in their cultivation? I need enough to supply multiple people.”

Lei Jun asked, “For multiple people? What level of cultivation are we talking about?”

“Primarily scholars at the Lower Three Heavens level, but I require high-quality spiritual items.”

Lei Jun replied, “How about Whetstone Rock? I have more than enough to supply a hundred or so scholars at the Lower Three Heavens.”

“That much Whetstone Rock?” Saturn Luminary agreed without hesitation. “Then we have a deal.”

He continued, “There are two locations in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths that I’ve never visited, but I happened to make indirect contact with them. One is called Lianshan, and the other is called Tianli.”

Under the radiance of the Supreme Gold Luminary, Lei Jun raised an eyebrow slightly.

Lianshan was known as one of the Ten Earths, a mysterious void realm deeply intertwined with Confucian cultivation. According to ancient records Lei Jun had read, it was one of the more stable and peaceful lands among the Ten Earths, unlike the chaotic and violent Earthsea or Avīci Hell.

In the present Great Tang, the two prominent Ye Clans—one in Qingzhou and the other in Cangzhou—were originally part of the same lineage.

Legend had it that before their division, the Ye Clan had once set foot in Lianshan.

But that was an ancient history, nearly lost in time.

Lianshan had long disappeared from human records, severing all ties with the mortal realm.

Some claimed that the split of the Ye Clan into two branches was related to Lianshan, but the specifics remained uncertain.

And then…

Tianli? What the hell is that?

For a moment, Lei Jun almost thought he had misheard.

Based on his understanding, there were three realms in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths that had deep historical ties to Confucianism:

• Datong in the Nine Heavens,
• Guizang, also in the Nine Heavens,
• Lianshan, one of the Ten Earths.

But as far as he knew, there was no realm called Tianli.

Saturn Luminary seemed to anticipate Lei Jun’s surprise and calmly explained,

“Based on my initial analysis, ‘Tianli’ is actually the former ‘Guizang’ of the Nine Heavens.”

“At present, people live and thrive there, and over time, they changed its name from Guizang to Tianli.

“To those living there now, ‘Tianli’ has become an accepted convention. They no longer refer to it as Guizang.

“I won’t lie to you. When I first learned about this, I was just as shocked as you are.”

Lei Jun fell into contemplation.

Saturn Luminary continued, “The texts I had you all analyze earlier were related to Tianli.”

The calligraphy was precise, composed, and imbued with literary aura—

Yet it carried a rigid, hierarchical structure that felt absolute and unchangeable.

Lei Jun nodded slightly, “I see… The style of that writing was somewhat similar to the literary essence found in the void realms connected to the Black Mountain and Longjie Island, but also had notable differences.”

In the fragmented void realm beyond Black Mountain, the literary essence had been trampled upon by barbaric martial arts, its energy chaotic.

That scholarly aura itself already differed significantly from the current Confucian traditions of the Tang Dynasty.

Compared to that, the text provided by Saturn Luminary bore a closer resemblance—

Yet it still wasn’t quite the same.

Perhaps the Confucian legacy in Tianli had advanced even further than the one found in the Black Mountain’s void realm.

It was not only stronger but also more rigid and unyielding.

Saturn Luminary nodded. “Indeed.”

“This kind of scholarly doctrine is not to my liking, but I believe it must be investigated and understood.”

Lei Jun asked, “And what about Lianshan?”

“It passed by in an instant. I don’t have a clear understanding of its current state.”

After a brief pause, he added, “This is purely my speculation, so take it with a grain of salt, but I feel that the literary aura in Lianshan seems… quite faint.”

Lei Jun asked, “So according to you, neither Lianshan nor Tianli have reestablished direct contact with the mortal world?”

Saturn Luminary replied, “I attempted to track them afterward, but found nothing more.”

Even so, with the resurgence of spiritual energy and the gradual reappearance of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, nothing could be ruled out.

Perhaps it would happen today, or in the next moment.

Or perhaps it would take many more years.

Lei Jun reflected on this before discussing a few more related topics with Saturn Luminary.

They then agreed on a location to exchange the Whetstone Rock.

For a Daoist Talismanic Sect cultivator like Lei Jun, Whetstone Rock was mainly used in artifact refinement.

But for Confucian scholars, it had far greater significance in cultivation.

Returning to the Tianshi Mansion

After leaving the Heavenly Book Universe, Lei Jun went to the Decree Pavilion to search the records.

Both Lianshan and the now-renamed Tianli (formerly Guizang) had limited documentation in Daoist texts.

Lei Jun meticulously combed through the archives, carefully studying each entry.

Later, he contacted his master, Yuan Mobai, to inquire whether there had been any new developments regarding the Western Region’s Buddhist sects.

Yuan Mobai replied, “Since the people of the Mortal Daoist Nation vanished from the Southern Wasteland, the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru has been relatively inactive.”

“However, there is one noteworthy development: a new figure has recently arrived from Sumeru into the mortal world. Their exact cultivation level is unknown, but they should not be underestimated.”

Lei Jun’s eyes flickered. “The Mudra Lineage of Buddhism is on the rise, using Sumeru as their foundation.”

Yet their movements seemed cautious, making it difficult to gauge their true strength.

If he were to assume the worst-case scenario, the Western Region’s Buddhist sects might be even stronger than previously estimated.

Yuan Mobai said solemnly, “We must handle this with caution.”

Lei Jun replied, “Understood, Master.”

He then shared another of his plans with Yuan Mobai, who did not object.

A Private Conversation with Solar Luminary (Riyao)

Lei Jun once again entered the Heavenly Book Universe to privately contact Solar Luminary.

Although he had his suspicions about her identity, he maintained a composed demeanor.

“What do you want?” Solar Luminary asked directly.

Lei Jun slowly said, “Do you have a Earth-Soul Flame Core?”

Solar Luminary: “I have one.”

Lei Jun: “I’ll trade for it.”

He then shared the information he had just received from Yuan Mobai—

about the possible arrival of a new Buddhist powerhouse from Mount Sumeru.

Solar Luminary remained silent for a moment before finally responding:

“The Earth-Soul Flame Core is yours. Let’s set a time and place for the exchange.”

Lei Jun, unperturbed, simply said, “Much appreciated.”

Solar Luminary played no tricks, and Lei Jun successfully obtained the spiritual item he sought.

The Earth-Soul Flame Core was formed within underground fire and molten lava.

Despite being a Yang-based fire, it contained a refined Yin essence due to its extreme transformation.

This rare treasure had wide-ranging applications, useful to many cultivators.

For Lei Jun, it was comparable to the Celestial Embryo Star Dust that his junior brother Chu Kun had previously gifted him.

The Celestial Embryo Star Dust had allowed him to rapidly cultivate the Doumu Star God Apparition in a short time.

Similarly, the Earth-Soul Flame Core would help him quickly cultivate the Nine Abyss Flame Ancestor Apparition—

though not just yet.

For now, he focused on steadily cultivating and constructing his Path to the Heavens.

Time passed unnoticed in the mountains.

Two years flew by.

Lei Jun’s Path to the Heavens was approaching its final stage.

After spending a long time in the Southern Wasteland, Yuan Mobai had finally returned to the Tianshi Mansion.

Lei Jun and Chu Kun, as senior and junior brothers, went to welcome their master’s return.

The three master and disciples returned to the mountain together.

"Zhonggui is in seclusion?" Yuan Mobai asked with a smile.

Lei Jun nodded. "Senior Brother mentioned that he had gained new insights in his cultivation and reached a critical stage, so he's been spending more time in seclusion lately."

As they caught up, they talked about the current situation in the Southern Wasteland, and for a moment, they all felt a sense of melancholy.

While Lei Jun and Chu Kun focused on their cultivation at Mount Longhu, the outside world was far from peaceful.

Time moved forward, unyielding to any individual.

When Lei Jun left, the Southern Wasteland had still been stable, but in just two years, everything had changed dramatically.

One of the sacred lands of the Witch Sect, Gepo Mountain, had been destroyed.

As the holy ground of the Divine Dance Lineage, Gepo Mountain had stood tall in the Southern Wasteland for many years. Among all the sects within the Witch Sect, its mountain gate was the most fortified. Yet this time, it had been breached by the experts of the Jiuli Secret Realm.

Gepo Mountain was strategically located, caught right in the middle of Jiuli Secret Realm, Youning Lake, and Zhuoqing Mountain.

Shortly after, a fourth location became shrouded in Jiuli’s black mist.

With the black mist spreading rapidly, surrounding the area from all four directions, the mountain ranges of the Southern Wasteland were soon engulfed, and Gepo Mountain found itself trapped within.

The news Lei Jun received at Mount Longhu stated that aside from Li Yan, a second Ninth Heaven expert from the Jiuli had emerged. Together, they led other elite warriors from their clan in a full-scale attack.

Under the cover of the black mist, the Ghost Deity Ritual Formation at Gepo Mountain was disrupted, while countless Jiuli warriors launched a siege, pushing the mountain into a precarious situation.

However, General Shangguan Yunbo of the Tang Divine Strategy Army, Prince Xiang Zhang Luo, and another high-ranking general, Ye Morong, did not stand by and watch.

They swiftly mobilized their forces, charging into the black mist to reinforce Gepo Mountain, hoping to create a pincer movement from within and without.

Facing a common enemy, the Tang Imperial Court and the Witch Sect’s sacred lands had begun interacting frequently in recent times. Gradually, past grievances and suspicions were set aside, and a limited alliance was formed.

The other two major Witch Sect holy grounds, Yin Mountain Cave and Reincarnation Abyss, also sent powerful cultivators to aid Gepo Mountain.

Though the black mist blanketed the skies and the enemy forces were overwhelming, as long as Gepo Mountain’s grand formation held, there was still hope.

Unfortunately, in the end, Gepo Mountain fell.

"Master, was Li Tianqing really a traitor?" Lei Jun asked. "Was he truly of Jiuli bloodline?"

Yuan Mobai replied, "Li Tianqing of Gepo Mountain was indeed of Jiuli heritage—one could call him a chosen one, or rather, a favored child of the Deep Sea. Unlike other Jiuli people who have lived in darkness for generations, he can walk freely under the sun."

"But to say that he betrayed Gepo Mountain… I would advise caution. From my own observations, he did not seem to know his true origins."

Lei Jun blinked.

He couldn't help but recall some of the novels he'd read before transmigrating to this world.

‘A foreigner among us must have a different heart’—those who don’t know their own origins, once their identity is revealed, are suddenly left with nowhere to belong... Or rather, they become outcasts both inside and out.

Li Tianqing, one of Gepo Mountain’s top young experts, had now been caught in such a situation.

For years, Gepo Mountain’s Holy Master Sang Lu had been recovering from injuries inflicted by Wei Anchang, the Sect Master of the Blood River Sect, during the Southern Wasteland War. As a result, most of the sect’s responsibilities had long been entrusted to Li Tianqing, the designated successor.

For the past decade, Li Tianqing had practically been the acting Holy Master of Gepo Mountain.

His talent was extraordinary, his cultivation profound, and he had an upright and friendly personality. He commanded respect within the sect and had an extensive network outside of it.

Even Shangguan Yunbo, in private conversations with Yuan Mobai and Zhang Luo, had spoken highly of him.

Who would have thought things would end like this?

In the chaos of the sudden attack, Gepo Mountain was breached, and Sang Lu, a peak Eighth Heaven Grand Witch of the Divine Dance Lineage, perished in battle.

Fortunately, there were many powerful experts in the mortal realm, and their timely response managed to dispel the black mist, preventing the four regions of black fog from merging into one. Ultimately, the Jiuli forces retreated separately.

However, Gepo Mountain’s mountain gate was destroyed beyond recovery.

Li Tianqing desperately defended himself, but in the face of such damning circumstances, no explanation could clear his name. He had no choice but to flee.

To make matters worse, Wei Anchang reappeared with his Blood River Sect elites, attempting to take advantage of the situation.

Then, out of nowhere, Western Buddhist masters intercepted them.

Master Jiasheng had been focused on targeting the Mortal Daoist Nation, whose members had gone into hiding, but the Western Buddhists were still unwilling to let the matter rest.

And they certainly hadn’t forgotten that Wei Anchang was responsible for the death of Master Sangjie.

This time, the Western Buddhist masters launched an attack to avenge Master Sangjie. Though they failed to kill Wei Anchang, they disrupted his plans and even killed several of his Blood River Sect disciples.

With the opportunity to seize a larger area of the black mist lost, Li Yan and the other Jiuli experts chose to cut their losses and retreat after eliminating Gepo Mountain as an obstacle.

After the battle, Gepo Mountain was left in ruins.

Previously, an elder, Yuan Shanji, had defected during the Southern Wasteland War.

Now, with both Sang Lu and Li Tianqing gone, and the sect’s foundation shattered, the surviving disciples of Gepo Mountain faced an uncertain and dangerous future in the bloody and chaotic Southern Wasteland.

"But after that battle, the Jiuli haven’t made any further major moves. That’s… at least some small relief," Yuan Mobai remarked.

Lei Jun and Chu Kun exchanged a glance.

After some hesitation, Chu Kun said, "Even with two Ninth Heaven experts, the Jiuli… don’t seem as strong as we expected?"

The Deep Sea was undeniably dangerous.

But it also held rare resources and opportunities unknown to the outside world.

If the Jiuli people had only this level of strength after all these years of development, then perhaps the Tang Dynasty should start planning an offensive to push them back—or even invade the Deep Sea itself.

"Perhaps there’s more to this than meets the eye," Lei Jun said. "Let’s hope General Shangguan and Prince Xiang remain cautious."

Yuan Mobai nodded. "That would be wise."

As they spoke, both Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai suddenly sensed something.

Lei Jun looked toward his master with a smile. "Senior Brother has come out of seclusion."

Yuan Mobai smiled and nodded. "What perfect timing."

Upon seeing Yuan Mobai return, Wang Guiyuan was overjoyed and immediately pulled his master aside to talk.

Then, in a serious tone, he said, "Master, I’ve gained some insights in my cultivation and wish to travel the world, broaden my horizons, and expand my knowledge…"

He glanced helplessly at his two junior brothers. "…Why are you two looking at me like that?"

Chu Kun hesitated. "Uh… It’s just that, even though it’s been over ten years since you last left the mountain, hearing you say this today still feels… strange."

Lei Jun was more direct. "Senior Brother, is there something important? Do you need my help?"

Wang Guiyuan looked at his master, who simply smiled. With a sigh, he rubbed his forehead and turned back to Lei Jun and Chu Kun.

"Please… just stop messing with me, both of you!"

Lei Jun and Chu Kun replied in unison, "Senior Brother, you’re too kind!"

Wang Guiyuan sighed, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

After preparing his belongings, he bid farewell to Yuan Mobai and slowly departed from the mountain.

Lei Jun turned to Yuan Mobai.

His master remained calm and smiling, shaking his head slightly.

Seeing this, Lei Jun felt reassured and changed the subject.

"Master, the Initiation Ceremony is coming up soon. Will you be presiding over it, or will Uncle-Master Shangguan take charge?"

Since Tang Tianshi ascended the throne, she had presided over multiple ceremonies and had grown weary of them.

Thus, recent and upcoming Initiation Ceremonies had been delegated to the senior High Priests of the mansion.

While this had caused some murmurs, there was nothing procedurally wrong with it.

"What about you, Chongyun?" Yuan Mobai asked.

"I hadn’t thought about it before," Lei Jun admitted. "If it’s entrusted to me, I’ll do my best. But I’ll need to review the formal procedures again—just to make sure I don’t embarrass myself."

He neither sought nor avoided responsibility.

Yuan Mobai chuckled. "Then go prepare. You will be presiding over your first Initiation Ceremony."