Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 301: Dragon and Tiger Combination, I Know a Little Bit

Could the direction Fang Yue went in lead to a Third-Grade Opportunity…? Lei Jun pondered.

He just wasn’t sure whether it was naturally formed or the result of human intervention.

Was it directly related to Fang Yue himself?

Lei Jun carefully examined the three omen readings.

Among the two Moderate-Moderate Omens, one was a completely neutral result—nothing gained, but also no risks or consequences.

The other indicated a Fourth-Grade Opportunity, but it came with equally matched risks.

The direction pointed directly east.

That was precisely where the Void Gateway, which connected the Heavenly Principle to the mortal world, was located—it was also Lei Jun’s original destination.

It was obvious that over there, elite cultivators of the Great Tang, including Ye Yan, the clan leader of the Ye Clan of Qingzhou, and Chu Xiuyuan, the former patriarch of the Chu Clan of Suzhou, were currently locked in a standoff against top-tier Heavenly Principle cultivators.

Even if their focus was on each other and not on outsiders, that sea region was unquestionably dangerous.

Even the slightest aftershock could be fatal.

Lei Jun’s cultivation had already progressed significantly, and with the Tianshi Seal and Taiqing Eight-Scenery Mantle in hand, minor disturbances wouldn’t pose a threat to him.

But since the Southeast direction had revealed a Supreme Good Omen, he didn’t dwell on the matter and instead headed there first.

As for the Breath-Taking Flag, he had temporarily loaned it to his junior brother Chu Kun before they split up.

This treasure’s defensive properties and ability to replenish spiritual energy and restore mana weren’t of much help to Lei Jun, who was now in the Eighth Heaven Realm.

Although, as the saying goes, even a mosquito has meat, the current circumstances made it clear that lending it to Chu Kun would allow the artifact to be fully utilized.

For Chu Kun, who was still in the Sixth Heaven Realm and had yet to reach the Upper Three Heavens, the Breath-Taking Flag was still a valuable treasure.

Lei Jun, on the other hand, donned the Taiqing Eight-Scenery Mantle, blending seamlessly into nature itself, his presence vanishing from sight.

Yet he found that insufficient. He activated the Illusory Mirror as well.

A flicker of mirror light flashed overhead before dimming and merging into Lei Jun’s form, further concealing his presence.

Only then did he proceed southeast.

With the Taiqing Eight-Scenery Mantle concealing him, Lei Jun freely used the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman to observe his surroundings.

Even when pushing the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman to its limit, his mana aura remained faint and nearly imperceptible.

This allowed him to carefully scrutinize others while ensuring they wouldn’t detect his probing.

Drifting across the sea like a gentle breeze, Lei Jun advanced southeastward, his pupils faintly glowing with talismanic radiance.

Meanwhile, both his Celestial Ground-Through Talisman and the numerous Heavenly Sight and Earthly Hearing Talismans he had dispersed scanned the surroundings, taking in all details to confirm whether the Supreme Good Omen Opportunity was actually unrelated to Fang Yue.

After some time, Lei Jun’s gaze flickered—he had found Fang Yue ahead.

Because Lei Jun had stayed behind to oversee the ritual, Fang Yue had set off much earlier, covering a significant distance.

Under normal circumstances, he had already traveled beyond the perception range of an Eighth Heaven First Layer cultivator from the Talismanic Branch.

Yet after a period of searching, Lei Jun successfully located him.

His movements were as light as the wind, seemingly weightless yet incredibly swift.

However, just as Lei Jun was about to catch up, he noticed that Fang Yue’s speed had significantly decreased.

Lei Jun lifted his gaze toward the southeastern sea.

It was still nighttime, but dawn was approaching.

The pitch-black sky was slowly fading into a deep, overcast blue.

Yet at the distant horizon where the sea met the sky, Lei Jun clearly saw flashes of literary brilliance interwoven with Confucian Ink Techniques.

Fang Yue was attempting to reestablish a ritual, resonating with those in other locations.

But in this sea region, he had encountered opposition from Heavenly Principle cultivators, igniting a fierce battle.

Fortunately, from Lei Jun’s distant perspective, Fang Yue’s literary aura had already begun suppressing the opposing Neoconfucian cultivators.

As a master of the Confucian Recitation Lineage, even in such a hostile environment, Fang Yue could still manipulate the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to summon the winds and rains.

Yet just then, Lei Jun’s eyes flashed subtly.

He saw the void at the horizon tremble—

It was as if the entire world had suddenly turned into a giant painting.

And then, as if an invisible hand had shaken the canvas, the void rippled.

In that instant, Fang Yue—who had been on the verge of victory—along with the Neoconfucian cultivators present, all vanished from sight.

The storm dissipated, leaving the area eerily tranquil, as if nothing had ever happened.

But Lei Jun understood the truth.

Deep within his pupils, the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman’s radiance flickered—and in the sea ahead, a shadowy figure emerged into clarity.

This man appeared to be middle-aged, but in reality, he had long since gained fame—he was Ye Zhi, the elder of the Ye Clan of Qingzhou.

The painting that had swept Fang Yue away was his ritual artifact—Canghai Scroll.

Ye Zhi remained motionless in the night.

Around him, waves of black ink-like light rippled gently, seamlessly blending him into the ocean.

This illusion, crafted from his mana, was quite remarkable, yet it failed to escape Lei Jun’s discerning gaze.

Though Ye Zhi had sealed Fang Yue within the Canghai Scroll, his task was far from complete.

Fang Yue had not lost the ability to fight back—he was already trying to break free from the scroll.

At the same time, the Heavenly Principle cultivators trapped inside were also attempting to escape.

Ye Zhi now held a new brush, brimming with spiritual radiance and glowing with emerald light—his prized artifact, Bihai Brush.

With each stroke, layers of ink-like waves fortified the Canghai Scroll, generating boundless transformations to entrap and wear down Fang Yue.

"A brilliant talent… yet a thief nonetheless." Ye Zhi sighed inwardly.

Though they stood on opposite sides, he still admired Fang Yue’s academic brilliance.

This young man should have been the next great leader of the Fang Clan of Jingxiang after Fang Jingsheng.

Yet instead, he had become an enemy.

It wasn’t just the Fang Clan of Jingxiang that needed to deal with him—the other major aristocratic clans saw him as a thorn in their side as well.

At present, these prestigious clans were working to mend their relations with the Tang Imperial Family and unite against the threat of the Heavenly Principle cultivators.

That was why Ye Zhi and the others had turned a blind eye to Fang Yue’s actions—until now.

But with the chaos of overlapping rituals disrupting the spiritual energy flow, Fang Yue had lost his external support.

Now that he was isolated…

For Ye Zhi, this was a rare opportunity—one he wouldn’t let slip.

Since he had made his move, it wouldn’t end with just a scolding.

He would ensure Fang Yue was buried beneath the ocean for good.

Fang Yue’s talent and cultivation were formidable. Even with Ye Zhi’s Eighth Heaven Second Layer cultivation, he wasn’t entirely confident he could take him down.

If Fang Yue managed to escape, it would spell trouble for both Ye Zhi and the Ye Clan of Qingzhou.

Luckily, Fang Yue had already clashed with the Heavenly Principle cultivators.

Ye Zhi had simply waited, striking at the perfect moment to seal Fang Yue into the scroll.

Now that he was trapped—escaping would be nearly impossible.

Lei Zhi continued to refine his artistic intent, blending it with the Cang Hai Diagram as he patiently worked on it.

Even if Fang Yue within the painting was as stubborn as an iron walnut, Lei Zhi was confident he could crack him open—it was just a matter of time.

…No, the longer the night, the more dreams arise. A swift victory was preferable.

His expression remained unchanged, but his demeanor grew heavier, more solemn.

Lei Jun silently observed from the side.

Though he hadn’t interacted much with Lei Zhi, he wasn’t unfamiliar with him.

Back when Lin Che of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan had gone missing, it was Lei Zhi from Qingzhou who entered Jiangzhou to help stabilize the situation.

Xinzhou’s Mount Longhu and the Jiangzhou Lin Clan had long been in a standoff, so it was impossible for Lei Zhi to be a stranger to them.

Later, as the Four Great Surnames and Six Prominent Clans began to unite, the Qingzhou Ye Clan never directly opposed Tianshi Mansion, but Lei Jun never forgot about them.

Now, seeing Lei Zhi engaged in his own “business,” Lei Jun certainly wouldn’t ignore it.

Especially since, while he wasn’t particularly close to Fang Yue, he did admire the young scholar—who, despite looking older than Lei Jun, was actually younger by a few years.

Previously, when Lei Jun had been “sealed,” Fang Yue had also looked after Daoist Chu Kun.

Although both Lei Jun and Chu Kun knew that Chu Kun wouldn’t be in any real danger since Lei Jun was nearby, Fang Yue had been unaware of this.

So now that Fang Yue was in trouble, Lei Jun didn’t mind lending him a hand.

However, seeing that Fang Yue could still hold on for the time being, Lei Jun didn’t act immediately. Instead, he first took a careful look at his surroundings.

A moment later, his gaze flickered as he glanced back in the direction he had come from.

In the distance, someone was approaching.

Lei Zhi, who noticed slightly later than Lei Jun, continued to paint as he lifted his head toward the northwest.

The approaching figure gradually became clearer—it was a middle-aged scholar, likely in his forties.

Lei Jun didn’t recognize him at first, but after a brief recollection, he deduced that the man was likely from the Qingzhou Ye Clan.

The middle-aged scholar hurried over, looking slightly anxious as he searched the surroundings while continuously writing and sketching in his book, seemingly attempting to contact someone.

Lei Zhi knew his clansman was looking for him.

But since he was concealing himself with his calligraphy and paintings, the man couldn’t find him.

Lei Zhi didn’t reveal himself outright but instead used Letters As Face to communicate with him.

The scholar was overjoyed and quickly relayed an unexpected message.

“Tianshi Mansion’s Lei Jun… is currently trapped?” Lei Zhi asked in surprise.

The scholar had just passed by the ritual site set up by Lei Jun, Fang Yue, and the others and had learned that Lei Jun had been temporarily sealed for disrupting the ritual of the Tianli cultivators.

Since the site was guarded by Monk Faming of Tianlong Monastery and others, and the scholar himself lacked the strength to break the seal, he had simply stated that he would seek help before quickly departing.

After leaving, he immediately tried to contact Lei Zhi, Ye Yao, and others to inform them of the news.

Lei Zhi looked northwest, his expression unchanged, and instructed the scholar to pass the message to Clan Leader Ye Yan.

After finishing the exchange, Lei Zhi remained silent, gazing toward the northwest.

His clansman couldn’t see him, but Lei Jun, standing nearby, clearly observed the subtle shifts in Lei Zhi’s posture and expression.

Seeing how Lei Zhi was unable to tear his gaze away from the northwest, Lei Jun could already guess what was on his mind.

It was certainly not about how to help him, Lei Daozhang, escape.

If anything, Lei Zhi likely wished Lei Daozhang would remain sealed there forever.

This was an extremely rare opportunity—arguably even more valuable than the one currently involving Fang Yue.

However, capturing Fang Yue was already proving to be quite difficult.

Lei Jun’s strength far exceeded Fang Yue’s.

Even though he was currently sealed, it wouldn’t be easy to take advantage of him.

This young Daoist prodigy was far ahead of his peers in both talent and strength.

Even with his current restrictions, Lei Zhi, at the Second Layer of the Eighth Heaven, wasn’t confident in completely dealing with him.

In Confucian Studies, the Nation-Governing Realm of the Eighth Heaven only truly flourished at the Third Layer, where one gained the ability to order heaven and earth. That was when there was a clear divide in practical combat capabilities.

Right now, Lei Zhi could only sigh in frustration.

But he was no stranger to setbacks. He quickly steadied his mindset and withdrew his gaze from the northwest.

Lei Zhi refocused his attention on the Cang Hai Diagram, on the trapped Fang Yue.

Securing this target first was the real priority.

As for Lei Jun, he could be dealt with later—either by Ye Yan and Chu Xiuyuan, or with the help of others Lei Zhi could gather.

If they missed this rare opportunity…

A flicker of light shone in Lei Zhi’s eyes.

Even if they failed today, it wouldn’t be a total loss.

At the very least, he had gained a deeper understanding of this young elder of Mount Longhu.

Lei Jun was cultured, composed, and highly regarded within and outside Tianshi Mansion.

But unlike his master Yuan Mobai, Lei Jun was far more aloof and indifferent.

Yet this time, in the Eastern Sea, he had willingly risked himself to disrupt the Tianli cultivators’ ritual, resulting in his own sealing.

Beneath his detached facade, there was a hidden fire—a boldness.

So, besides defending Mount Longhu’s ancestral grounds, could this Xuanxiao Daoist also act so recklessly in other matters?

It was certainly an admirable act.

Lei Zhi had never denied that.

He had always valued and even appreciated this young prodigy of Mount Longhu.

But that didn’t change the reality that they were on different paths.

Be it the rivalry between Confucianism and Daoism or the struggle for influence, the divide remained.

Tianshi Mansion was far too close to Empress Zhang Wantong.

The Qingzhou Ye Clan and other noble families had indeed mended their relationship with the Tang Imperial Court.

But the Empress was still a major obstacle.

If the Academy and the Buddhist and Daoist sects continued expanding unchecked, they would become impossible to restrain.

At that point, what would become of the Qingzhou Ye Clan and the great Confucian tradition of the Tang Dynasty?

Would they follow the so-called Great Ming Dynasty of the Tianli sect and allow their scholarly lineage to be scattered across the world?

Lei Zhi shook his head lightly.

His brush did not stop. He continued refining the Cang Hai Diagram, aiming to subdue Fang Yue as quickly as possible.

As for Lei Jun… if this side of his personality existed, then another opportunity would arise in the future.

Even if today’s chance was missed, there would be others—perhaps even ones he could create himself…

As these thoughts turned in Lei Zhi’s mind, a sudden tremor of warning struck him.

By the time he sensed the incoming danger, a fist had already materialized behind him out of nowhere.

Boom!

The punch didn’t land on Lei Zhi but instead struck a black inkstone.

The inkstone, one of Lei Zhi’s most treasured artifacts, was always kept at his side as a safeguard.

Thus, it reacted before Lei Zhi himself could, blocking the sudden attack in a hair’s breadth of time.

The fist shimmered with starlight, and as it struck the inkstone, countless talismans burst forth, swirling like a river of stars.

Lei Zhi’s cherished inkstone shattered on the spot.

Shocked but unharmed, Lei Zhi quickly retreated.

With a flick of his brush, an endless inky river materialized, forming a barrier between him and his assailant.

But the figure was already upon him, wreathed in a swirling galaxy of divine power, shattering the river of ink.

The Destined Star Avatar!

Lei Zhi instantly recognized it—Tianshi Mansion’s Doumu Star God Apparition!

But who—?!

Had Yuan Mobai arrived at the Eastern Sea?!

Just as shock set in, black lightning roared into existence, transforming into a vast, inescapable Black Thunder Sea.

“Xuanlei… Xuanxiao Celestial Thunder?!”

Lei Zhi’s mind reeled. “You… Lei Jun?!”

Lei Jun remained unfazed. "I am currently eliminating the intruders from Tianli, so why is Daoist Lei trying to save them?"

That was what he said, but he didn’t believe for a second that Lei Jun would stop because of it.

Even as he spoke, his Talisman Brush continued moving, ink flowing freely.

In this moment, between sea and sky, he used the wind and clouds as his canvas, painting vast strokes of lightning.

The real world was nearing the break of dawn, but as soon as Lei Yan's painting took shape, dark clouds rolled in once more, plunging the sky back into darkness.

Bolts of lightning rained down, conjured by Lei Yan himself.

Though the profundity of these lightning strikes couldn't compare to Lei Jun’s Nine Heavens Divine Thunder or Xuanxiao Celestial Thunder, Lei Yan wasn’t aiming to compete head-on with the Tianshi Mansion's direct heir using just painted lightning.

Instead, he relied on sheer quantity.

The overwhelming sea of thunder he painted was enough to momentarily delay the terrifying purple and black twin Thunder Dragons.

A brief delay was all he needed—to lure Lei Jun into his painting.

Once inside the painting, the Twin Dragons of Yin and Yang soared into the sky amidst a storm of boundless thunder.

The scene was majestic and awe-inspiring.

More importantly, it created an opportunity for Lei Yan to escape this crisis.

Unfortunately, Lei Jun wasn’t about to give him that chance.

Brilliant light flickered all over Lei Jun’s body as countless talismans ignited, transforming into a river of stars.

Beneath this celestial glow, his Destined Star Avatar expanded in size.

Lei Jun, fully manifesting as the Doumu Star God Apparition, charged forward alongside his Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Apparition and Xuanxiao Thunder Ancestor Apparition, diving straight into Lei Yan’s painting.

Then—he shattered it!

The towering Destined Star God, like a titan traversing the celestial river, plunged into the painted world.

With an unstoppable force, his arms stretched wide, as if splitting heaven and earth apart.

The Purple Yang Thunder Dragon and the Black Yin Thunder Dragon within the painting were likewise torn apart, soaring in opposite directions.

The entire world of thunder Lei Yan had painted was instantly ripped to shreds.

Lei Jun didn't stop.

His Destined Star Avatar clapped its palms together once more.

The twin dragons, which had been separated, now fused back together—heading straight for Lei Yan himself.

The space around Lei Yan distorted as purple and black lightning engulfed him.

As the twin dragons converged, their spiraling Yin-Yang force threatened to tear him apart.

At that moment, the very void seemed to turn into a painted canvas, crumpling under immense pressure.

A second later, the entire scene shattered.

Not the real world's space, but the illusionary world within Lei Yan’s painting.

His second painting had been destroyed.

Inside that painting, an image of himself was consumed by lightning.

But Lei Yan himself had already reappeared far away.

Unlike Wang Feng—who was at the First Layer of the Eighth Heaven, empowered by luck yet still slain in an instant—Lei Yan had a deeper understanding of Lei Jun’s strength.

Though his cultivation was slightly higher than Wang Feng’s, Lei Yan knew better than to be careless.

Ever since Lei Jun’s ambush, he had been on full alert, relying on his precious Inkstone to escape the initial strike.

Even then, his opponent’s divine abilities and mana were overwhelming.

He couldn’t fight head-on.

He had to find another way.

Now, he had managed to avoid Lei Jun’s triple apparition attack by using a pre-prepared painting.

But the situation was clear—he couldn’t hold out any longer.

Lei Yan began retrieving his Vast Sea Scroll, prioritizing survival above all else.

Any consequences could only be dealt with later.

But even as he did so, Lei Jun’s Yin Thunder Dragon had already split off from the main attack, rapidly pursuing him.

Just as Lei Yan prepared to defend himself, his instincts screamed danger.

Behind him, a massive, mountain-like tiger let out a low growl.

A green-blue tiger, formed entirely of blazing flames.

On its body, a talisman of pure Green Flame burned brilliantly.

"...Yin Fire Tiger?!"

Lei Yan saw no other Tianshi Mansion cultivators nearby and instantly realized—this Yin Fire Tiger was also Lei Jun’s creation.

A manifestation of the Nine Abyss Flame Ancestor Apparition, drawn from the Fire Law Talismanic Canon!

Lei Jun was wielding four apparitions at once?!

There was no time for shock.

If Lei Jun could manifest both the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Apparition and the Nine Abyss Flame Ancestor Apparition, then that meant—

The Yin Thunder Dragon had encircled Lei Yan from behind.

Meanwhile, the Yang Thunder Dragon and the Yin Fire Tiger had already merged together.

Thunder roared, tigers howled—Yin and Yang intertwined.

A swirling Tai Chi diagram of purple and green energy formed.

This was none other than the most orthodox, supreme divine technique of Tianshi Mansion—

Dragon-Tiger Combination Strike!

The blazing surge of intertwined purple and green light exploded outward, swallowing Lei Yan whole!

This time, he had no painting to shield him.

Lightning and flames consumed his entire body.

He let out a furious roar, unleashing every ounce of his strength in a desperate counterattack.

He had no time to retrieve his Vast Sea Scroll—instead, he hurled his Talisman Brush at Lei Jun.

As the ink-drenched brush cut through the air, it transformed into a grand Myriad Swords Painting.

Thousands upon thousands of ink-forged blades streaked forward, carrying the unyielding resolve of Confucian sword scholars, launching a final, suicidal assault at Lei Jun.

But Lei Jun didn’t even bother countering with his divine abilities.

Since he had already tested the brush’s concealment ability, now was the perfect time to test its defensive power.

The Taiping Eight Sceneries Treasure Mantle descended, summoning countless dragon phantoms that wove together with a storm of astral wind, forming a layered, octagonal barrier around Lei Jun.

The storm of ink-forged blades stabbed at him—

But not a single one could pierce through.

Lei Yan could only watch, eyes filled with despair, as the brilliant radiance of the Dragon-Tiger Combination Strike engulfed him completely.