Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 305: No luck, but it can also kill you

The black Yin Thunder Dragon rampaged silently, swallowing Huang Tian in one bite.

"Bold move."

But Lei Jun felt that his courage might be the reckless kind—the kind that lacked self-awareness.

Retracting his gaze, Lei Jun turned back toward the Vanqi Immortal Gourds, which were gradually taking shape.

By now, he was so proficient with the Heavenly Book’s dark aspect that he didn’t even need to consciously direct it—the moment he took action, its power automatically erased all traces of Huang Tian’s presence from the island.

His attention was divided:

• One part focused on the Vanqi Immortal Gourds.
• The other used the Grand Celestial Law Mirror to scan the waters around Xiaozhou Island.

Fortunately, no one else was approaching the area.

Under the converging spiritual energy of the Eastern Sea and the nurturing power of Lei Jun’s Yin-Yang Thunder, the gourds’ flickering radiance finally began to solidify into their true forms.

Among them, the first gourd had already fully materialized.

It was entirely crimson, emitting a faint purple glow.

With Vanqi energy still lingering, its power remained deeply concealed, making it appear unremarkable at first glance.

However, Lei Jun could sense the profound mysteries within.

As the first gourd stabilized, the second gourd also began to take clear shape, gradually manifesting into physical form.

At the same time, the gourd vine started to dim, showing signs of withering once more.

"Still needs more time…" Lei Jun nodded thoughtfully.

He was in no hurry.

Instead, he took a moment to reinforce the Supreme Purity Eight Sceneries Treasure Mantle’s coverage over Xiaozhou Island.

Under his control, the treasure transformed into eight massive screens, forming an octagonal enclosure.

Above and below, faint clouds and mist veiled the space.

Deliberately, Lei Jun set the formation to contain its energy inward rather than shielding the island from outside forces.

Thus, external storms and waves still battered the island unhindered, making it appear completely ordinary from the outside.

But within, the flowing spiritual light and roaring thunder remained entirely concealed.

While waiting for the second Vanqi Immortal Gourd to mature, Lei Jun continued scanning the surroundings with the Grand Celestial Law Mirror.

The battle had already been decided—

Tianli’s forces had fallen into the trap, their ranks shattered and scattered.

Now, past midnight, the Tang forces had entered the final stage—sweeping up the remnants.

Lei Jun, observing from above, noted something odd:

"No sign of the Blood River Sect masters."

Ordinarily, in major battles like this, even if the Blood River Sect wasn’t the instigator, they would inevitably show up—like sharks drawn to blood.

Even if they didn’t intervene directly, just lurking nearby could bring them plenty of advantages.

But now—

Not only was Blood River Sect Master Wei Anchang absent, but even their top experts were nowhere to be found.

…"Well," Lei Jun mused, "it’s not like the Eastern Sea is the only battlefield."

Across Tang territory, there were multiple ongoing conflicts:

• In the Southern Wastelands, the Tang cultivators and the Nine Li tribes were constantly at odds, always on the brink of full-scale war.
• The Western Region’s Buddhist sects were currently hunting down the Four-Eyed Python Emperor and other Southern Wasteland demon lords—another major battle.
• In the Northwest, the Lonely Eagle Khanate was clashing with the Tang forces. The Khanate warriors were unyielding, never retreating, resulting in heavy bloodshed on both sides.

For Blood River Sect cultivators, this was paradise—a world overflowing with battle and slaughter, like a field full of ripe prey.

"Too many battlefields to choose from—maybe they’re spoiled for choice."

Sweeping his Grand Celestial Law Mirror across the battlefield, Lei Jun saw only one Blood River Sect cultivator—Chen Yi.

Beyond that, there were none.

Deciding to investigate further, Lei Jun reached out to Tianshi Mansion’s ancestral headquarters.

Because of the chaotic energy fields in this war-torn sea, communication between cultivators was severely hindered.

Even the Tang imperial cultivators, like Chu Xiuyuan and Ye Yan, had limited transmission abilities using the "Letters As Face" technique—let alone long-range messaging.

But Lei Jun had one distinct advantage—

Through the Grand Celestial Law Mirror, he was the only person capable of directly contacting Mount Longhu across vast distances.

After briefing his Master Yuan Mobai on the current situation, Yuan Mobai shared new intelligence from the mountain—

Which answered Lei Jun’s question:

The Blood River Sect was not having a good time.

Even with so many wars raging, they were facing internal turmoil.

Previously, the rising power of Xing Feng, a new-generation Blood River prodigy, had challenged Wei Anchang’s authority.

Although Wei Anchang had barely maintained control—due to his greater experience and loyal faction—

That control was now crumbling.

The cause?

Li Tianqing.

A former prodigy of Ge Po Mountain, Li Tianqing had once been the brightest rising star of the Southern Wasteland’s Witch Sect.

Years ago, he had vanished after fleeing a political purge.

At the time, many assumed he had sought refuge among the Nine Li tribes.

But now—

It turned out he had been secretly working with the Blood River Sect’s Xing Feng.

In the past fifty years, the two most terrifying talents from the Southern Wasteland’s Witch Sect were—

• Li Tianqing (Ge Po Mountain)
• Xing Feng (Blood River Sect)

Both had reached the Eighth Heaven realm before age fifty, standing as peers to the most legendary geniuses—

Comparable to Tianshi Mansion’s Xu Yuanzhen, Tang Xiaotang, and Lei Jun, as well as the White Lotus Sect’s Future Maitreya and Abbot Yuanmie of the Vast Void Temple.

The Southern Wasteland was a land of endless bloodshed.

For young cultivators, talent alone wasn’t enough—those who couldn’t fight and survive were simply eliminated.

Because of this, both Li Tianqing and Xing Feng were not only prodigious cultivators—they were also battle-hardened warriors, unmatched in their peer group.

Even among veteran cultivators, they were exceptionally deadly.

Now, with Li Tianqing’s return, the balance of power in the Blood River Sect was shifting.

Xing Feng alone, Wei Anchang could suppress.

But Li Tianqing as well?

Now that was a real problem.

Meanwhile, in the Western Region…

Abbot Ren Zhu had joined forces with Abbot Jiasheng, launching a major assault against the Four-Eyed Python Emperor.

Two Ninth Heaven Buddhist masters fighting together?

Even a legendary demon lord like the Four-Eyed Python Emperor stood no chance.

For the Western Buddhist sects, this was a show of strength, a display of force and authority.

But for Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai, a deeper question remained:

Why hadn’t Abbot Ren Zhu returned to the Golden Vajra Temple?

Despite the Lonely Eagle Khanate’s invasion, the Western Buddhist sects had not deployed reinforcements to defend their home territory.

Was it truly because they lacked the manpower?

Or was there something else going on?

For now, Lei Jun had no clear answers.

Closing the communication with Yuan Mobai, he refocused his attention.

Outside Xiaozhou Island, the battle had ended.

Now, the Tang forces were sweeping the battlefield.

Unbothered by the war, Lei Jun remained in solitude—

Waiting for the second Vanqi Immortal Gourd to fully mature.

The gourd vine had been withered for a long time. Although it had miraculously regained vitality due to this fateful convergence, nurturing a second Brahmanic Qi Immortal Gourd was clearly much more difficult and slower than the first.

Had Lei Jun not been here, the vine would have already run out of energy by now.

As he continued to stimulate the vine with Yin-Yang Thunder, he also took the opportunity to test and refine his Grand Celestial Mirror.

Hmm… overall, the energy consumption is low, and the precision is excellent… Lei Jun nodded slightly.

Of course, there were still flaws to be addressed.

Apart from the limited range and the fact that it could only see but not hear, there was another issue—its penetration through physical obstacles like mountains and oceans was not ideal.

For example, he could use it to observe Ninth-Heaven cultivators like Chu Xiuyuan and Ye Yan, but only if they were distracted and focused on battling Tinali's top cultivators.

If he were to stare too directly at such powerhouses during their idle moments, the Grand Celestial Mirror’s presence might be detected.

This was especially risky against martial cultivators and those known for exceptionally sharp spiritual perception.

If a Ninth-Heaven expert was adept at concealing their presence, it would be challenging for the mirror to locate them.

Hmm… all areas for future improvement… Lei Jun took mental notes.

If he could combine it with his Celestial Ground-Through Talisman or Heaven’s Sight & Earth’s Hearing Talisman, it would enable him to observe from farther distances, with greater stealth, and with both sight and sound.

Earlier, Lei Jun had scattered several Heaven’s Sight & Earth’s Hearing Talismans across the area.

Most had been washed away by the ocean waves or destroyed by chaotic spiritual currents, leaving only a few intact.

Now, using the Grand Celestial Mirror, he linked to the surviving talismans.

Some were in empty regions with no people nearby.

Others were within a certain range of activity.

From these, fragments of conversation trickled into Lei Jun’s ears:

"A large force of rogue Ming rebels is making a last stand north of Dahuang Island—gather forces for an immediate purge!"

Lei Jun shifted the Grand Celestial Mirror, focusing on the specified sea region.

Sure enough, there was a rare large-scale battle still raging amid the chaotic battlefield.

A significant portion of Tinali cultivators had not been scattered but had instead banded together for a desperate defense.

As a result, they had attracted a massive force of Great Tang cultivators for a final siege and extermination.

Lei Jun scanned the battlefield, noting that most of the defenders were martial cultivators and Confucian Divine Archers.

One particular armor-clad general stood out—a cultivator of the Upper Three Heavens.

Lei Jun found him familiar.

Qin Wu.

Unlike his humble demeanor in front of Gu Hai, this martial master of the Art of War now fought fiercely, leading his troops in a relentless defense.

His martial techniques were distinct from Great Tang’s martial cultivators.

While Tang warriors moved like lightning, Qin Wu’s style was more deliberate and methodical, focusing on solid defense before launching attacks.

His technique resembled the Zen martial arts of Buddhism or the Daoist Alchemical Sect's combat style.

This wasn’t just Qin Wu’s personal style—his entire regiment fought the same way.

Clearly, it was an established martial tradition of the Ming Empire.

Different histories, different eras—the various Daoist traditions of the Ming realm had evolved in their own way alongside Neo-Confucianism.

By now, Ming’s martial path had developed a uniform system, much like Neo-Confucianism, where all practitioners followed a rigid, structured discipline.

Their martial development had stabilized—change and innovation had slowed, with most growth occurring vertically, in depth, rather than horizontally, in diversity.

Their uniform discipline gave them an impressive battlefield presence, particularly in large-scale engagements.

But in the end, they were an isolated force, with no reinforcements—their defeat was inevitable.

Ironically, because Qin Wu's forces were the largest visible enemy, they had attracted the full focus of Great Tang’s military, drawing troops away from smaller, scattered Tinali groups, allowing some of them to escape unnoticed.

Among the Great Tang forces, Lei Jun spotted a familiar figure—Princess Zhang Ziyin, whom he had previously seen accompanying Chu Yu.

She was now attempting to persuade Qin Wu and his men to surrender.

Some of the Ming soldiers wavered.

Lei Jun listened closely.

They hadn’t voluntarily chosen to stay behind and hold the line—they had been abandoned.

Their superiors had betrayed them, using them as sacrificial pawns to delay the Tang army instead of leading them in an organized retreat.

"…"

Lei Jun was speechless.

Zhang Ziyin’s negotiations weren’t going smoothly.

The Ming cultivators had mixed reactions:

• Some were furious at being abandoned.

• Some had ambitions, realizing they were now free from the Ming Empire’s rule in this distant foreign land.

• Some remained loyal to the Ming Emperor, glowering at those considering surrender.

• Some feared for family members still back in the Ming Empire.

Their resolve to fight to the death had completely crumbled.

At this point, whatever choices they made individually, the outcome of the battle was already decided.

Lei Jun shook his head slightly and moved the Grand Celestial Mirror away.

As his vision shifted, Lei Jun suddenly froze.

For a brief moment, he thought he had misseen something.

The Grand Celestial Mirror’s glow flickered, refocusing on a hidden figure.

A young monk, cloaked in black robes, his features sharp and striking, his eyes filled with defiance.

Lei Jun had never met him in person—but he recognized the face instantly.

The Young Abbot of Vast Void Temple—Yuanmie.

Nearly ten years ago, Yuanmie had challenged the Vajra Monastery, full of youthful arrogance.

But when Mount Sumeru reappeared, and Grandmaster Jiasheng of the Vajra Division led a force to intervene, Yuanmie had suffered a brutal defeat.

Before Vast Void Temple could recover, they were immediately targeted by Shangguan Yunbo and Xiao Xueting, leading the Demon Suppression Halberd forces and the Mountain and River Sword army.

In the ensuing purge, Yuanmie’s master, the former Abbot of Vast Void Temple, Jixiang Dharma King, along with many elite monks, were completely wiped out.

Yuanmie barely escaped with his life, wounded and on the run.

Vast Void Temple, just as it had begun to rebuild, was devastated once more—forced into total retreat.

Rumor had it that Yuanmie had taken the temple’s remnants overseas, vanishing from the Central Plains.

Now, years later, Yuanmie looked fully recovered.

Given that his temple had always operated at sea, it made sense that the recent disturbances in the Eastern Sea had drawn his attention.

Especially since many high-ranking monks from the orthodox Tianlong Monastery, including Abbot Miaoxin, were currently in the area.

But Yuanmie did not target Dharma Master Faming or other minor monks.

His eyes were locked on Abbot Miaoxin himself.

However, after his past failure, Yuanmie was much more cautious.

Instead of striking immediately, he remained hidden in the shadows, observing.

The Grand Celestial Mirror flickered, locating Abbot Miaoxin.

The old monk was leading several disciples, currently pursuing a Tinali scholar-official.

“His name is Jiang Zhiming, a Seventh-Heaven Grand Scholar. If he returns to Tinali, the consequences could be severe.”

Abbot Miaoxin instructed the disciples around him, "At the very least, confirm his whereabouts. Whether he flees back to Tianli Sect or not, we must know. But do not act rashly—if you detect even the slightest clue, report back to me immediately."

The disciples all responded in unison and dispersed to search.

Some time later, a disciple rushed back with a report.

"Abbot, on a deserted island to the east, we found traces of a Neo-Confucian Grand Scholar. It may be Jiang Zhiming."

Abbot Miaoxin nodded. "Hold position on the perimeter. I will go investigate."

The disciples all acknowledged his order.

At that moment, Lei Jun frowned.

Through the Grand Celestial Mirror, he saw that as Abbot Miaoxin’s golden Buddhist light parted the storm over the sea and headed east, Abbot Yuanmie of the Vast Void Temple watched the scene unfold—with a smile on his face.

Although Yuanmie didn’t say a word, through the enhanced clarity of the Grand Celestial Mirror, his expression was unmistakable—a look of satisfaction, as if everything was going according to plan.

Then, Yuanmie quietly followed after Abbot Miaoxin, heading toward the same deserted island.

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow.

So… was that island a trap set by Yuanmie?

If disciples of Tianlong Monastery were conspiring with the demonic monks of Vast Void Temple, then someone as powerful as Abbot Miaoxin would likely sense the deception through their Qi resonance.

So was this instead a setup between Yuanmie and Jiang Zhiming of the Tianli Sect? Were they working together to lure Abbot Miaoxin into an ambush?

Or… was Jiang Zhiming barely involved at all?

Could it be that this entire scheme was orchestrated solely by Yuanmie, using some special method to mislead Tianlong Monastery’s disciples, tricking them into directing Abbot Miaoxin straight into his trap?

That deserted island to the east… likely had something prepared by Vast Void Temple.

Yuanmie had planned this carefully—he was leading Abbot Miaoxin into a deadly ambush.

Once Miaoxin walked into the trap, Yuanmie would strike.

Lei Jun’s vision, still locked onto Abbot Miaoxin, stirred up a memory.

He recalled a conversation he’d had earlier with his Senior Brother, Wang Guiyuan.

Lei Jun hadn’t been particularly interested in prying into Wang Guiyuan’s past, but since he was traveling to the Eastern Sea, he had asked for some background on Tianlong Monastery.

One statement in particular had stood out in his memory:

"If not for the abbot keeping things under control, the monastery would be in a much worse state, and corruption would be rampant."

Although Wang Guiyuan had been vague, his overall impression of Abbot Miaoxin was positive, with a hint of personal respect.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Lei Jun formed a Daoist hand seal before him.

Within his pupils, the runes of the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman flickered—then, for a moment, everything froze.

At that very instant, somewhere in the ocean waters where Abbot Miaoxin and Yuanmie were heading, an unassuming talisman that had been drifting unnoticed suddenly ignited with spiritual radiance.

Then—it burned.

As the talisman burned, it transformed into a surge of spiritual light, spreading through the sea.

The vast ocean was already chaotic, with violent waves and stormy winds disrupting the flow of spiritual energy—interfering with cultivators’ senses.

But both Abbot Miaoxin and Yuanmie were Eighth-Heaven cultivators, possessing keen perception.

They immediately detected the disturbance in the waters.

Abbot Miaoxin instantly became alert.

Pressing his palms together in a sacred hand seal, he chanted a Buddhist mantra—and in response, the Great Majestic Heavenly Dragon Seal manifested, forming a golden dragon that coiled around him, illuminating the surroundings.

Now fully aware, Abbot Miaoxin actively searched for the source of the anomaly—and that’s when he detected Yuanmie quietly trailing behind him.

Yuanmie had originally been concealing his presence, carefully hiding his movements.

But the sudden spiritual fluctuation in the sea caught him off guard.

At first, he was startled—had he walked into someone else’s ambush instead?

Yet, the radiant burst of spiritual light in the ocean vanished almost instantly, leaving no further clues.

He had no time to investigate.

Now that he had closed the distance, he could no longer retreat without drawing suspicion—he had been discovered.

"Amitabha. So it was you, a heretic and demon."

For once, the usually calm and composed Abbot Miaoxin wore a solemn expression.

"Are you colluding with Jiang Zhiming of the Tianli Sect?"

Yuanmie had always been an arrogant and domineering figure. Though he had suffered setbacks before, which had taught him to be more cautious, he had never truly changed his nature.

He was not suited for ambushes or deception.

Now that his cover was blown, he wasted no words.

Around him, black mist churned and condensed—until, in midair, he transformed into a colossal black Buddha.

He cast a glance at the deserted island, recalling the effort he had spent setting up the trap—but now, it was all wasted.

Still, it didn’t matter.

"Fine by me."

"A head-on battle is more to my taste!"

Yuanmie spread his hands wide, reaching toward Abbot Miaoxin.

"Let’s see if you can withstand my might!"

Abbot Miaoxin, dignified and solemn, stood his ground as the golden Heavenly Dragon around him soared forward, clashing directly with Yuanmie’s black Buddha form.

The two clashed fiercely, their battle raging over the turbulent sea.

Meanwhile, Lei Jun’s Celestial Sight-and-Hearing Talisman had already burned away.

At this moment, neither Abbot Miaoxin nor Yuanmie had the luxury to investigate the anomaly.

The sea was already filled with thunderous waves, and their battle only amplified the chaos.

Even without using the dark side of the Heavenly Book to erase evidence, all traces of the talisman’s activation had vanished.

If Yuanmie or anyone else searched the area later, they would find nothing.

Seeing that there was no further need for concern, Lei Jun prepared to shift his attention away.

But then—

"…Hmm?"

Just as he was about to move his Grand Celestial Mirror’s view elsewhere, it suddenly captured another figure approaching from the distance.

Focusing his gaze, Lei Jun immediately recognized the newcomer—another familiar face.

Elder Yangchao, Chu Taoyuan.

This Suzhou Chu Clan elder, who had once traveled to Mount Longhu as a private supporter of Li Song, was now carrying his sword, approaching from another direction.

He appeared injured, seemingly looking for a safe place to rest.

And then—

He set his sights on the deserted island.

By now, the battle between Abbot Miaoxin and Yuanmie had drifted away from the island.

With the raging storms and turbulent spiritual energy, their fight, despite its intensity, was gradually moving out of range.

Leaving behind only the lone island, battered by wind and waves.

Until Chu Taoyuan stepped onto its shores.

Lei Jun watched.

"Hmm…"

This time… this really has nothing to do with me.

I had no idea Elder Chu would show up here.

And if he ends up stepping into the trap meant for Abbot Miaoxin… well, that’s between him and the Vast Void Temple.

…Though, negotiations might not be an option anymore.

Through the Grand Celestial Mirror, Lei Jun quietly observed as—

A massive black lotus suddenly bloomed over the island, engulfing everything within it.