Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 306: Lei's Sky-External Flying Sword

The legacy of the Great Void Temple embodies the concept of destructive power, with the ability to annihilate everything in its path, displaying an overwhelming destructive force.

Overall, the monks in black robes from the Great Void Temple typically engage in combat at medium to close range when battling other cultivators.

Of course, at the level of complete annihilation, like that of the Round Extinction or Silent Image (Jingxiang), their strikes could cover a much larger area.

However, when compared to cultivators from other Daoist traditions at the same cultivation level, the monks of the Great Void Temple are particularly effective at close to medium range for their destructive techniques.

That said, there are exceptions. The Great Void Temple's legacy also includes a few rare formations that, even without the host present, possess the ability to deal devastating blows.

One such formation is the "Reversed Round Mirror Wisdom Formation," a technique known for its terrifying potential.

In the past, the one who mastered this divine art the most proficiently was the previous abbot of the Great Void Temple, the Round Extinction Master (Yuanmie), known as the Jingxiang Dharma King.

After Jingxiang Dharma King's death, there have been no reports of anyone else from the Great Void Temple mastering this art.

Round Extinction, a once-in-a-generation genius at the Great Void Temple, reached the Eighth Heaven realm at a young age and inherited the position of abbot from Jingxiang Dharma King, mastering the temple's arts with unparalleled strength.

However, he had never practiced the Reversed Round Mirror Wisdom Formation before.

It was rumored that it wasn't due to his inability to do so, but rather because of his personal dislike for the technique.

After facing defeat in the Western Region against the Diamond Temple, and after the death of his master, Jingxiang Dharma King, Round Extinction entered a period of seclusion. In recent years, he succeeded in mastering this technique, and its effects have even surpassed his previous expectations, fully demonstrating his extraordinary talent.

He set up this formation on a remote island, intending to ambush Master Miaoxin of the Tianlong Temple. His plans were meticulously prepared.

Though Round Extinction wasn't present to personally manage the formation, its power exploded, silently containing the terrifying ability to destroy everything in its path.

When the Black Lotus first appeared, it seemed to be blooming, but soon after, it began to reverse its growth, with its petals curling inward.

As the Black Lotus closed, it felt as though the entire corner of the world, where the island lay, was collapsing inward.

Anyone or anything wrapped by the Black Lotus would step into eternal silence.

The small issue here was...

The target was not the one Round Extinction had originally intended.

Cheng Tao Yuan, the elder from the Suzhou Chu Clan, unwittingly stepped into the formation, only to be engulfed by the Black Lotus.

Cheng Lao was too slow to react, and before he could process the scene before him, everything turned pitch-black.

This was supposed to be a trap for Master Miaoxin of the Tianlong Temple, who was at the Eighth Heaven realm.

Master Miaoxin was unlikely to be defeated by this formation alone. Round Extinction had planned to ambush him while personally making a move as well.

But for someone like Cheng Tao Yuan, who was in the Seventh Heaven realm, the situation was drastically different.

Had Cheng Tao Yuan been in good condition and faced the Reversed Round Mirror Wisdom Formation without Round Extinction's personal intervention, he might have escaped.

But he had just fought a brutal battle against a Heavenly Principle cultivator and had sustained heavy injuries. Now, exhausted, being wrapped by the Black Lotus was a death sentence.

Especially for someone like him...

Why?!

Why would a master from the Great Void Temple suddenly attack him?

As Cheng Tao Yuan was filled with fear, anger started to rise:

Had Round Extinction and the others gone mad?

The Great Void Temple had been able to thrive overseas, thanks to secret support from several prestigious families in the Tang Empire.

Especially from the coastal areas like Qingzhou, Youzhou, and Suzhou, which had frequent exchanges with the Great Void Temple.

Now, why would a master from the Great Void Temple attack someone from the Suzhou Chu Clan?

No one answered his question.

And with his injuries worsening, Cheng Tao Yuan had no strength to break free or ask for help. He could only watch as the Black Lotus closed around him.

Then, the Black Lotus collapsed inward, turning into a small black ball, resembling a relic.

After shrinking, the black relic trembled slightly, then cracked open.

But it wasn't the person inside breaking free.

The relic cracked of its own accord and turned to ash, scattering across the ocean.

In the place where the formation had been, the sea tide howled, and the island was no longer visible.

And of course, neither was Cheng Tao Yuan.

To be honest, it was all a misunderstanding.

Unfortunately, Round Extinction was too caught up in his battle with Master Miaoxin to pay attention to this side of the island.

Although Lei Jun didn't know the depth of the relationship between the Suzhou Chu Clan and the Great Void Temple, he understood that the coastal families of the Tang Empire had long been in contact with the Great Void Temple.

Later, how the Suzhou Chu Clan would handle the matter with the Great Void Temple was up to them.

Lei Jun remained calm and turned his attention away from the Great Void Temple's formation, moving his gaze from the Void Gateway connecting the Heavenly Principle realm and the Tang Empire to the scene in the distance.

At this time, the experts of the Tang Empire began to take control of the gateway.

Ye Yan, the head of the Ye Clan from Qingzhou, and Chu Yu, representing the Tang imperial family, were presiding over the matters.

Cheng Tao Yuan's uncle, Chu Xiu Yuan, remained on the outer perimeter, recuperating from his injuries.

Earlier, the ritual set up for the ambush had already taken a toll on him, so now he stayed outside, making sure the other Tang cultivators cleared away the remaining Heavenly Principle cultivators who had scattered and fled.

But Chu Xiu Yuan had his own concerns.

His nephew, Chu Peng, approached him:

"Uncle, we haven't been able to contact Fifteen Uncle."

Fifteen Uncle referred to Cheng Tao Yuan.

Chu Xiu Yuan remained calm: "The sea conditions make it hard to establish contact. We will search more thoroughly."

Chu Peng nodded: "Yes, Uncle."

After a slight pause, he added: "We managed to contact a monk from Tianlong Temple. They mentioned that Master Miaoxin was in the area, fighting Round Extinction."

Chu Xiu Yuan’s expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

He furrowed his brows: "Round Extinction?"

"Yes."

Although the Great Void Temple had some secret dealings with several noble families, there was no subordinate relationship, so no one needed to report their actions.

Round Extinction’s visit was unknown to both Chu Xiu Yuan and Ye Yan beforehand.

"He must be here for the Tianlong Temple," Chu Xiu Yuan said with a frown. "This is troublesome."

Fortunately, the battle with the Heavenly Principle cultivators had already been settled.

The Great Void Temple’s intervention wouldn't affect the larger situation.

However, Chu Xiu Yuan couldn't shake off a vague sense of unease.

He turned to Chu Peng: "In addition to Fifteen Uncle, locate the whereabouts of the rest of the clan as soon as possible."

"Yes, Uncle."

As Chu Peng was about to leave, he paused and said: "By the way, Uncle, we haven't seen Ye Hongzhen from Qingzhou for some time."

Chu Xiu Yuan remained silent for a moment before waving his hand.

Chu Peng quickly left.

Old Chu lowered his head and pondered for a moment before finally raising it again. His expression had returned to its usual calm demeanor. He gazed into the distance.

There, a group of Tianli (Heaven’s Principle) cultivators were divided into two sides, facing each other in a fierce internal battle.

One side, led by a distinguished Confucian marksman—Qi Haowei, who had been swayed earlier by Chu Yu—was attempting to break away from Tianli. Behind him, many cultivators had been convinced to defect and follow him.

Opposing them, a larger group of cultivators stood, led by a Confucian scholar from the Yong Song Yi Mai (Recitation Lineage). He glared at Qi Haowei’s faction:

“General Qi, you and your men have long received the grace of the Emperor, yet now you turn against your nation. You no longer serve the Sovereign but betray your country. Have you no shame left?”

Qi Haowei replied calmly, “Lord Li, whether it’s me or you, no matter how loyal we are to our homeland, the result is the same—we are cast aside like weeds. Let us not speak of whether our ambitions can be fulfilled. Even our lives are at the mercy of fate.”

The opposing civil official yelled in anger: “Enough! Qi Haowei, do you not understand that thunder and rain alike are the Emperor’s blessings? As subjects, how can you speak such treasonous words?”

Though outnumbered, Qi Haowei’s side had additional support from Tang cultivators.

At this moment, Zhang Ziyin spoke up: “Lord Li, as far as I know, you are not of the Lixue Yi Mai (Rationalism Lineage). Over the years, during the pseudo-Ming dynasty, you failed to find support, and now you still cling to this struggle—why?”

The official from the Ming dynasty sneered at Zhang Ziyin and Qi Haowei, his gaze scornful: “Under Heaven, all land belongs to the Emperor, and all his subjects. With a wise Emperor on the throne, the state prospers, and the people live in peace. This is a blessing for all.”

His eyes scanned Zhang Ziyin and the surrounding Tang cultivators, and he suddenly sneered: “I’ve heard you’re a Junduke (Lady of the Imperial Family of the False Tang)? You still think you have bloodline ties to the ancient Five Surnames and Seven Clans? And you think you understand the loyalty we have to the Ming dynasty and the Emperor?”

Zhang Ziyin did not react angrily but instead glanced at Qi Haowei.

Qi Haowei responded calmly: “Lord Li, your heart is admirable, and I have always respected it. But in Tianli, not everyone shares your views. General Qin Wu, whom you know, fought valiantly with his men but perished in the end.”

He paused and continued: “The reason for this defeat was due to Gu Hai’s reckless advance. It caused the army’s separation and a dangerous situation. During the breakout, General Qin’s forces were left to fight alone, and Gu Hai did nothing but retreat with his most trusted men. This led to the chaos in our camp.”

The Ming official’s eyes narrowed, and he shouted sharply, “You need not say more. His Majesty and the elders in court will decide on this. There will be clear rewards and punishments!”

Qi Haowei sighed deeply. “Really? You and I both know that Gu Guanghan is an old protégé of Elder Song, and we are no strangers to what happened with General Qin Wu...”

He shook his head.

The official from the Ming dynasty, enraged, retorted, “Traitors and rebels, do not speak any further! Even if I perish under your blade today, I will ensure you meet your end as well!”

Some of the Tianli cultivators around him were furious, while others seemed conflicted. But none of them, not even the ones on the opposite side, were willing to surrender like Qi Haowei.

Those who sided with Qi Haowei had no family concerns, or their families were less important. But the officials across from them had relatives within Tianli, and despite their conflicting thoughts, they dared not act rashly.

In the end, many would be swept away by the tide, a tragic and inevitable fate.

After the defeat of the Heavenly Principle, during his escape, Gu Hai happened to hear rumors that Lei Jun had been trapped in a sea region after breaking a certain ritual related to Confucian rites, resulting in a backlash.

However, the two were far apart at that moment, and Gu Hai had his own troubles to deal with.

Moreover, it was said that the region was guarded by Buddhist monks at the Seventh Heaven stage.

Although Gu Hai didn't think much of the Seventh Heaven monks, he didn't have time to engage in a prolonged fight with them.

Thus, he reluctantly gave up on seeking trouble with Lei Jun.

Every time he thought of Lei Jun being trapped, an opportunity lost, yet he couldn’t go, Gu Hai couldn't help but feel resentful.

Now, meeting Chu Kun was like finding a treasure.

Although Chu Kun wore a deep red Daoist robe and was not a high-ranking elder like Lei Jun or Xu Yuanzhen from the Tianshi Mansion, if Gu Hai could capture this Talismanic Disciple and deliver him to the Heavenly Principle, it would surely be a great achievement.

Whether they could capture the Demon Dao of Mount Longhu was already an important mission for the Heavenly Principle’s Court, a key measure of merit.

Especially with the defeat of the Heavenly Principle’s monks, Gu Hai believed that if he could capture and kill Chu Kun and bring him back, it would be enough for his teacher, Elder Song, to help him turn this into merit.

The situation was dire, and if Chu Kun were truly a fellow Talismanic Daoist at the Seventh Heaven stage, Gu Hai might hesitate, but since he was just a Daoist at the Mid-Third Heaven stage, Gu Hai had no qualms.

Time was tight. Gu Hai didn’t waste words. With a flick of his hand, black ink intertwined, forming ritualistic symbols that immediately began to cover Chu Kun.

Chu Kun sighed, shaking his Breath-Taking Flag. A large amount of dim yellow spiritual light transformed into soil and stones, helping him resist the approaching ink.

The yellow spiritual light and the ink touched, causing a slight tremor and showing signs of breaking apart.

Luckily, the Breath-Taking Flag’s energy was long-lasting, continually replenishing itself to help Chu Kun stabilize the situation.

These Confucian cultivators’ downward pressure really had no gaps... Chu Kun thought.

Although the Breath-Taking Flag was clever, Chu Kun’s cultivation was lower than Gu Hai’s. The suppression of Confucian cultivators through differences in cultivation levels became evident.

However, Chu Kun wasn’t keen on battling Gu Hai. While using the Breath-Taking Flag to defend against the opponent’s techniques, he immediately placed his Heavenly Wind Talisman on himself and fled.

Gu Hai missed his first attempt to capture Chu Kun, causing his face to lose some dignity.

A brush appeared in Gu Hai’s hand, and he began writing in mid-air.

Ink characters rained down, surrounding Chu Kun and his Breath-Taking Flag.

The flag illuminated with yellow spiritual light like an umbrella, helping Chu Kun shield from the ink storm.

But this made it difficult for Chu Kun to move freely.

Gu Hai wrote another character, and the ink became like a blade, forcibly cutting a gap in the protection of the Breath-Taking Flag.

The yellow spiritual light continued to gather to repair the hole, but the ink on the brush seemed to flow endlessly, holding the gap open.

A Confucian ritual implement and a Daoist treasure were now at a stalemate.

Gu Hai elegantly waved his sleeve, causing ink characters to fly in the air like a colorful ribbon, attempting to bind and suppress Chu Kun.

Suddenly, Chu Kun’s body emitted a radiant glow from his spiritual talisman.

His life-bound third spell, the Star-Shift Talisman.

The light of the spiritual talisman spread out, instantly turning into a hazy starlight.

When the starlight touched the ink, both sides trembled.

The ink scattered the starlight, but as the starlight faded, Chu Kun was already gone, his figure shifting to another location.

Gu Hai exclaimed in surprise and sent the ink characters after him once more.

As Chu Kun moved, his feet never stopped, and his first life-bound technique, the Daoist Step of the Dipper, took form.

A little starlight swirled around him, and as the Star-Shift Talisman combined with it, it seemed as though a splendid galaxy had formed around him.

The starlight flowed, and its mysterious, regular pattern contained profound power.

The shifting of the stars carried with it immense force.

At that moment, the two life-bound techniques of Chu Kun merged, and Gu Hai’s ink characters were diverted to the side by the galaxy that surrounded him.

Gu Hai’s face darkened.

His thoughts moved, and the ink characters immediately transformed into thick ink blades, heading toward Chu Kun.

With the Heavenly Principle’s support, combined with the suppression of Confucian techniques, in this situation, the power gap was undeniable.

Chu Kun also knew that he could try to divert Gu Hai’s attack, but counterattacking would be difficult due to the opponent’s strong defense.

At this point, he could only try to delay time.

After all, Gu Hai and his group were facing the threat of capture from other Tang Dynasty cultivators.

But if others arrived, Chu Kun’s Star-Shift Talisman might not be able to conceal itself anymore...

As Chu Kun was thinking this, he suddenly froze.

Above, in the sky, in a place where the human eye couldn’t reach, a faint mirror-like light descended.

The mirror reflected Gu Hai’s image, capturing every detail, even the faint wrinkles from the smile on his face.

Far away, on the small boat island, Lei Daozhang was busy gathering gourds.

The second Vanqi Immortal Gourd had finally ripened.

Deep within his eyes, the Heavenly Talisman’s energy flowed through the Great Celestial Mirror’s sight, watching Gu Hai.

Despite the great distance, it was still within range of the Talismanic Sect’s powers, an impossible range for most Daoist sword cultivators or Confucian archers to reach.

Lei Daozhang did not stop his work. However, five talismans floated above him, silently operating.

One was the Thunder Law Talisman.

Another was the Profound Sky Five Thunder Talisman.

Two were the Two-Element Heavenly Origin Talismans.

One was the Heavenly Connection Talisman.

At that moment, the Heavenly Connection Talisman resonated with the Great Celestial Mirror in the sky.

The Thunder Law Talisman and the Profound Sky Five Thunder Talisman separated to the left and right.

The yang purple thunder and the yin black thunder surged, entering the two opposing Two-Element Heavenly Origin Talismans.

Thus, the force of the original magnetic power generated by the talismans became even more immense.

The immense magnetic force didn’t leak out but continued to interweave and accumulate between the two talismans.

A sharp sword hung between the two talismans, vibrating faintly.

The sword was the Heavenly Dipper Sword from the Seven Star Sword.

At this moment, the sword’s tip angled upward, and with the support of the magnetic power, the space around it seemed to warp.

The entire small boat island began to collapse into the sea.

Above the island, a mist formed from the Supreme Purity Eight Sceneries Mantle originally covered the island.

Now, the surrounding screens stayed still as the clouds above parted to the sides.

The next moment, a sound like tearing through space reverberated. The brilliance flashed and vanished, cutting through the sky and disappearing into the distance.

The small boat island collapsed and sank into the vast ocean.

Lei Jun remained calm.

He had used a similar method before when he sent the Tianshi Sword to the Ye Clan’s ancestral grounds near Junior Sister Tang Xiaotang during the Battle of Jinzhou. However, back then, he could only send the sword over a long distance, with the landing point hard to control, requiring Tang Xiaotang herself to receive the sword.

If he had used it to attack an enemy, it would have been nearly impossible to target accurately.

But now, with the Great Celestial Mirror high above…

Lei Jun continued his task of gathering the second Vanqi Immortal Gourd. He watched the vanishing light of the gourd’s vine turning to ashes.

Then, with a wave of his hand, he activated the power of the Heavenly Book’s shadow, erasing any traces left behind at the location.

The Supreme Purity Eight Sceneries Mantle contracted and rewrapped itself around Lei Jun, hiding his form as he vanished from sight.

Under the disturbance of the Heavenly Wind and Ocean Rain, it was as though the small boat island had never existed. No one had stepped on it, and no Tianshi Sword had risen into the sky.

Far, far away in the sea, thousands of miles from the island, Gu Hai’s threat caused Chu Kun to momentarily freeze.

His expression turned slightly strange as he stopped in place.

“Trying to delay time, waiting for that Daoist surnamed Lei to save you?” Gu Hai sneered. “Don’t dream. He’s trapped under my Great Ming ritual beneath the sea, unable to help you…”

Before Gu Hai finished speaking, a faint glow suddenly flickered in the night sky.

Gu Hai looked up in shock.

As he lifted his gaze, a flash of sword light appeared out of nowhere.

In the next moment, the esteemed Seventh Heaven Confucian, Gu Hai, was split clean in half!

The brilliant sword light fell from the heavens, its tail flickering with thunder and fire, moving so fast that Gu Hai had no time to react, cleaving him from head to toe.

No defense could be deployed in time; it was utterly useless.

The thick ink in mid-air swirled around, but before it could splash, it was consumed by the raging thunder fire.

The sword light continued its course, splitting through the heavens and earth, piercing straight into the sea below.

The ocean parted.

The seabed cracked.

Countless waters vaporized on the spot, rising in thick mist.

The onlookers were dumbfounded, watching Gu Hai—who had not even finished his words—be cut down by a sword that had seemingly appeared from nowhere.

... What just happened?!

What is this?

Was that a Daoist flying sword or Confucian divine archery?

Who struck?

How could Gu Hai, who was so confident a moment ago and seemed to control the situation, suddenly be gone in an instant?!

Chu Kun snapped back to his senses the quickest.

He had heard his senior brother Lei Jun’s voice through the Heavenly Eye Talisman:

“Third Junior Brother, remember to bring back the Heavenly Dipper Sword for me."