Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 312: Bulk Holy Land

Bailu Peak of Sword Pavilion was located in the northern region of Shu, surrounded by towering mountains and desolate wilderness.

If the Yellow Springs and the Forgotten River truly surged forth, it might not immediately harm anyone, but it could spread unnoticed beyond the region.

In recent years, the earth veins of Bashu had been shifting more violently than ever before, triggering unprecedented changes... Lei Jun pondered.

This was undoubtedly linked to the departure of Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall—their absence had left a profound impact.

While the Taiyi Innate Tower had occasionally left Xiaoding before, Qingxiao Hall had remained buried beneath Shushan since its completion thousands of years ago.

Now, its sudden departure had far-reaching consequences.

Even Huang Xuanpu, Fu Dongsen, and Hong Jie likely hadn’t foreseen these changes.

Otherwise, they would have centered their plans around the Yellow Springs much earlier.

For the Shushan Sect, however, the sudden emergence of the Yellow Springs might be an opportunity—but more likely, it was a grave threat.

Given their current weakened state, they would need to be extra vigilant.

Fortunately, it was evident that the new sect leader Zhang Taigang, as well as Xu Duan, Zhang Dongyuan, and Ye Dongming, all had a cautious and steady approach...

Numerous thoughts flashed through Lei Jun’s mind in an instant, yet his expression remained unchanged.

Looking at Ji Chuan before him, he casually reminded, "My disciple and I will continue north on our own, Brother Ji. No need to trouble yourself over us."

"Rather, the recent upheavals in Bashu’s spiritual energy and the frequent disturbances in the earth veins must have placed a great burden on your sect. You’ll need all available manpower to suppress potential disasters.

You’ve already spent days accompanying us on our travels, delaying your own duties. I truly feel guilty about this."

Ji Chuan chuckled. "You’re too polite."

Then, with a sigh, he admitted, "But it’s true—the simultaneous loss of the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall has thrown Shushan’s earth veins into chaos. The spiritual energy is unstable, and all sorts of unpredictable changes are occurring—even the number of rampaging great demons has increased."

Lei Jun nodded. "Though I hate to say it, our sect has seen such situations before. The worse the circumstances, the more important it is to stay united, remain composed, and focus on steady recovery. Rushing will only bring more harm."

Ji Chuan smiled. "Wise words. May both our sects support each other in these difficult times."

Since Lei Jun had spoken, Ji Chuan did not insist further.

When the time came for Lei Jun and his disciple to set off north, Ji Chuan escorted them a short distance before they parted ways.

Ji Chuan returned to Xiaoding, while Lei Jun and his disciple continued their journey.

Before leaving, Lei Jun entrusted Yin Moon Cold Spring Water Vein to Guo Yan, who was returning to Mount Longhu, asking her to deliver it to Yuan Mobai.

With time to spare, Lei Jun did not hurry but instead took his disciple on a scenic tour of northern Shu.

Compared to the Bashu Basin, this region had more remote, treacherous peaks with few human inhabitants.

However, the spiritual energy here was far less abundant than in the basin.

The mountains around Sword Pavilion were particularly steep and rugged, their jagged peaks piercing the sky.

"Master, were the Ziwei and Qingming Swords refined here?" Zhuo Baojie gazed up at the towering peaks, curious.

"That’s right. The Purple and Azure Twin Swords are Shushan’s oldest treasures. They weren’t forged at Xiaoding but in these very mountains of northern Shu."

Zhuo Baojie asked again, "I heard they were refined by the founding ancestor of Shushan?"

Lei Jun corrected, "Strictly speaking, it would be more accurate to say they were refined by Shushan’s first sect leader."

Among the three great Daoist sacred lands, the Outer Alchemy Sect’s Shushan differed from the Talismanic Branch’s Tianshi Mansion and the Daoist Alchemical Sect’s Pure Yang Palace, as it did not have a single, clearly defined founding ancestor.

Shushan originally began as an alliance of like-minded scattered cultivators across Bashu, who gradually united in their Daoist pursuits.

At first, it was called the Shushan Alliance, only later evolving into the Shushan Sect.

Thus, the true founders were multiple cultivators who established the sect together.

Among them, the most outstanding sword cultivator became Shushan’s first sect leader.

His immense talent and formidable strength made him a legend across the ages.

Over time, history blurred the details, and people began referring to this first sect leader as Shushan’s founding ancestor, also known as White-Brow Ancestor.

The Ziwei and Qingming Swords, which he left behind as part of Shushan’s heritage, remain to this day the most powerful and renowned dual flying swords of the Daoist Artifact Refining Sect.

They are also the oldest treasures of Shushan, predating even the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall.

As far as Lei Jun knew, the Twin Swords had been refined even before the formal establishment of Shushan—back when White-Brow Daoist was still an independent cultivator.

At that time, the Xiaoding ancestral grounds of the sect did not even exist.

Zhuo Baojie listened intently while gazing at the jagged peaks before them, shaped like twin swords.

Imagining the legendary past, he felt a surge of admiration.

Lei Jun, however, glanced back toward Xiaoding, his thoughts elsewhere.

According to legend, White-Brow Daoist, despite his overwhelming presence in Shushan’s history, did not hold the sect leader position for long.

He passed down his leadership early and did not remain in Shushan for seclusion.

At the time, the Heaven-Sealing Catastrophe had not yet occurred, and many records stated that White-Brow Daoist ascended and left this world.

Due to Shushan’s unique origins, the sect was divided into numerous factions.

Without a universally acknowledged leader after White-Brow Daoist stepped down, internal divisions persisted through the ages—never fully resolved, even in the present day.

Even after the split caused by the Mortal Dao Nation, those who remained at Xiaoding still came from various sectarian lineages.

They only appeared united now because of their weakened state, forcing them to band together for survival.

At the very least, Shushan was more cohesive than Tianli’s Ming Court.

That so-called exiled imperial court, after being driven out by the legitimate Great Ming Dynasty, continued to be plagued by endless factional infighting between the Wu Party, Gan Party, and Chu Party—a spectacle in itself...

Lei Jun reviewed the map Ji Chuan had provided.

Far above, in the unseen heights of the Grand Celestial Mirror, he searched for his target location.

Soon, he locked onto Bailu Peak.

With time to spare, Lei Jun didn’t rush but instead led his disciple on a brief exploration of the area.

While appreciating the breathtaking landscapes, he also used the Grand Celestial Mirror to ensure no one else was nearby.

After surveying the area, he confirmed that it was indeed remote and uninhabited.

Though once the refining ground of White-Brow Daoist, Bailu Peak now lacked spiritual energy, making it an undesirable location for cultivation.

Its perilous terrain also deterred ordinary people from venturing near.

Having confirmed his surroundings, Lei Jun waited for the tenth day of the sixth month before passing through Bailu Peak.

As noon approached, he remained vigilant.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened—deep within his pupils, the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman manifested, shimmering with light.

Above, the Grand Celestial Mirror rotated, casting an ethereal, nearly invisible beam onto a forested area at the base of Bailu Peak.

Lei Jun focused his perception—beneath the mountain rock, deep underground, something was stirring.

"Follow me. Do not act alone." He instructed, striding toward the source.

Zhuo Baojie was startled but obediently followed.

Arriving at the forested area, Lei Jun watched as the ground trembled—then collapsed in eerie silence, revealing a black abyss beneath Bailu Peak.

The space warped and split, forming a void gateway—a silent rupture in the fabric of reality.

Zhuo Baojie shuddered. "Master... this chill... it's not just physical, it's reaching into my very soul."

Lei Jun nodded. "Your spiritual perception is sharp. You’ve cultivated well."

Staring into the abyss, he said calmly—

"This leads to the Yellow Springs."

As Lei Jun’s perception extended downward, he sensed an invisible contact with the cold yet crystal-clear water of the River of Forgetfulness. Instantly, his very soul felt a trace of discomfort.

For someone of Lei Jun’s ever-advancing cultivation, such occurrences were rare.

However, as the waters of the River of Forgetfulness surged upward, they suddenly paused for a moment.

Then, the surface of the water rippled. Though silent, it churned continuously, and from within, wisps of near-invisible, colorless mist emerged, forming distinct outlines before ascending.

Lei Jun’s heart stirred slightly.

His mana condensed into silent, jet-black Profound Thunder, manifesting as an endless sea of dark lightning that enveloped the rising, colorless mist.

[Fog of Forgetfulness]

A name surfaced in Lei Jun’s mind as if by divine inspiration.

Yet, almost immediately, he sensed an unusual numbness in his Profound Heaven Immortal Thunder—as if the colorless mist had tainted it.

This Fog of Forgetfulness seemed to possess the power to dissolve and purify, bearing a superficial resemblance to the forces of the Dark Side of the Heavenly Book, but with a vast intrinsic difference. In truth, it was more akin to the Blood River Sect’s blood river—subtler in its nature yet even more domineering.

Lei Jun remained unfazed, summoning both the Five Thunders Talisman Canon and the Heavenly Sun Ascendant Talisman Canon at once.

A crimson-gold Fire Tiger instantly appeared to assist the Black Thunder Dragon.

The two forces intertwined in a dance of Yin and Yang, forming a massive Tai Chi Diagram.

With Yin and Yang interweaving, complementing and growing from one another, the Tai Chi Diagram effectively restrained the overwhelming essence of the Fog of Forgetfulness, forcing it to contract further before sealing it within the formation.

At the same time, Lei Jun extended a hand.

A White Jade Seal, shimmering with purple, gold, and azure light, appeared out of thin air.

Under the radiance of the Tianshi Seal, a Three-Tiered Daoist Altar manifested and descended into the cavern below, suppressing the surging waters of the River of Forgetfulness once more.

The complete power of the Netherworld’s River of Forgetfulness was far beyond mortal comprehension.

However, here at White Egret Peak, it was merely a small, accidental rift between the Mortal Realm of the Tang Dynasty and Huangquan, allowing only a trickle of its waters to seep through.

With the Tianshi Seal in hand, Lei Jun promptly forced the rising waters back down.

As he sealed the Fog of Forgetfulness within the Tai Chi Diagram, he summoned two additional talismanic canons—the Thunder Law Talisman Canon and the Fire Law Earth Talisman Canon.

A Purple Thunder Dragon and a Green Fire Tiger intertwined, forming another Tai Chi Diagram composed of Yang Thunder and Yin Fire.

This second Tai Chi Diagram, accompanied by the Tianshi Seal, descended underground.

As Yin and Yang cycled within, they not only sealed the void rift left by the retreating River of Forgetfulness but also erased any remaining traces of the gateway.

Lei Jun withdrew the Tianshi Seal and stretched out his hand, fingers spread wide, palm facing downward.

The Dark Side of the Heavenly Book manifested as a silent shadow, sinking into the depths of the cavern, executing the final phase of the sealing process.

Had this been an established Void Gateway like those over the Eastern Sea or the Great and Lesser Pass Mountains of the Northwest, Lei Jun alone would have struggled to fully eradicate it.

But now, the shadow formed from the Dark Side of the Heavenly Book did not disrupt the Tai Chi Diagram’s sealing force; instead, it aided in eliminating the last remnants of the Void Gateway.

Lei Jun closed his outstretched hand.

With this motion, the fissure beneath White Egret Peak, which had seemed to lead directly to the Netherworld, trembled as the earth and stones collapsed inward, sealing it shut once more.

The cold and lifeless aura vanished completely.

The sound of rockslides and shifting earth returned to Zhuo Baojie’s ears.

His eyes widened in astonishment.

Looking at White Egret Peak, aside from a few fresh cracks in the earth and scattered stones, there was no longer a single trace of Huangquan.

It was as if the scene of the River of Forgetfulness flooding into the Mortal Realm had been nothing more than an illusion.

Even if someone were to dig through the rock where the fissure had once been—down to the very depths of the earth—they would find nothing.

"Master?" Zhuo Baojie turned to Lei Jun.

Lei Jun replied, "It’s been pacified. Even if the world’s Earth Veins and Spiritual Energy shift again and Huangquan resurfaces, it may not happen here."

As he spoke, he retrieved the first Tai Chi Diagram, which still contained the Fog of Forgetfulness.

"Let’s go. We can study it on the way." Lei Jun led his disciple onward.

This Fog of Forgetfulness was undoubtedly a rarity, even within Huangquan itself—not every place where the Netherworld and Mortal Realm overlapped would produce it.

The fact that Lei Jun had encountered it today was purely luck.

The Third-Grade Opportunity mentioned in his previous Upper-Moderate Omen was likely referring to this treasure.

Lei Jun, possessing extraordinary comprehension and keen insight, had already grasped its fundamental nature upon first contact.

In the Ten Lands Plagued by Calamity, the Fog of Forgetfulness, stemming from Huangquan, was a grave threat to mortals and even mid-to-high level cultivators.

A single misstep could result in one's soul being erased, reducing them to an empty husk, devoid of thought or awareness.

To transform this hazard into a valuable asset, one would need not only exceptional skill but also an already formidable cultivation.

For Lei Jun, a Daoist Talismanic Sect cultivator, the first potential use of the Fog of Forgetfulness was to strengthen his own soul.

The Daoist Talismanic Sect emphasized dual cultivation of life and soul, balancing physical vitality and spiritual essence.

However, in terms of soul resilience, Daoist Talismanic Sect cultivators were outmatched by those who cultivated Yang Spirits and Nascent Souls in the Daoist Alchemical Sect, the martial arts cultivators, and even the major Buddhist traditions, which focused heavily on spiritual cultivation.

Lei Jun had never faced setbacks in this area because the Tianshi Seal was always nestled within his soul.

But first, the Tianshi Seal wouldn’t always be with him.

Second, as his cultivation advanced, his perspective broadened, and the world’s upheavals intensified, his future adversaries would only become more formidable.

Relying solely on the Tianshi Seal was no longer sufficient.

He had to strengthen himself in every aspect—and fortifying his soul was one of them.

If controlled properly, the Fog of Forgetfulness could serve as a whetstone to temper and refine his soul.

However, Lei Jun quickly noticed a problem.

While the Fog of Forgetfulness did indeed harden the soul, it also caused mental sluggishness, making thoughts less agile and perception less sharp.

For a Daoist Talismanic Sect cultivator like Lei Jun, this was unacceptable—a case of gaining one thing while losing another.

"Not entirely unsolvable…" Lei Jun mused.

With his exceptional intellect and insight, countless ideas flashed through his mind, formulating methods to extract the benefits of the Fog of Forgetfulness while neutralizing its drawbacks.

However, the materials required were rare and precious, and neither he nor Mount Longhu currently possessed them. He would have to search and acquire them later.

Lei Jun didn’t dwell on the matter, choosing instead to let fate guide him in due time.

If anything, his only regret was that the quantity of the Fog of Forgetfulness was too small.

But securing such a treasure without any risks was already a stroke of fortune—he wouldn't ask for more.

Two months later, Lei Jun and Zhuo Baojie arrived at the gates of Pure Yang Palace on Zhongnan Mountain.

The welcoming party was none other than Eighth-Heaven Elder Wang Xuan himself.

And soon after, Lei Jun received an imperial summons.

The reigning Empress had commanded him to enter the capital—summoned directly to the palace.

Lei Jun and Zhuo Baojie followed Elder Wang Xuan into Pure Yang Palace.

From the outside, the sect still resembled an immortal paradise, a land of divine beauty and sacred tranquility.

But Lei Jun could tell that internally, Pure Yang Palace was not much better off than Shushan.

Both sects had suffered devastating internal strife, and while the damage was not immediately visible on the surface, the cracks ran deep.

"Pure Yang Palace is still in the process of recovering. There may be lapses in hospitality—Daoist Xuanxiao, please forgive us," Wang Xuan said courteously.

Lei Jun replied, "Elder Wang, you are too kind. My disciple and I are the ones imposing upon your sect."

As Lei Jun studied Wang Xuan, he noted something peculiar—

The Elder’s current body was merely a Nascent Soul manifestation.

His original physical form had been lost.

Lei Jun had already heard of Wang Xuan’s unyielding resistance against the Mortal Dao Nation, refusing to succumb despite torture and temptation.

But now that he had regained his freedom, he had not chosen to possess a new body.

He only had his Nascent Soul left.

If he were weaker, this would have been a crippling flaw—but Wang Xuan was an Eighth-Heaven cultivator, so he could sustain himself through his Nascent Soul alone.

And as one of the sacred lands of the Daoist Alchemical Sect, Pure Yang Palace had long developed methods to deal with such circumstances.

After all, their sect rules forbade possession of another’s body.

With countless years of study, they had devised their own unique ways to allow disembodied Nascent Souls to survive.

Lei Jun admired Wang Xuan for his resilience. "Elder Wang, your unshakable spirit is truly inspiring. Despite all odds, you have returned to serve your sect. It is admirable."

Wang Xuan let out a soft sigh. "It was the sect that suffered an unfortunate fate."

Inside the sect, Lü Jinduan and Jiang Yu were busy welcoming other guests.

Yue Xiling, however, was absent.

Recently, he had traveled with the Empress herself to the Imperial Capital of Luoyang.

For over a decade, Empress Zhang Wantong had ruled from the former capital of Chang’an.

But this year, she had finally moved her court back to Luoyang—the imperial heart of the Tang Dynasty.

However, based on the latest information Lei Jun had received from Tianshi Mansion, this move to Luoyang was not a permanent settlement.

It seemed more like a temporary shift, rather than a final decision.

The changing tides of the world had caused seismic shifts in the empire’s fate.

The Dragon Veins of the Great Tang, which gathered the Qi of the nation, were beginning to shift once more.

Chang’an, the old capital once abandoned, now showed signs of regaining its former power.

Of course, such matters were not decided overnight.

Even if the Empress truly planned to restore Chang’an as the capital, it would take time.

Especially now, with the imperial court itself filled with internal struggles.

For now, she had returned to Luoyang, and Yue Xiling had accompanied her.

He would not be present for the Grand Ordination Ceremony at Pure Yang Palace.

Lei Jun’s Plans and an Unexpected Summons

Lei Jun had originally planned to travel to Chang’an and Luoyang after the Grand Ordination Ceremony.

Ever since embarking on the path of cultivation, more than thirty years had passed, yet he had never once visited the Tang Dynasty’s Imperial Capitals.

This trip was an opportunity to witness history unfold.

However, it seemed he wasn’t the only one who had this thought.

A message had arrived from his master, Yuan Mobai, at Tianshi Mansion—

"By Imperial Decree, the reigning Empress summons Tianshi Mansion’s Daoist Xuanxiao to the capital, for an audience at the palace."