Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 313: If the Heavenly Master Comes in Person

“His Majesty's decree was originally to summon the sect leader to the capital for an audience. However, since the sect leader is currently absent, a high-ranking master from the sect will go in his place,” Yuan Mobai explained calmly.

“However, the next imperial edict was issued directly to you, Chongyun.”

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow. “Though Her Majesty enjoys stirring things up, it’s rare for the throne to summon a Tianshi of our sect directly. This must mean she has something specific to discuss in person.”

Yuan Mobai nodded. “This trip will be a burden on you, Chongyun. You are authorized to speak on behalf of the mansion.”

Lei Jun responded solemnly, “Rest assured, Master. I will act with caution and prudence.”

The Empress had set a rather generous timeframe for the audience—sometime in autumn.

Thus, Lei Jun did not rush to depart immediately but remained at Pure Yang Palace until the Daoist Alchemical Sect’s Ordination Ceremony was concluded before heading to the capital.

Compared to the Artifact Refining Branch and Shushan Sect, the Daoist Alchemical Sect and Pure Yang Palace had a longer history. However, they did not predate the Talismanic Branch or Tianshi Mansion.

Nonetheless, the importance of their Ordination Ceremony was on par with the Talisman Conferral Ceremony of Tianshi Mansion.

According to legend, this ceremony originated from the teachings of the Alchemical Sect’s ancient patriarchs, who initially passed down the knowledge orally—never to be overheard by a third party, never to be taken lightly, and solely for personal cultivation.

Over time, as the tradition was inherited, it gradually absorbed elements of Confucian and Buddhist philosophies, evolving into the grand Ordination Ceremony seen today.

The full ceremony included a series of intricate rituals: raising the banner, public proclamation, opening the altar, drawing sacred water, cleansing rites, welcoming the masters, inviting the sages, offering blessings, performing rituals, oath-taking, examination, chanting sutras for repentance, submitting formal petitions, delivering the precepts, passing on robes and titles, granting ordination certificates, offering thanks to the divine, the grand dedication, and finally, lowering the banner to send off the sacred presence.

For instance, in this year’s ceremony—

During the Shangyuan Festival, Pure Yang Palace performed the banner-raising ritual, formally notifying Heaven and Earth of the upcoming ordination.

Then came the public proclamation, where Pure Yang Palace issued a universal notice of ordination. This was open not only to the direct disciples of the palace who had already received their Daoist headscarves but also to any disciples of the Daoist Alchemical Sect from various branches and lineages across the land.

These disciples could travel to Pure Yang Palace to formally register for ordination, a process called “entering the register”.

The process involved registering at the designated hall and then formally submitting oneself for evaluation.

By the time of the Zhongyuan Festival, Pure Yang Palace officially began accepting registrants, initiating the petition for ordination and the personal interview process.

Lei Jun and the other distinguished guests were only invited to attend after the ceremony had officially begun.

Upon entering, they watched as the entire Pure Yang Palace assembly, alongside the ordinands, gathered to welcome the presiding master into the ceremony.

The Ordination Ceremony of the Daoist Alchemical Sect was typically led by the sect leader of Pure Yang Palace. However, under special circumstances, a highly esteemed elder could serve as the officiating master, known as the Precepts Master.

This year’s ceremony was particularly significant—it was the first one since the Huang Xuanpu and Guan Jing crisis.

With no sect leader currently in place, the role of Precepts Master fell to the esteemed elder Lü Jinduan.

Other high-ranking elders, such as Wang Xuan and Jiang Yu, were present to assist, serving as part of the Eight Masters of Ordination.

These eight roles were: Master of Witnessing the Vow, Master of Supervision, Master of Recommendation, Master of Rituals, Master of Ceremony Correction, Master of Examination, Master of Ordination, and Master of Invitation.

For years, Pure Yang Palace had effortlessly filled these roles with senior masters.

However, with Yue Xiling absent and Lü Jinduan presiding, the palace struggled to find enough senior masters to complete the lineup.

Lei Jun and Zhang Dongyuan, an elder from Shushan Sect, exchanged glances.

There was no ridicule in their expressions—only a deep sigh.

The hardship was something Tianshi Mansion and Shushan Sect truly understood.

Still, despite its decline, Pure Yang Palace had accumulated deep reserves over the years.

The quality of the ordinands this year was remarkably high, bringing some hope for the palace’s future.

Throughout the ceremony—

The Master of Witnessing the Vow, Wang Xuan, delivered sermons to clarify doubts for the ordinands.

The Master of Rituals, Jiang Yu, demonstrated proper ceremonial etiquette.

Then, Lü Jinduan, the Precepts Master, led the ordinands in their oaths, questioning them about the precepts in a process known as “examination of the vow.”

Following this came the scriptural examination, where ordinands were tested on their intellect and character through a series of assessments.

Next was sutra recitation for repentance, followed by formal petitions submitted to Heaven and the sect’s ancestral patriarchs.

At this point, the first half of the ordination ceremony was complete.

Lei Jun and the other external guests began to withdraw.

The most critical segment, the Precepts Discourse, would take place next.

However, this was an internal ceremony, closed to outsiders.

During this phase, the Precepts Master would deliver teachings, explain the precepts, and impart sacred scriptures to the ordinands.

Afterward came the passing of robes and titles, the formal thanks to the divine, and the final closure of the altar.

As Lei Jun knew, if followed strictly, the full ordination process of Pure Yang Palace took nine years to complete.

• The first three years were known as the Preliminary Truth Precepts.

• The second three years were called the Intermediate Ultimate Precepts.

• The final three years were termed the Heavenly Immortal Precepts.

Together, they formed the Three Great Precepts of Pure Yang, which had to be fully upheld to achieve true enlightenment.

“However, there are rumors that Pure Yang Palace may shorten the duration—one precept per year, completing the ordination in three years,” Zhang Dongyuan murmured as they left the ceremony hall.

Lei Jun replied, “Given the current circumstances, that would be understandable.”

Zhang Dongyuan nodded. “Indeed...”

At that moment, a well-dressed man in his fifties approached them.

"Daoist Zhang, Daoist Lei."

Both Lei Jun and Zhang Dongyuan returned the greeting with a respectful nod.

“Your Highness.”

The man was Zhang Zhen, Prince of Weiyang, a member of the Tang imperial family and a guest at the ceremony.

Zhang Dongyuan had introduced him to Lei Jun before the event began, though they had not conversed much until now.

As the ceremony concluded, Prince Weiyang took the initiative to speak with Lei Jun.

Zhang Dongyuan excused himself and left.

“Daoist Lei, my nephew Xiongju is still young. Being admitted into your sect is a great blessing for him. I hope you will guide him well.”

Lei Jun remained composed. “Your Highness overestimates me. Nephew Hua Xiongju is under the tutelage of Senior Sister Zhang. I trust she will instruct him diligently, and as fellow seniors, we will naturally provide guidance.”

Zhang Jingzhen's first disciple, Zhang Xiongju, like her, came from the Tang imperial family.

Lei Jun knew that he was from a branch of the Weiyang princely household—one with internal conflicts.

While it wasn’t necessarily Prince Weiyang’s doing, the prince had little concern for his extended kin.

However, now that Xiongju had joined Tianshi Mansion as a direct disciple, Prince Weiyang could no longer ignore the situation.

The prince’s true concern wasn’t just Zhang Xiongju—it was how the high-ranking members of Tianshi Mansion, including Lei Jun, viewed the matter.

Lei Jun’s calm and neutral response reassured him.

The Empress remained focused on the rippling lake, her expression unreadable as she issued a simple command to the waiting palace maids:

"Prepare seats for Lei Qingjia and Shu Yin."

Although she did not turn around, her voice carried an unmistakable authority.

Lei Jun and Chu Yu both offered their respectful greetings before taking their seats.

Without further instruction, the attending maids silently withdrew, leaving the Lake Pavilion in complete stillness.

The Empress's gaze did not leave the water as she casually asked:

"Lei Qingjia, you have been to the Eastern Sea and have interacted with the people of Tianli. What is your assessment of them?"

Lei Jun knew that Chu Yu, having returned from the Eastern Sea, had surely reported the current situation—including the revelation that the so-called Ming Dynasty was actually a government-in-exile.

Now, the Empress wasn’t merely asking for information—she wanted Lei Jun’s personal opinion.

Lei Jun spoke calmly:

"Rigid, yet cold. Inflexible, yet stable. It favors centralization."

He continued:

"The Confucian scholars of their system have intertwined their fate with the nation. They share in its fortune and decline with it. Their hierarchy is fixed—though individuals may be replaced, the system itself remains immovable, with only internal shifts."

"In a way, the scholars share the benefits of a nation's prosperity and divine fortune. Yet, at the same time, all exceptional individuals are bound to the sovereign's will, forming a vast, fortified structure that upholds the realm and subdues all beneath it."

Lei Jun's tone remained indifferent.

The philosophy was simple:

"All else is beneath scholarship, and only the right scholarship is truly esteemed."

"The exceptional are gathered under the Emperor’s banner."

And those who did not submit?

They were simply left below, forever confined.

While exceptions may exist, the system itself was designed to be massive, structured, and unwavering—and likely to grow even more so.

The only force capable of breaking it would be the collapse of national destiny itself.

However…

"Even if broken, it will likely just start anew under a different ruler."

"Thus, the cycle continues."

This, too, was a kind of stability.

The Empress did not reveal her opinion, instead shifting to another topic:

"And what of the alternate realms connected through places like Great Black Mountain and Changjie Island?"

Lei Jun answered:

"They do not appear to be connected to the so-called 'Ming Dynasty' of Tianli. Those alternate realms were devastated, trampled beneath iron hooves, their landscapes fractured and torn from the mortal world."

He continued:

"According to Senior Sister Xu, the Ming Dynasty remains intact, with no major disruptions within the past hundred years. Tracing further back, however, remains uncertain."

At this, Chu Yu added:

"The 'Lone Eagle Khanate' that caused turmoil in the Northwest also seems to originate from a separate world, unconnected to Tianli’s Ming Dynasty."

Lei Jun nodded in agreement.

The Tang and Ming Dynasties were not alone—there were likely other parallel mortal realms, each shaped by their own key historical divergences.

Yet, how did the passage of time differ between these realms and their own?

And more importantly, when had their histories truly begun to diverge?

The Empress finally turned away from the lake and spoke evenly:

"The Lone Eagle Khanate likely shares its origins with the fragmented mortal world you encountered beyond Great Black Mountain and Changjie Island."

Lei Jun narrowed his eyes.

This suggested that the history of that world was longer than that of the Tang Dynasty but shorter than the Ming Dynasty.

In other words, it was likely in a historical period corresponding to the transitional era between the Liang and Qian Dynasties in the Ming realm.

These were just hypotheses, of course, and required further confirmation.

Lei Jun let those thoughts settle for now and turned his gaze back to the Empress, who was still facing the lake.

For a brief moment, a stray thought entered his mind, and he had to suppress a smirk.

He couldn't help but picture an old caricature—

"A ruler with their back turned to the world, making decisions that would shape all eternity."

How fitting.

However, the Empress soon reeled in her fishing line, placed her rod aside, and finally turned to face them.

Her sharp gaze locked onto Lei Jun.

"And what do you think of Sumeru?"

Lei Jun did not hesitate.

"Unfathomable."

This was his honest opinion.

Even though he had no love for the Western Buddhist sects, he had never underestimated them.

Two Ninth-Heaven Buddhist Masters, Jia Sheng and Ren Zhu, had dared to venture into the Southern Wastelands to hunt the Ba Serpent, leaving their sect's stronghold seemingly defenseless.

But Lei Jun didn’t believe for a moment that they were merely bluffing.

And more importantly, that was only Sumeru’s foothold in the Tang Dynasty’s mortal world.

What lay within Sumeru itself was completely unknown.

When Sumeru first emerged, Lei Jun had wondered—

Where was their population base?

How did they cultivate and select their disciples?

But after hearing from Xu Yuanzhen that Sumeru’s followers might not come from a single location, and learning that multiple parallel worlds existed, his suspicions were confirmed.

The issue of population limitations no longer applied to Sumeru.

Its return to the mortal world may not have been limited to the Tang Dynasty’s realm.

It was entirely possible that multiple Void Gateways had opened, connecting different worlds—the Tang, the Ming, and perhaps others.

Each world had its own timeline, meaning that the gateways may have opened at different points in history.

In the Tang Dynasty, Sumeru had only reconnected fourteen or fifteen years ago.

But in another realm, it may have returned much earlier—gaining a head start in expansion.

And if that were true, then…

Had the Lone Eagle Khanate's world already been influenced by Sumeru?

Was it possible that Western Buddhism was not just present in that world, but actively supporting the Khanate?

This might explain why the Western Buddhist sects avoided direct confrontation with the Khanate during the Northwest War—to avoid awkward exposure.

Yet, the Khanate had been in the Tang Dynasty’s realm for a while now.

Surely, the truth must have reached some of the Sumeru monks by now?

So why were Jia Sheng and Ren Zhu acting as if nothing had happened?

Were they deliberately ignoring the truth?

Countless thoughts flickered through Lei Jun’s mind in an instant.

The Empress, however, moved to another topic:

"Xu Qingjia and Tang Qingjia are both investigating the remnants of the Mortal Dao Nation?"

Lei Jun answered, "Yes, but they have yet to locate Huang Xuanpu."

The Empress gave a slight nod and stated,

"Tell them that Huang Xuanpu may be connected to Penglai."

Lei Jun’s expression darkened slightly.

"Penglai?"

Chu Yu explained, "When Her Majesty inspected Pure Yang Palace, some traces were found that linked Huang Xuanpu to the mythical Penglai."

Lei Jun nodded. "I will inform my senior sisters immediately."

At the same time, he recalled something else—

He had once obtained a damaged talisman from Nie Fang of the Ming Dynasty, its origins seemingly tied to Penglai.

Now, both the Ming Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty had evidence connecting them to Penglai.

Could it be that Penglai, like Sumeru, had access to multiple mortal realms?

And if so, how did Penglai’s connections differ from Sumeru’s?

Lei Jun exhaled slowly, pushing his thoughts aside.

Then, the Empress made her true intention clear—

"Lei Qingjia, you have free time. Stay in the capital for now. Soon, information may arrive, and I will require your insight."

Lei Jun acknowledged the decree, finished his audience, and departed from the palace.

Settling in the Capital

Lei Jun took residence at Lianyun Monastery in Luoyang.

His disciple, Zhuo Baojie, had arrived ahead of him but looked deeply unsettled.

"Master... the people of Luoyang are... strange."

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow.

"Strange how?"

Zhuo Baojie hesitated.

"They keep calling you... 'As-If Tianshi'?"

"...What?"

For the first time, Lei Jun was genuinely at a loss for words.

"What in the world is that supposed to mean?"

“That title sounds more like a concubine’s…”

Lei Jun was well aware that ever since he had been assigned to patrol outside the sect, it had effectively publicly acknowledged his status as Tianshi Mansion’s "Crown Prince", sparking endless speculation.

Defining his position was indeed a challenge for outsiders.

Previously, Li Zhengxuan had held the title of "Young Tianshi", largely because he was the only son of the former Tianshi, Li Qingfeng.

Before Tang Xiaotang rose to prominence, Li Zhengxuan had also been the second most talented figure of his generation, just behind Xu Yuanzhen.

Some had jokingly referred to Xu Yuanzhen as “Second Tianshi”, partly as a way to stir up conflicts between the Li family and non-Li family members within Tianshi Mansion, but also because at the time, Xu Yuanzhen was widely recognized as the second strongest cultivator on Mount Longhu, after Tianshi Li Qingfeng.

However, in Lei Jun’s case, aside from Tang Xiaotang, there was still his master Yuan Mobai, as well as Xu Yuanzhen, so calling him "Second Tianshi" wouldn't be accurate.

As for the title "Acting Tianshi", it still lacked full legitimacy.

Thus, someone had suggested calling him "Ru Tianshi"—“Like a Tianshi”—which had gained some traction.

But every time Lei Jun heard those three words, it felt off…

After settling in at Lianyun Temple, Lei Jun and his disciple prepared for the night.

Later that evening, another temporary resident returned.

“Senior Brother Lin.” Lei Jun greeted him with a formal bow.

The visitor was Lin Shan, the chief disciple of Shangguan Ning, and the official representative of Tianshi Mansion at the Imperial Academy in the capital.

By day, he lectured and taught at the academy, but he didn’t live there—instead, he stayed at Lianyun Temple.

“Junior Brother Lei, it’s been a long time.” Lin Shan responded with a warm smile, but still followed proper etiquette with a formal bow.

“I trust Senior Brother has been well. Did you just return from the academy?” Lei Jun asked.

Lin Shan nodded. “I heard you were coming, so I rushed back after my lecture. But I still have an evening class later, so I’ll be heading back soon. Since I’ll be returning to Mount Longhu soon, I want to finish what I started.”

He was preparing to leave the capital.

Although he had spent years at the Imperial Academy, continuously teaching, he had never neglected his own cultivation.

Now, after more than twenty years of accumulation, he was preparing for his final breakthrough to the Seventh Heaven Realm.

With Lin Shan leaving, Tianshi Mansion had already arranged for someone else to take his place at the academy.

“If it’s convenient, I’d like to visit the academy as well, to take a look around.” Lei Jun said.

Lin Shan: “Of course, that won’t be a problem. I actually spoke with Mr. Xiao earlier, and he mentioned he’d love to have you as a guest.”

Lei Jun nodded. “That would be perfect.”

When the Imperial Academy was first founded, Lei Jun had already been interested in it.

At the time, however, he had chosen to focus entirely on cultivating Daoist talismans and spells.

But his curiosity about different cultivation paths had never faded.

After instructing his disciple to stay at Lianyun Temple and focus on meditation, Lei Jun accompanied Lin Shan to Great Tang’s First Academy in the Imperial Capital.

At present, aside from Tianshi Mansion, the other Daoist Holy Lands, Pure Yang Palace and Shushan Sect, also had instructors teaching at the academy.

On the Buddhist side, Tianlong Monastery and Bodhi Monastery had sent monastic scholars to serve as lecturers.

As for Confucian traditions, the academy had fully established the Three Branches:

• Classical Studies

• Divine Archery

• Oratory and Recitation

The only thing missing was martial cultivators.

This was likely because military talents were being recruited and trained within the Divine Strategy Army instead.

As Lei Jun observed the academy with great interest, he suddenly sensed something—turning his gaze toward an approaching figure.

A tall, slender young man walked toward them with a gentle smile.

His presence was serene and refined.

Though his style was different from Yuan Mobai’s, Lei Jun immediately felt that this man carried the same kind of effortless grace—like a refreshing spring breeze.

“Elder Lei, it is an honor to meet you. I am Xiao Chunhui.”

The young man bowed first in greeting.

Lei Jun returned the bow. “You’re too polite, Mr. Xiao. I was just on my way to visit you.”

“Then please, Elder Lei, come inside.”

At the moment, Fang Yue was not in Luoyang.

He was overseeing the founding of the third academy in Jianye, and would need to stay there for a while.

Although Xiao Chunhui had long since stepped down as Imperial Academy Chancellor, in Fang Yue’s absence, he would occasionally step in to assist.

After Lin Shan left to give his lecture, Lei Jun sat down for tea with Xiao Chunhui, and their conversation focused more on the academy’s curriculum and growth, rather than political affairs.

When the topic of Tianli came up, it was discussed from an academic perspective, in relation to Neo-Confucianism.

“It’s unfortunate that during the Eastern Sea campaign, we weren’t able to recover more of their historical texts.”

At the end of their discussion, Xiao Chunhui sighed.

“**I was particularly interested in their early Neo-Confucian doctrines from the Liang Dynasty period. After a thousand years of evolution, the current Ming Dynasty’s Confucian rites have changed quite a bit compared to the past.”

Lei Jun: “To be honest, my understanding of Confucian studies is quite limited, but I’m also curious about this topic. Fortunately, we have time—perhaps in the future, we will have more opportunities to explore these traditions.”

Seeing that it was getting late, Lei Jun stood to leave.

As he was being escorted out, Xiao Chunhui suddenly mentioned:

“By the way, Elder Lei, do you remember a student here named Meng Shaojie?”

Lei Jun remained composed. “I recall him. He was one of the Eastern Palace attendants who once visited my sect, correct?”

Xiao Chunhui: “Yes. A few years ago, Qingyan left the Eastern Palace and returned here to continue his studies.”

“He often speaks of the guidance and help he received from you on Mount Longhu, and he remembers it fondly.”

“Unfortunately, he is currently secluded in intense study, which is ultimately a good thing. So, I won’t disturb him for now.”

“If you plan to stay in Luoyang for a while, once he’s finished, he would like to personally visit and pay his respects.”

Lei Jun: “That is commendable. Hard work in academics is always a good thing. The matter from years ago was trivial and not worth mentioning.”

After sending Lei Jun off, Xiao Chunhui returned to the academy—where someone was already waiting for him.

“Brother Xiao.” Chu Yu greeted him with a smile. “His Majesty has summoned you.”

Xiao Chunhui: “You came personally?”

Chu Yu: “The matter is confidential. The fewer people who know, the better.”

Xiao Chunhui: “I see. Give me a moment to change, and we’ll leave immediately.”

“So, you’ve met Lei Chongyun of Tianshi Mansion?” Chu Yu asked as they walked.

Xiao Chunhui: “Yes. He is far from ordinary.”

And with that, the two disappeared into the night.

At the Same Time…

After returning to Lianyun Temple, Lei Jun connected with his master, Yuan Mobai, through a transmitted message.

After briefly summarizing his audience with the emperor, Lei Jun moved on to discuss his visit to the Imperial Academy.

“Xiao Chunhui’s physical body is indeed frail—likely due to innate limitations that he never fully compensated for later in life.”

“However, his mind is incredibly sharp, filled with endless insights and ideas.”

“Between the two Xiao siblings—Xiao Xueting and Xiao Chunhui—while Xiao Xueting clearly surpasses him in terms of bone structure and innate talent, Xiao Chunhui is undeniably superior in terms of comprehension and intellect.”

As Lei Jun spoke, he suddenly smiled.

“He’s currently in a phase of accumulation. Once he breaks through to the Eighth Heaven Realm, he’ll undergo a powerful surge of progress.”

“However… if I were to speculate, his delay in making this breakthrough isn’t because he lacks confidence in overcoming the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation.”

“It feels more like he’s working on something else—perhaps… developing an entirely new school of thought?”