Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 324: Ziwei Sword Welcomes You

The attack on the Ye Clan of Cangzhou sent shockwaves throughout the world.

The Lin Clan of Youzhou, currently standing in close alliance with the Ye Clan, would not ignore Cangzhou’s call for aid. Immediately, experts from their clan headed south to reinforce them.

Although the Ye Clan of Qingzhou had its differences with the Ye Clan of Cangzhou, this time, after receiving Cangzhou’s urgent message, their patriarch, Ye Yan, also dispatched elite members of the clan to provide support.

Previously, in the Earth-Sea Battle, Ye Merong had achieved great merit, personally slaying Li Yongzong, the young chieftain of the Poli Tribe, an Eighth-Heaven Grand Shaman.

However, he himself had also perished in the war.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Li Yan, the chieftain of the Poli Tribe, did not believe in an eye for an eye.

His fury had not been appeased—it now extended to the Ye Clan of Cangzhou as a whole.

Although Ye Yan had not personally left Qingzhou for the north, normally speaking, with Ye Moquan present and the Chess Star Seal, the Ye Clan’s ancestral treasure, in their possession, Li Yan and the other Nine Li Grand Shamans would not be able to cause too much harm.

After all, the Nine Li Grand Shamans had infiltrated the mortal realm and could be surrounded by Great Tang cultivators at any moment.

Even if they were to launch an attack on Cangzhou, they wouldn’t engage in prolonged combat.

If they failed to achieve their goal quickly, they would have to consider whether they could even retreat in time.

No matter how enraged Li Yan was, he was still the chieftain of the Poli Tribe, not just Li Yongzong’s father. He had to think about the rest of his people.

Which was why, when Ye Yan heard the news of Cangzhou being attacked and Ye Feishan and others being killed, he was stunned.

"Big Brother wasn’t there?" After confirming some details, Ye Yan was even more shocked.

Ye Moquan had instructed Ye Wei and the others to gather their clan members and stay on high alert, preventing any potential openings for the enemy.

But he himself had not immediately returned to Cangzhou.

And because of this small time gap, everything had turned out differently.

In the end, Li Yan, the Poli Chieftain, had wasted no effort on deception or distractions.

He simply secured his people in the Earth-Sea, left them under the care of Li De, the Bili Tribe’s chieftain, and then personally led a group of top-tier Poli warriors out of the Earth-Sea.

With guidance from the Sui remnants and the ritual artifacts refined by Yang Yuqi, they were able to resist the radiance of the mortal realm and headed straight for Cangzhou’s Ye Clan, the birthplace of Ye Merong.

Although the Tang cultivators monitoring the void gateways between the Earth-Sea and the mortal world had swiftly reported the intrusion, Li Yan’s decisiveness and speed still caught everyone off guard.

But the greatest shock to Cangzhou was that their own patriarch had left them hanging...

---

The Battle of Cangzhou

Currently, the Ye Clan’s power in Cangzhou was quite formidable.

Back when their Jinzhou ancestral lands had been destroyed, Ye Moquan had been the only one present, so the rest of the clan had suffered little damage.

The Chess Star Seal, their most treasured artifact, was also enshrined in their newly established ancestral temple in Cangzhou.

However, while relocating was easy, rebuilding the scholarly lineage and terrain-based advantages of their original Jinzhou homeland was incredibly difficult.

Even after over a decade of reconstruction and recovery, their new Cangzhou stronghold was still far from the depth and grandeur of their former Jinzhou ancestral lands—at best, it was a rough approximation.

From an ordinary person’s perspective, their compound was vast and expansive, resembling a fortified city.

But from a cultivator’s viewpoint, it lacked true defensive advantages.

If they were only facing Eighth-Heaven cultivators, they could manage.

But this time, the attacker was a Ninth-Heaven expert—Li Yan.

And he wasn’t alone.

Accompanying him were three Eighth-Heaven Nine Li Grand Shamans.

Ye Wei, wielding the Chess Star Seal, along with the clan’s other experts, could hold them off—but they couldn’t control the sheer destruction that followed.

As a result, several members of the Ye Clan were killed.

And still, Li Yan’s rage was not satisfied.

His targets were clear:

Ye Wei. Or Ye Feishan.

At present, Ye Feishan had already reached the First Layer of Eighth Heaven, an esteemed Grand Scholar.

But his opponent was Li Yan, a bloodthirsty Ninth-Heaven Grand Shaman of the Blood River Lineage.

In the end, Li Yan endured a direct hit from the Chess Star Seal in order to brutally slay Ye Feishan in the midst of the Ye Clan’s top fighters.

During the battle, the three Eighth-Heaven Nine Li Grand Shamans also suffered injuries.

However, they retreated with Li Yan after breaking through the encirclement.

The Ye Clan of Cangzhou was left devastated, grieving their heavy losses.

---

Ye Moquan's Arrival

By the time Ye Moquan finally arrived, the battlefield lay in ruins.

He stood in silence, looking at the corpse of his grandson, whom he had placed great hopes in.

For a long time, he said nothing.

Ye Wei approached him hesitantly, his voice heavy with grief:

"Father…"

Ye Moquan did not respond at first.

After a pause, he finally spoke in a low, steady voice:

"The wounded Nine Li Grand Shamans have fled. Inform the court immediately—hunt them down. We must not allow them to return to the Earth-Sea."

"Yes, Father," Ye Wei replied solemnly.

As he watched Ye Feishan’s body being carried away, Ye Moquan's face did not show anger or sadness—only deep exhaustion.

"Come with me," he said, heading toward the ancestral temple.

Ye Wei was taken aback.

His instincts told him that his father was about to entrust him with something important.

At such a moment, the thought filled him with an uneasy dread, but he followed silently.

---

Imperial Capital, Luoyang

Xiao Xueting was preparing to leave the capital.

Her older brother, Xiao Chunhui, had come to see her off.

"Second Brother, you don’t have to come any further," the armored female general casually cracked open a pine nut and tossed the shell into a small pouch at her waist.

Beside her, a scholarly young official, though not thin, had a naturally frail demeanor. He nodded and said, "Mm. Be careful on the road."

Regardless of whatever hidden agendas the Ye Clan of Cangzhou might have, this operation was officially about avenging Ye Merong, who had slain Great Tang’s enemies, only for the Nine Li people to retaliate.

The Tang Imperial Court would not stand idly by.

Furthermore, with the ritual artifacts refined by Yang Yuqi, the Nine Li warriors could now roam the mortal realm more freely—posing a threat beyond just Cangzhou.

But at the same time, their deep incursion into human lands meant that they, too, were now vulnerable.

This was also an opportunity to encircle and annihilate them.

Thus, the Tang Imperial Court reacted swiftly.

Even though General Shangguan Yunbo had just returned to Luoyang to recover, Xiao Xueting was bringing the Mountain and River Sword out of the Imperial Capital to join forces with Ye Moquan in Cangzhou, leading the siege against Li Yan and his warriors.

"Second Brother, do you think Ye Moquan’s delay was due to his health? Was he unfit for battle?" Xiao Xueting asked.

If not, it was hard to explain why he was a step too late, giving Li Yan and his men the perfect opportunity to strike…

---

Meanwhile, at Mount Longhu's Tianshi Mansion—

A tall woman, draped in a Nine-Colored Radiant Robe, was pacing excitedly, clenching her fists.

Then she suddenly turned to Lei Jun, who was sitting calmly beside her.

"You’re a real schemer, you know that?" Tang Xiaotang grinned.

But judging from the gleeful look on her face, she was clearly very pleased with Lei Jun’s masterful deception in impersonating Ye Merong.

This was mainly a matter of quality.

In terms of numbers, however, the Ye Clan of Cangzhou was still deeply rooted and powerful.

For years, they had never lost a single Upper Three Heavens expert.

Even during the destruction of their Jinzhou ancestral lands, aside from Ye Han and Ye Zhenxing, who had perished at Lei Jun’s hands outside the battlefield, the clan’s high-ranking members had suffered little damage.

Over the years, the only Upper Three Heavens cultivators they had lost were Ye Merong, Ye Han, Ye Liang, Ye Feishan, Ye Lingxi, and Ye Zhenxing.

But now, with the attack on their Cangzhou stronghold, several reclusive elders were forced out of seclusion.

These were individuals similar to Lin Jian and Lin Zhan of the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou—elders who had long withdrawn from worldly affairs due to their advanced age, only emerging in times of great crisis.

With these elders exposed, the Ye Clan of Cangzhou still had over twenty Upper Three Heavens Grand Scholars, showcasing the deep foundation of a true aristocratic lineage.

The only reason Li Yan and his forces had succeeded was because of two factors:

1. The Cangzhou ancestral lands were still newly rebuilt and lacked a strong defensive foundation.

2. Ye Moquan had abandoned them, catching them completely off guard.

Lei Jun, however, was in no rush.

There would be time for everything.

Lei Jun: "If Ye Feishan had survived, Li Yan might have continued his rampage. But since he’s dead, the chances of further revenge are much lower."

Tang Xiaotang halted her pacing. "That means it’s my turn to go after him."

Lei Jun smiled. "Of course, Senior Sister, you should do whatever pleases you. But now that you’ve ascended to the Ninth Heaven, you can choose a new life-bound mystical ability. Have you decided? Perhaps the Thunder Law Talismanic Canon?"

Tang Xiaotang shook her head. "I already have my Divine Firmament Pure Yang Talisman and Pure Yang Celestial Thunder. So the Thunder Law Talismanic Canon and the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder aren’t as urgent for me. But speaking of new abilities, I do have some ideas…"

As she spoke, her eyes gleamed as she stared at Lei Jun.

Lei Jun glanced down at his robes.

They were clean.

"Your Celestial Ground-Through Talisman is quite something," Tang Xiaotang said seriously.

Lei Jun immediately understood. "Senior Sister, you want to create your own perception-based divine ability tailored to yourself?"

"Exactly!"

Tang Xiaotang puffed up her cheeks. "You and Senior Sister always find people and objects so easily, but I let that bastard Li Yan slip away in the Earth-Sea. This can’t keep happening! I need to improve my mystical perception abilities!"

Lei Jun chuckled. "To be fair, tracking people in the Earth-Sea isn’t as easy as outside…"

Tang Xiaotang plopped into a chair and huffed. "I want to drag Li Yan out right now! But you’re right—sharpening the axe doesn’t delay the cutting of firewood. I’ll focus on refining my divine abilities first, then settle things with him later."

After a brief pause, she added, "And with Huang Xuanpu and the others too!"

Lei Jun: "Wishing Senior Sister great success. If you need, I can manifest the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman for reference anytime."

Tang Xiaotang waved him off. "No need! Watching your Heavenly Sight and Earthly Hearing Talisman already gave me some ideas."

She suddenly turned to him. "Oh right—when is Senior Sister coming back?"

Lei Jun: "She told me to inform her when I have further leads on the Purple Star Sword."

Tang Xiaotang clicked her tongue. "Tsk. I was hoping to spar with her."

Speaking of this, her excitement reignited, and she clenched her fists eagerly.

"Now that we’re both in the Great Ascension Realm, we can finally have a proper battle!"

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow. "Uh, Senior Sister, even within the Ninth Heaven, there are five different tiers…"

Tang Xiaotang waved dismissively. "That’s just details!"

Lei Jun laughed. "Let’s take care of the Mortal Daoist Nation first."

Tang Xiaotang suddenly recalled something. "Right! Senior Sister mentioned looking for a spiritual artifact related to time. Did you find anything?"

Lei Jun nodded and recounted the events involving Shen Qubing and the Dust of Passing Waters.

Tang Xiaotang wasn’t particularly interested in seeing it before Xu Yuanzhen, but she was thoroughly intrigued by the battle in the Heavenly Book Universe, listening attentively.

"That Water Luminary sure knows a lot about the Nine Li people," she chuckled. "And that Moon Luminary—sounds like a Confucian scholar."

The connections were becoming clearer:

• Jupiter’s Wood Luminary corresponded to the White Lotus Sect’s Future Maitreya.

• Mars’ Fire Luminary corresponded to Shen Qubing.

• Saturn’s Earth Luminary corresponded to Fang Yue.

• The Sun’s Solar Luminary was almost certainly Empress Zhang Wantong.

• Venus’ Metal Luminary was Lei Jun himself.

That left only Lunar’s Moon Luminary and Mercury’s Water Luminary as unknowns.

Tang Xiaotang was particularly curious about their identities.

Lei Jun: "These things happen as fate wills. As long as they don’t harbor ill intentions, I don’t intend to investigate further."

Tang Xiaotang smirked. "Our Empress has good taste. A White Lotus monk, a prodigy from the Fang Clan of Jingxiang, and now you and Shen Qubing. A talented bunch."

She suddenly narrowed her eyes playfully. "Speaking of Shen Qubing, he’s got quite the physique. I saw him fight in the Earth-Sea—his Tai Ting Celestial Physique is impressive. His comprehension level is unclear, but he certainly seems extraordinary."

Lei Jun nodded. "As a martial artist, his comprehension must be strong. Even if it doesn’t match our Daoist Clear Tranquility, at minimum, it should be Illuminated Clarity."

More importantly, Shen Qubing’s combat strength always exceeded expectations.

Martial artists naturally excelled in movement speed and attack speed compared to other cultivators.

With the enhancement of his Tai Ting Celestial Physique, Shen Qubing had taken that advantage to an extreme, strengthening his strengths even further.

Lei Jun had always been known for his remarkable speed, far surpassing typical Talismanic Branch cultivators.

But he had to admit—at the same realm, he was slower than Shen Qubing.

In all his encounters, Shen Qubing was the fastest opponent he had ever faced at the same level.

Back in the Earth-Sea, most Seventh-Heaven cultivators would have been encircled and slaughtered by the Nine Li Grand Shamans.

But Shen Qubing had fought for a long time, constantly shifting the battlefield.

It ultimately took an Eighth-Heaven Grand Shaman of the Ghost-Worship Ritual Dance Lineage, leading a group of elite warriors, to finally pin him down in the Xiongbu Mountains.

And even then, before they could launch the final attack, just holding him there had cost them one Seventh-Heaven and two Sixth-Heaven cultivators.

Tang Xiaotang: "How old is he now? Can he reach the Eighth Heaven before fifty?"

Lei Jun: "He’s eight years younger than me—so he’s forty-eight. He reached Seventh Heaven at age thirty-four, fourteen years ago."

Tang Xiaotang sighed. "Then with his injuries, he might not make it before fifty."

Lei Jun: "People use fifty and a hundred as benchmarks for young cultivators, but those are just rough estimates. A few years’ difference doesn’t matter."

Tang Xiaotang pouted. "A year makes a big difference!"

Lei Jun chuckled. "Not for you, Senior Sister. You reached Eighth Heaven at thirty."

Tang Xiaotang coughed, looking very pleased. "Ah, yes, true, true."

---

Meanwhile, Lei Jun quietly retreated into seclusion, preparing for the Mortal Daoist Nation and refining the Purple Star Sword.

As he did, he faintly sensed…

Someone else was searching for the sword.

A new opportunity was arising.

Lei Jun immediately notified Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang to make preparations.

Then, draped in the Supreme Purity Eight Sceneries Treasure Mantle, carrying the Purple Star Sword, Lei Jun set out once more.