Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 330: The Third Floor of the Eighth Heaven, the Exterior View of the Divine Court

Inside his own Private Residence, Lei Jun sat cross-legged.

From the outside, there were no extraordinary phenomena, no spiritual energy flowing.

It looked as if he was simply cultivating like normal, maybe just sitting quietly to rest his spirit.

But internally, it was a completely different world.

At this moment, a mysterious inner universe within Lei Jun’s body was rippling continuously.

His internal Divine Court cosmos seemed split in two, forming an upper and lower layer.

One side dark as ink, the other dim yellow.

As starlight flowed, a massive amount of magnetism condensed.

Dark and yellow, heaven and earth, stars and magnetism—between them, thunder and fire constantly surged.

Purple, black, green, gold-red—countless colors intertwined.

From these lightning and flames, numerous mystical Talismans were born.

They gathered and dispersed endlessly within the cosmic space.

Eventually, countless talismans stabilized amidst the intertwining thunder and flame.

Then, the thunder and fire began to shift.

Purple Yang Thunder intertwined with green Yin Fire, forming a Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram.

Black Yin Thunder intertwined with golden-red Yang Fire, forming another Taiji Diagram.

The two diagrams floated facing each other, absorbing all the thunder and talismans in the cosmos.

Their colors faded, leaving only black and white.

The universe’s hues and radiance turned dull, even monotonous—but far more stable.

The two Yin-Yang Taiji Diagrams merged and expanded outward, encompassing the entire cosmos within.

Talismans intersected across the Taiji, forming what looked like an immense Divine Court palace, filling Lei Jun’s inner cosmos in a state of Perfection.

Still, this remained within the bounds of the Inner Universe.

Until—under Lei Jun’s control—the Taiji-shaped Divine Court suddenly collapsed inward into a single point.

Then it swiftly expanded outward.

In the real world, two clouds of Qi, originally formed from the Innate Dual Aspects Essence, reappeared around Lei Jun.

As his inner cosmos collapsed inward, those clouds were completely drawn back into his body.

And then, with Lei Jun at the center, a black aura spread outward.

That darkness was vast and profound—like the tightly bound deep void of the cosmos.

Within that black void, specks of starlight moved constantly, like a true starry sky.

From the outside, Lei Jun now resembled a Daoist Alchemical Sect cultivator projecting their Golden Core.

But unlike the golden translucent spheres typical of that sect, Lei Jun was wrapped in a black, opaque sphere.

Specks of starlight glimmered on its surface—like a miniature cosmic body.

What lay inside could only be known to those who entered.

Inside that mini cosmic void, Lei Jun sat calmly at the center.

Around him, the surrounding space looked entirely different.

At the core of the dark sphere was a region of bright yellow.

There, enormous amounts of magnetism visibly intertwined, almost solidified into tangible form—a breathtaking sight.

Beyond the yellow core was the vast and endless cosmic void.

From outside, the universe appeared limited to the size of a sphere.

Inside, however, the deep starry space extended endlessly, as if without boundaries.

The two perspectives differed greatly—but surprisingly, not jarring or disorienting.

Instead, they conveyed a profound sense of balance and mystery.

Between the dark and yellow zones, faint thunder and flames remained—not as overwhelming as before.

Not because they’d vanished, but because all thunder, regardless of Yin or Yang, had been drawn into the bright yellow core, while the flames flowed outward to gather as stars.

As the star-fire rotated, it seemed eternal, following its own trajectory and rhythm, shooting deeper into the cosmos.

Meanwhile, the intense thunder gathered into the yellow core, becoming dense and solid.

Lei Jun sat at peace, beneath him a black-and-white Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram rotating slowly.

At this point, his inner Divine Court surpassed its own limits, resonating with the real world.

The Divine Court had transformed into an external cosmos, able to influence the real heavens and earth.

This marked his successful advancement—reaching the Third Layer of the Divine Court Stage of the Eighth Heaven Realm in the Talismanic Branch of the Daoist Path:

Divine Court Manifestation.

Because this was a manifestation of his personal cultivation, even cultivators practicing the same methods might form different Divine Court Manifestations.

The mini-universe now centered on Lei Jun was unique to him:

The Dark-Yellow Cosmos.

“There’s definitely some cleverness in this,”

commented a certain Tianshi who had come upon the scene, glancing around thoughtfully.

“At first glance it resembles Senior Sister’s Terminal Deep Void, but inside, it’s entirely different.”

Yuan Mobai smiled: “Naturally, there are many distinctions.”

What pleased him most was that his own disciple’s Divine Court Manifestation perfectly embodied his usual style.

Lei Jun’s manifestation was calm, all-encompassing, and extraordinarily profound.

It didn’t appear aggressive on the surface.

But precisely because of its hidden intricacies and depth, once used in combat, the power it could unleash would far surpass anyone’s expectations.

As the saying goes—some abilities aren’t always used, but they must exist.

His second disciple’s Divine Court Manifestation embodied this idea flawlessly… Yuan Mobai beamed.

Lei Jun’s cultivation had progressed rapidly, finally catching up to his master.

Barring any major accidents, Lei Jun would soon surpass him completely, and would likely never fall behind again.

Yuan Mobai didn’t mind—on the contrary, he was genuinely pleased.

“Lei Jun, your Divine Court Manifestation… it feels like there’s another layer of mystery inside,” said Tang Xiaotang, brimming with interest.

“Mhm, it relates to the Innate Dual Aspects Essence,” Lei Jun confirmed her observation.

“It’s more than just a Heaven-Earth duality.”

Tang Xiaotang nodded repeatedly, eyes gleaming. “Brilliant—truly brilliant. Let me study it.”

She didn’t mean to spar with him.

If they were both in the Eighth Heaven Realm, she might’ve given it a try.

Given their current realm gap, she let it go—for now.

She was confident Lei Jun would reach the Ninth Heaven Realm, and there would be plenty of time.

For now, she focused on carefully studying Lei Jun’s Dark-Yellow Cosmos, just as Lei Jun had once studied her Pure Yang Domain, and Yuan Mobai’s Galaxy Gate of Heaven.

Yuan Mobai still had matters to handle back at the Mansion, so after offering Lei Jun a few words of encouragement, he departed.

Tang Xiaotang stayed behind for a deep exchange of insights.

Both of them were exceptionally gifted, and as their ideas collided, they each gained a lot.

And now that Lei Jun had reached the Third Layer of the Eighth Heaven Realm, aside from achieving the Divine Court Manifestation, his base Mana had also grown stronger.

Some of his earlier ideas could now be further developed.

In the Ten Thousand Methods Altar, he began constructing a Ritual Formation based on the Talisman Decree he had obtained from Fu Dongsen.

Light swirled—within the altar, a new, smaller three-tiered altar emerged, shaped round on top, square at the bottom, and octagonal in the middle.

From the top tier, wisps of blue smoke curled upward, disappearing into the void.

Tang Xiaotang circled it with her hands behind her back: “How much longer will it take?”

Lei Jun replied, “If I only want to find the Taiyi Innate Tower, not too long. But I’d prefer to locate Huang Xuanpu himself, so let’s wait a bit.”

News reached Mount Longhu, and Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen, currently traveling, returned.

After examining Lei Jun’s ritual formation, she nodded slightly.

“Not bad. Then let’s wait a bit. I’ll use the time to refine some things.”

Lei Jun recalled the ancient mirror that had once troubled Huang Xuanpu briefly: “You’re crafting something to counter him?”

Xu Yuanzhen: “Given his cultivation and strength, after suffering once, he’ll surely prepare countermeasures. We’ll need something new.”

Subtler changes had to happen in secret, slowly but surely.

As for the existence of Chen Ziyang, even allowing him to cultivate to the Seventh Heaven Realm had a rather simple reason—

He made for an ideal vessel for possession.

Like a well-bred stallion raised in captivity, just waiting for his master to call.

Besides that, there were a few side matters…

“Senior Brother Chen, any word from Elder Chen of Shushan lately?” Yu Shao asked gently.

Chen Ziyang shook his head. “Elder Chen hasn’t truly returned to Shushan. He’s been wandering without a fixed place—it’s very hard to reach him.

From what I know, even Shushan Sect itself can’t get in contact with him quickly. They can only leave messages or written notes, and Elder Chen doesn’t always respond immediately.

Now that the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths have returned, there are even rumors of other realms of existence. Elder Chen may not even be in the Tang mortal world most of the time.”

Yu Shao nodded. “Not surprising. He went silent for many years before, too. Still, if we can get in touch now that he’s returned to the mortal world, it could bring a strong ally to our side.”

Chen Ziyang replied, “The Sect Master is right. I’ll do my best.”

The Madman of Shushan, Chen Donglou, once had a personal connection with the former leader of the Yellow Heaven Sect, Taoist Taiping, and even aided him during past clashes with the Tianshi Mansion.

But later, Chen Donglou disappeared without a trace, leaving the Yellow Heaven Sect without a key ally.

Now that he’d resurfaced, it should’ve been good news for the sect—but Taoist Taiping was already gone.

Chen Donglou no longer stayed at Shushan, drifting from place to place, making it difficult even for the current Yellow Heaven Sect to reach him.

Since they couldn’t move publicly, contacting Chen Donglou through Shushan disciples was out of the question.

Chen Ziyang harbored doubts about Yu Shao, Han Wuyou, and Kang Ming, but from any angle, he desperately wanted to contact Chen Donglou—he just hadn’t found a way.

Han Wuyou was preparing for his Tribulation to break through to the Seventh Heaven, with Yu Shao and Kang Ming guarding the ritual from the Ancestral Altar.

Chen Ziyang stayed at the altar for a few days, then left.

“Looks like he really hasn’t been able to contact Chen Donglou,” Kang Ming said.

Yu Shao nodded. “Yeah.”

If he had, Chen Donglou might have already shown up here at the Yellow Heaven Sect’s Ancestral Altar.

Chen Donglou had a past connection with Taoist Taiping.

But Taiping was gone.

There were even circulating rumors that Taoist Taiping had died at the hands of the Daoist Alchemical Sect of the Mortal Daoist Nation, ambushed and possessed by the expert Feng Yi while recovering from injuries.

Because of this, the Yellow Heaven Sect had to act hostile toward the Mortal Daoist Nation on the surface, with Yu Shao, Han Wuyou, and the others forced to move in secret.

Only in recent years had the situation begun to shift.

But if they truly managed to contact Chen Donglou, the ones to suffer first might be these very Mortal Daoist Nation insiders.

Kang Ming said, “Letting him know where the Ancestral Altar is was a risky move.”

Yu Shao replied, “Maybe the higher-ups meant to spook the snake out of hiding.”

Kang Ming added, “Since Chen Donglou returned, he hasn’t clashed with the Tianshi Mansion again. He’s kept his eyes on the Mortal Daoist Nation instead.”

Yu Shao nodded. “The Tianshi Mansion is no longer under Li control. It’s us who have ties with Taoist Taiping now. His reaction makes sense…”

Then Yu Shao suddenly fell silent.

Kang Ming understood—Yu was thinking of the heavy losses the Mortal Daoist Nation suffered under Mount Longhu, and more recently, the death of Fu Dongsen.

Without saying more, Kang Ming rose. “I’ll go keep an eye on Chen Ziyang.”

Since they were alone, Yu Shao changed his tone. “Thank you, Elder Wen. I’ll stay here to protect Senior Brother Han.”

Kang Ming left the Ancestral Altar.

He wasn’t planning to confront Chen Ziyang directly.

He was wary of Chen Ziyang, too.

As previously mentioned, the fate of the Yellow Heaven Sect didn’t rest on just a few of them.

Even though the Mortal Daoist Nation had lost powerful figures like Rong Guangchen, Wei Qiyue, and Fu Dongsen, it was still a monstrous force from the Yellow Heaven Sect’s perspective.

As long as Huang Xuanpu was alive, Kang Ming couldn’t afford to drop his guard.

But that didn’t mean he was doing nothing.

While the Mortal Daoist Nation continued secretly eroding the Yellow Heaven Sect, Kang Ming was quietly preserving what vitality he could for it.

Though—admittedly—it wasn’t easy.

Chen Ziyang wanted to find Chen Donglou. So did he.

Every night in his dreams, the same question haunted him—

Where was the Yellow Heaven Sect truly headed?

The master of that eerie Pale Cosmos might someday strike against the Mortal Daoist Nation.

But that didn’t mean they would help the Yellow Heaven Sect.

Kang Ming suddenly halted.

He turned east.

That was the direction of Mount Longhu, the Daoist Holy Land of their Talismanic Branch.

The Tianshi Mansion…

For once, Kang Ming hesitated.

In recent years, because the Yellow Heaven Sect had mostly kept a low profile, the fierce hostility between them and the Tianshi Mansion had cooled.

A direct result was that newer disciples didn’t harbor the same hatred toward the Tianshi Mansion that the old guard did.

Beyond the influence of the elder generation, their resentment came more from their dissatisfaction with their own situation.

For the Yellow Heaven Sect, this was actually dangerous.

If that hostility wasn’t properly guided toward the Tianshi Mansion, it could easily turn inward.

“Dragged onto a sinking ship…” as the saying went.

In this sense, they almost had the Mortal Daoist Nation to thank. Without them, internal division might’ve surfaced even faster.

But what about the future?

Kang Ming had long distrusted the Tianshi Mansion.

To him, the Li Family’s legacy would only repeat through the Xu, Tang, or Lei bloodlines.

But over the years, he had started to waver on that belief.

Tang Xiaotang was even showing signs of stepping down.

And the likeliest successor, Lei Jun—what path would he take?

Both Tang and Lei were still young.

They had plenty of time to find partners and continue their bloodlines.

Even if they didn’t have children, they could keep the Tianshi title within the same line of master-disciple succession.

Though Tang Xiaotang’s formal teacher had passed, everyone acknowledged that Xu Yuanzhen was practically her half-master.

Lei Jun, Tang Xiaotang, and Xu Yuanzhen—their lineages all traced back to Tianshi Li Bai, the third-generation leader…

The part that left Kang Ming speechless, though—

Lei Jun’s first and foremost disciple… was a panda.

Well… better a panda than a son or daughter, he supposed.

Kang Ming sighed, shook his head, and pushed away the chaotic thoughts.

He looked away from the east and turned back toward the Yellow Heaven Sect’s Ancestral Altar in western Sichuan.

His face was expressionless, his eyes calm.

Though he still didn’t trust the Tianshi Mansion, at least the Li family was gone.

If he had to choose between the Tianshi Mansion and the Mortal Daoist Nation, even a hundred times over—

His answer would never change.

The erosion from the Mortal Daoist Nation continued.

Some decisions had to be made. Some preparations had to begin.

Lei Jun: “Because of Li Yan and the others from the Nine Li Tribe earlier?”

Li Yan and his group had launched a surprise attack on the ancestral grounds of the Ye Clan in Cangzhou, resulting in the deaths of several Ye Clan disciples, including Ye Feishan.

Afterward, they fought their way out, circling back to the gateway between the Southern Wasteland and the Vast Ocean, and returned to the Vast Ocean.

Their successful breakout was largely thanks to their connection with the sea demon Sea King Ju.

The link between the two sides was established through Vast Void Temple.

From the perspective of Vast Void Temple, their actions may have been to preserve some enemies for the Tang Imperial Family.

They already had a falling out with the prestigious Confucian clans, ever since the death of Chu Taoyuan.

Now, they were becoming increasingly reckless.

But the conflict between Vast Void Temple and the Cangzhou Ye Clan at sea spiraled out of control, far beyond what either side had anticipated.

Yuan Mobai said calmly, “During their battle, a side residence and grotto belonging to the Cangzhou Ye Clan was destroyed. Someone was hidden there.”

Lei Jun: “Chen Yi, right?”

Yuan Mobai: “That’s where he was.”

Lei Jun: “So he was trying to break away from the Cangzhou Ye Clan on purpose?”

Yuan Mobai: “Hard to say if it was intentional…”

What followed was a truly convoluted chain of events.

The fight between Vast Void Temple and the Cangzhou Ye Clan exposed Chen Yi’s whereabouts.

Then, someone from the Mortal Daoist Nation, a former Shushan high elder named Liu Dongzhuo, appeared to capture Chen Yi.

Unfortunately for him, times had changed.

Compared to when Chen Yi was on Fish Star Island in the Eastern Sea, he had since undergone transformative experiences and cultivated to the Seventh Heaven.

Yuan Mobai added, “The path Chen Yi walks now has become rather unorthodox. It’s hard to categorize him strictly under our Talismanic Branch, nor does he fully align with the Blood River Sect of the Witch Sect.”

Lei Jun nodded.

Chen Yi’s current state was different even from figures like the Future Maitreya or Kang Ming, who practiced multiple traditions simultaneously.

If anything, he was more like Nie Fang, who came from Tianli—a hybrid cultivator.

However, unlike Nie Fang—whose Daoist Puppetry Techniques had already formed into an independent system outside talismans, alchemy, or artifacts—Chen Yi was still groping his way forward.

Regardless of his ties with Tianshi Mansion, stepping into the Upper Three Heavens meant that Chen Yi had carved out his own path in cultivation—truly his own legacy.

Yeah, not a bad return for everything he’s been through—fireworks and lightning, one after another…

Yuan Mobai continued, “Liu Dongzhuo failed to capture him. While the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole waits behind—both Liu and Chen Yi nearly got captured by someone else.”

He glanced westward. “Jiasheng Shangren from the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru personally went overseas, along with several Vajra masters, under the pretext of helping the court track down rebels from the Mortal Daoist Nation.”

Lei Jun: “With how precise their intel was, clearly this wasn’t some last-minute operation.”

Back in the Southern Zhao Stone Forest, Chen Yi hadn’t exactly made a name for himself in battle, but his secrets were exposed thanks to Zhang Jingzhen, ultimately bringing him unexpected fame.

To the Vajra Division, capturing Chen Yi meant access to secrets involving the Mortal Daoist Nation, Tianshi Mansion, and the Tang Imperial Family. It would give them immense leverage.

Having prepared for some time, their strike was indeed sharp and precise.

But—

Yuan Mobai: “Jiasheng Shangren failed.”

He looked at his disciple. “A powerful expert intervened, using externalized Grand Elixir energy to stop Jiasheng Shangren and caused the Vajra Division’s efforts to collapse.”

Lei Jun: “Hmm?”

Lei Jun: “A Golden Core Sect expert? Ninth Heaven?”

Golden Core Sect cultivators were known for their powerful defenses.

But Jiasheng Shangren was a Ninth Heaven Buddhist hand seal master.

A cultivator at the Eighth Heaven from the Golden Core Sect probably couldn’t even protect themselves against him, much less shield Chen Yi and Liu Dongzhuo.

Among current cultivators of the Tang Daoist world, only one Golden Core Sect expert could possibly do that:

The Mortal Daoist Nation’s Emperor, Huang Xuanpu.

Lei Jun: “Was I mistaken?”

Even though he had just returned to the mountain, Lei Jun didn’t need to visit the Ten Thousand Methods Altar to check—he knew the state of the ritual instrument he’d left behind.

There had been no change in the instrument’s readings.

Normally, even if it couldn’t pinpoint Huang Xuanpu’s exact location, if he had acted without completely hiding his Qi, the instrument would’ve detected something. There was no way it’d stay totally silent.

Lei Jun: “So is it confirmed to be Huang Xuanpu?”

He wasn’t entirely convinced the instrument couldn’t be bypassed—maybe Huang Xuanpu really was that skilled.

Yuan Mobai understood Lei Jun’s thoughts and shook his head gently. “No confirmation. That person appeared in a flash and vanished just as quickly. Liu Dongzhuo was taken away.”

Lei Jun: “In that case, it might not be Huang Xuanpu.”

He recalled Zhang Dongyuan mentioning two unfamiliar cultivators recently.

Could they be related?

Were they from the Great Ming’s Mortal Daoist Nation?

Yuan Mobai: “But Chen Yi still escaped.”

“That mysterious Golden Core Sect cultivator and the Vajra Division both failed to capture him. Rumor has it, based on various signs, he used a rare treasure to open a void portal—on the other side of which might lie Luoyuan, one of the notorious realms among the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.”

Luoyuan—often spoken of in the same breath as Avīci and Huangquan.

It was infamous for its disasters and perils among the Ten Earths.

Chen Yi had never demonstrated such abilities before.

It’s unclear whether this power only awakened as his cultivation progressed, or if he gained a rare treasure during his time overseas.

Lei Jun, cool-headed as ever, remarked, “Either way, guy sure knows how to run.”

Yuan Mobai shook his head. “The Cangzhou Ye Clan, Qingzhou Ye Clan, and Vajra Division are all now monitoring the void portal to Luoyuan in the Eastern Sea. The Imperial Court has also sent people. As for that mysterious Golden Core Sect expert who took Liu Dongzhuo, he’s vanished.”

Lei Jun fell into deep thought.

---

Meanwhile, deep beneath the ocean waves—

Light shimmered amid the heavenly winds and sea rain.

The Western White Emperor, appearing in the form of a hemp-robed priestess, revealed herself.

Light swirled around her body as if cloaked within the Grand Elixir of a Golden Core Sect Ninth Heaven Master.

But it wasn’t a real Grand Elixir.

Rather, it was her life-bound artifact, forged as a Ninth Heaven Artifact Refining Sect High True Immortal—the Huntian Elixir Robe.

This way, she avoided exposing her presence too easily.

However, to keep her identity hidden, she couldn’t go all out, and the sudden appearance of Luoyuan caught her completely off guard. As a result, while holding off Jiasheng Shangren, Chen Yi slipped away.

Still, she had gains of her own.

She captured Liu Dongzhuo.

Alone, he wouldn’t be able to locate the Taiyi Innate Tower.

But she was different.

Shang Nan and Xue Xingzi stepped forward to bow. “Empress.”

Western White Emperor: “Get ready.”

As she spoke, she raised her hand.

Another artifact appeared in mid-air.

A massive seven-foot-long sword, wider than a grown man’s palm. Its surface was engraved with countless inscriptions, with talismanic auras dancing along the blade in a cold glow—so clear it looked almost transparent.

The Empress's Taiyi Break-Gap Sword was finally complete… Shang Nan and Xue Xingzi exchanged a look, joy flickering in their eyes.

The Western White Emperor formed a hand seal in front of her, then pointed off into the distance with the other hand.

Liu Dongzhuo’s celestial soul, unable to maintain a humanoid shape, turned into a streak of light and was absorbed by the seven-foot sword.

The massive sword vibrated mid-air, then shifted its tip.

In the next moment, it flashed and vanished, seemingly tearing through the void.

The Western White Emperor drifted after it.

Shang Nan and Xue Xingzi followed closely.

The sword didn’t travel in a single instant. It jumped from one section of void to another, reappearing and hovering briefly before moving again.

Eventually, it began pointing the way toward another artifact infused with profound spatial mysteries—the Taiyi Innate Tower.

But at the same time—

Back on Mount Longhu, Lei Jun’s eyes suddenly gleamed, Celestial Ground-Through Talisman flowing within his pupils.

He went to the Ten Thousand Methods Altar, stared at his ritual instrument, and said:

“Someone else… has found the Taiyi Innate Tower.”

Xu Yuanzhen, rushing to the scene, heard him and her eyes turned icy cold. “No way Huang Xuanpu would let someone snatch that from under his nose.”

Lei Jun: “Or… maybe this is a way to lure him out—assuming he’s not in closed-door seclusion.”

If Tianshi Mansion or the Tang Imperial Family made a move on the Taiyi Innate Tower, the Old Daoist Huang might let it slide to avoid being surrounded.

But if outsiders—possibly from the Great Ming’s Mortal Daoist Nation—tried to snatch it, would he really hand over his legacy without a fight?

Tang Xiaotang, fists clenched and ready: “No more talk. Let’s go see for ourselves.”

Lei Jun: “We can’t rule out the possibility that the Mortal Daoist Nations of both the Tang and Ming have teamed up and set a trap.”

Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang turned to look at him.

Lei Jun, unfazed: “The ancestral grounds can’t be left undefended. Master and Senior Brother should stay in the mansion.”

“As for the void portal in the Eastern Sea—it’s best to notify the Imperial Court. This involves the Mortal Daoist Nation, they won’t sit idly by. As long as we coordinate properly and don’t alert the enemy, we’ll be fine.”

“As for me, I’ll go with you.”

“Just like Senior Sister said—this time, if we find Huang Xuanpu, we’re not letting him escape again.”

“If there’s a trap, we’ll smash it.”