Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 335: The Head of the Tang Dynasty Dao Sect

Prince Zhao, Zhang Teng, stared fixedly at the Abyss of Luo, eyes unmoving, silent.

Whatever thoughts swirled in his mind, only he knew.

Not only was Ye Yan watching him, but so was Princess Grandmaster of Shanyang, Zhang Ying.

Zhang Ying’s gaze swept not just across Zhang Teng, but also over to Ye Yan, head of the Ye Clan of Qingzhou.

The other man naturally had ties to Crown Prince Zhang Hui.

...Which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

A double-edged sword wasn’t all threat.

The world shifted in unpredictable ways—often beyond anyone’s expectations.

For the Zhang-Tang imperial family, how to keep the empire stable increasingly tested whoever held the reins.

Earth-Sea, Heavenly Principle, Yellow Springs, the present Abyss of Luo, and those so-called Solitary Eagle Khanate, Great Ming Dynasty, and more...

Threats outside of Tang were numerous.

And within Tang’s own borders, things weren’t exactly peaceful either. One might say it was a time of both internal strife and external threats.

The entrenched Confucian noble clans, along with rebels like the White Lotus Sect, Great Sky Temple, and the Southern Wastes Shaman Sect, barely needed mentioning.

But within just the past few decades, two great powers had risen right inside Tang territory.

The Tianshi Mansion, now boasted two Ninth Heaven Realm experts.

They had even managed to defeat Huang Xuanpu, who had reached Five Qi Toward the Origin—the peak of the Ninth Heaven Realm.

And after Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Tianxia, came the meteoric rise of Lei Jun.

Such a powerful Talisman Sect legacy had never existed since the founding of the Tang Dynasty.

Even Zhang Ying herself had to admit—deep down, she was unsettled.

Unless something catastrophic happened, it was inevitable that Lei Jun would also soon reach the level of a Great Ascension Daoist in the Ninth Heaven Realm.

That reality tugged at the core sense of safety for everyone in the imperial clan.

Three Great Ascension cultivators in one sect, entrenched in South of the Great River.

When that day came—would the southern realm of Tang still truly belong to the Zhang family?

Even if the Tianshi Mansion remained scrupulously within bounds, their influence would grow regardless—unless they just stopped advancing altogether.

One simple but telling question:

When the common folk of the south face trouble, will they think to report it to the imperial magistrate—or seek protection from Mount Longhu, home to a sect with three Great Ascension cultivators?

The fate of an empire, its mountains and dragon veins, does not just rest on geography—it rests on people’s hearts.

And that impact is straightforward and profound.

The Tianshi Mansion undeniably held great Heavenly Mandate.

But how great, and how far would it go?

Zhang Ying could still remain composed right now, largely because of the Tianshi Mansion’s repeated, ruthless battles against the Mortal Dao Kingdom.

And signs indicated that Tang wasn’t the only one facing infiltration from such a kingdom—Great Ming, too, likely harbored one.

Then there was the Western Region.

Right now, Zhang Ying was working to placate Master Jiasheng of the Sumeru Vajra Division.

Though her voice was warm and her words sincere, she, the Grand Princess, was well aware—Sumeru Vajra Division was no docile ally.

While they consistently showed loyalty and humility before Tang, Zhang Ying had always held suspicions about the enigmatic Sumeru.

Empress Zhang Wantong was hard to read.

But Zhang Ying believed that even the Empress sought to keep a measured distance from the Sumeru Vajra Division.

Thinking of Her Majesty, Zhang Ying’s emotions grew even more tangled.

Since the Empress took the throne, most of the rising stars had come from commoner backgrounds.

Meanwhile, the old imperial pillars—like the Zhang royal clan and the Shangguan family—had been steadily losing ground.

Maybe it was just temporary political maneuvering—but if it continued too long, the loss might become irreversible…

As she continued conversing with Master Jiasheng, Zhang Ying’s gaze again swept across Zhang Teng and Ye Yan.

Zhang Teng’s focus never wavered from the Abyss of Luo, seemingly concerned only with sealing the spatial rift. The rest of the world might as well not exist.

…

To Zhang Teng, the outside world felt distant.

But in the imperial capital, Luoyang, news had just arrived from the South Sea, sent by Shangguan Yunbo and Prince Huayang, Zhang Rui—and it was causing a stir.

Though the Mortal Dao Kingdom hadn’t created major public upheaval, it was always a heavy weight on the minds of the imperial court and upper cultivation circles.

Even after the deaths of Feng Yi, Zhou Peng, Wang Dongchu, Rong Guangchen, Yu Qiyue, and Fu Dongsen, no one dared to underestimate it.

All because its leader, Huang Xuanpu, was a formidable Daoist of at least the Ninth Heaven – Fourth Layer, long hailed as the number one figure in Tang Daoism.

Recently, rumors had even suggested he’d closed-door cultivated to break through—reaching the peak Five Qi Toward the Origin.

Going from the fourth to fifth layer of the Ninth Heaven wasn’t like jumping from one to two, or two to three—it was a major leap.

Even if everyone else in the Mortal Dao Kingdom died, as long as Huang Xuanpu remained, he alone would still be an overwhelming threat.

But now—he was dead.

That boulder pressing on everyone’s chest had finally fallen.

At the residence of Shangguan Qing, court minister and mentor to the Imperial Secretariat, the minister was receiving Lu Zhen, a top general of the Divine Strategy Army:

“You’ve read the full battle report, haven’t you?” Shangguan Qing asked.

“I have,” Lu Zhen replied.

“From another world, another Mortal Dao Kingdom… another so-called Emperor. If not Five Qi, then at least Fourth Layer Great Ascension in the Artifact Crafting Path.”

Shangguan Qing listed calmly, “Then there’s Huang Xuanpu himself—and that monstrous Northern Sea White Whale, whose strength now rivals that of a Ninth Heaven human cultivator…”

Lu Zhen gave a small nod. “Even if that Artifact Master wasn’t truly an ally of Huang Xuanpu, he still held off Master Tang of the Tianshi Mansion, while the White Whale clearly aided Huang Xuanpu.

Logically, no matter the result, Huang Xuanpu should’ve had a way to escape. Even if we failed to slay him, cutting off his support would’ve been victory enough.

But who would’ve thought? Not only was he defeated—he was slain outright, despite having reached the Ninth Heaven Peak.”

He let out a soft sigh. “I think I’m finally starting to understand why, back during the battle at Mount Longhu, Butterfly King Qianye, Rong Guangchen, and Yu Qiyue all fell so fast…”

Shangguan Qing nodded. “Elder Xu of the Tianshi Mansion must be regarded as a full Great Ascension cultivator at Five Qi Toward the Origin.

Master Tang is no ordinary Ninth Heaven junior, either.

As for Daoist Master Lei—Xuanxiaozi—regardless of his role in that previous battle, now that he has formed his God Court Projection, his combat power might also be worthy of being considered a Great Ascension cultivator.”

Lu Zhen fell quiet for a moment, then asked, “This Elder Lei… didn’t he start cultivating pretty late in life?”

Shangguan Qing nodded. “Yes. He only began at eighteen, brought into Mount Longhu by Elder Xu. He officially became a Tianshi Mansion disciple at age twenty.”

He saw Lu Zhen’s thoughtful expression and added, “From his entry into the Daoist Acolyte Hall, it’s been about forty-two years of cultivation to now. That’s not too far behind Master Tang—and in recent years, his progress has only accelerated.”

Lu Zhen nodded again. “Master Tang and Elder Xu both took around twelve years to advance from Seventh to Eighth Heaven. Elder Lei? Just over ten years. He was even faster!”

A complex look crossed Lu Zhen’s face. “He must’ve had a profound fated encounter, improving both his spiritual root and natural comprehension. Maybe he was ordinary before—but now, I suspect he has the same Celestial Physique and Pure Insight as Master Tang.”

Shangguan Qing said nothing—but agreed in silence.

What occupied his thoughts now was his own clan—the Shangguan family.

Their previous bright star, Shangguan Peng, had tragically perished in the Southern Wastes War over twenty years ago.

Of the newer generation, Shangguan Xiu had reached the Seventh Heaven, while Shangguan Zhengqing was in the Sixth, now attempting the Seventh.

Meanwhile, Shangguan Xiu had already begun pushing toward the Eighth Heaven...

If Shangguan Peng were still around, he would probably have reached the Eighth Heaven by now.

But whether it was Shangguan Peng or Shangguan Xiu, neither could compare to Lei Jun of the Tianshi Mansion.

In this era, the Tianshi Mansion has truly seized the Mandate of Heaven... Shangguan Qing sighed inwardly.

————————————

“The Tianshi Mansion has seized the Mandate of Heaven!”

At the same time, within the Pure Yang Palace on Mount Zhongnan, a middle-aged Daoist echoed that sentiment.

He was Wang Xuan, a senior High Priest Elder of the Pure Yang Palace.

Facing him was the palace’s most senior and highly cultivated elder—Lü Jinduan.

At the moment, however, the old Daoist appeared a little dazed.

Senior Brother Huang… Huang Xuanpu was truly dead, his Dao perished.

Even though the man had left the Pure Yang Palace nearly a decade ago, hearing of his death now still felt surreal to Lü Jinduan.

Wang Xuan understood how his Martial Uncle felt.

He himself had only calmed down quicker because of the years he spent imprisoned during the disaster brought by the Mortal Daoist Nation.

Even so, when he first heard of Huang Xuanpu’s death, he too was stunned for quite a while.

After a pause, Lü Jinduan came back to his senses and asked, “So it was Daoist Friend Xuanxiaozi from the Tianshi Mansion who ultimately killed him?”

Wang Xuan nodded. “It’s said that although he escaped from Fellow Daoist Xu’s Liheng Halberd, and even used some ancient talismans from the Talisman Branch to briefly block her pursuit, his location was fully exposed. Fellow Daoist Xu could track him.”

“He fled all the way to western Sichuan. Turns out the Huangtian Sect’s new altar was hidden there among the snow mountains. Lei Daoist, following the direction given by Fellow Daoist Xu, pursued him to Sichuan and finally destroyed his Nascent Soul Yang Spirit completely.”

The Pure Yang Palace was currently short on manpower.

Among the core leadership, Jiang Yu was in death seclusion, while Yue Xiling had departed south with the army to Bashu to battle the Li Shushan cultivators.

With the palace needing someone to hold the fort, both Wang Xuan and Lü Jinduan had stayed behind.

They hadn’t been involved in the recent overseas battle.

They learned of this news from the Tang imperial court.

After hearing Wang Xuan’s explanation, Lü Jinduan fell silent once more.

It was a long time before he spoke again. “The changes of the world are truly hard to predict.”

Wang Xuan replied calmly, “At least for now, the Daoist world of the Great Tang will be led by the Tianshi Mansion atop Mount Longhu.”

Lü Jinduan remained silent, then slowly nodded.

Fifty years ago, who could have foreseen things turning out this way?

Back then, the Tianshi Mansion had been mired in civil strife and at its lowest point.

Meanwhile, the Pure Yang Palace was hailed as the foremost sacred land of Daoism.

Among the three major Daoist sects of the Great Tang—the Talisman-using Tianshi Mansion, the Artifact-refining Shushan Sect, and the Alchemy-based Pure Yang Palace—even if no one said it outright, it was tacitly accepted within and beyond the Daoist world that the Pure Yang Palace was the true leader.

Now, both Shushan and Pure Yang had suffered devastating blows—worse than the past turmoil that once plagued the Tianshi Mansion.

Yet, the Tianshi Mansion appeared to be rising from its nadir.

If Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang were still seen as unstable factors despite their immense strength, then the newly ascendant Xuanxiaozi—Lei Jun—showed signs of taking over Tang Xiaotang’s mantle, dispelling any final doubts people might have had.

As if destined by fate, the transfer of power had become clear.

The once undisputed number one of the Daoist world, Huang Xuanpu, didn’t fall to Xu Yuanzhen’s halberd, but was instead destroyed by Lei Jun.

It felt symbolic—like a passing of the torch.

And along with that fall came the destruction of the Huangtian Sect’s new altar in Sichuan.

There might still be a few holdouts within the sect, but neither Lü Jinduan nor Wang Xuan held out much hope for them.

The heart of Huangtian Sect was bound to scatter.

The only question now was how the Tianshi Mansion would handle things.

Whether this branch of the Talisman Sect that split from the Tianshi Mansion would be reabsorbed—or completely wiped out.

Either way, this chapter in the human realm of the Great Tang was drawing to a close.

Under these circumstances, the newly revitalized Tianshi Mansion seemed poised to represent the Talisman Sect as the new leader of Daoism in this world.

“We just need to focus on doing our part well,” Lü Jinduan exhaled a long breath and said, “Our sect may yet have a chance at rebirth.”

Wang Xuan nodded. “You’re right, Martial Uncle.”

He gazed out the window, eyes looking southeast—toward Mount Longhu. “Lei Daoist may be aloof by nature, but he’s easy enough to deal with. With him leading the Tianshi Mansion, there’s nothing for us to worry about.”

Lü Jinduan nodded. “Yes… very true.”

He paused for a moment, then said, “As for the Shushan Sect, they probably won’t object to any of this. In fact, at present, the only possible variable might be…”

Wang Xuan: “Elder Chen from Shushan?”

Lü Jinduan nodded gently. “He has an old grudge involving the Huangtian Sect and the former Tianshi Mansion.”

Wang Xuan held a favorable view of Chen Donglou.

Back when he was imprisoned by Rong Guangchen, it was Chen who had helped him escape.

But Chen’s infamous temperament—both from stories and firsthand experience—meant that if he really wanted to go against the Tianshi Mansion, he wouldn’t back down just because of their power.

Besides, when Chen Donglou returned to the world, the Tianshi Mansion hadn’t yet regained its strength.

After a moment of thought, Wang Xuan said, “It’s been years since Elder Chen returned to the world, but he never clashed with the Tianshi Mansion over the Huangtian Sect. I believe there are two reasons.”

“First, he only helped the Huangtian Sect back then because of a personal relationship with Daoist Taiping. And Daoist Taiping died because of… Huang Xuanpu and Feng Yi.”

“Second, the Li Clan of Xinzou is already history. Elder Chen never had a personal grudge with the Tianshi Mansion.”

Lü Jinduan nodded. “That’s what I think too. Though the Mortal Daoist Nation has finally fallen, the Great Tang still faces many internal and external crises. I truly hope our Daoist sects can unite to face what’s coming.”

Wang Xuan: “I wholeheartedly agree, Martial Uncle.”

Lü Jinduan: “Is Daoist Xuanxiaozi still in western Sichuan? I heard that Celestial Master Tang also went to Bashu?”

Wang Xuan: “Yes.”

Lü Jinduan: “Send word to Nephew Yue—ask him to cooperate more with Celestial Master Tang and Daoist Lei.”

Wang Xuan: “Understood.”

————————————

In the desolate southern wilds.

In a remote and uninhabited mountain range, there was another world hidden deep beneath the mountains.

Underground rivers flowed—like blood.

These many bloodstreams all converged into a vast sea of blood.

Boundless, seemingly without end.

This was a secret paradise of the Blood River Sect.

A tall young man dressed in traditional southern garb walked across the blood sea.

Unlike the pale and sinister aura exuded by the other Blood River disciples around, this man stood out.

As he walked through the dark world beneath the earth, it was as if a sun had appeared in the gloom.

And yet, this “sun” didn’t clash with the dark, murderous blood sea. It blended perfectly with its surroundings.

In fact, wherever he went in nature, he gave off that same harmonious presence.

The Blood River cultivators he passed by didn’t seem surprised by his presence.

When he approached, they all paused and bowed respectfully.

Even if they ignored everything else, they would never be disrespectful toward this man.

Because he was one of the few top experts in all of the southern wilds of the Great Tang.

An Eighth Heaven Grand Shaman, formerly of the Shaman Dance Lineage of the sacred mountain Gebo.

It was widely acknowledged that his cultivation had at least equaled the former Gebo Mountain Lord, Sang Lu.

Some even believed he had already surpassed her.

Everyone here showed basic respect for this Grand Shaman.

If not for the man himself, then at least for his power.

And beyond that, even though he wasn’t from the Blood River lineage, his status and importance within the sect were undeniable.

This young man was Li Tianqing.

He returned each greeting calmly.

Soon, he arrived at the very center of the blood sea.

The sea parted for him.

He stepped inside.

At the very heart of the sea, a shirtless young man stood with his eyes closed.

His aura was calm, not like the others of the Blood River Sect.

But red light occasionally shimmered on his skin—dense and pure.

He was tall and muscular, even half a head taller than the already tall Li Tianqing.

His presence seemed to hold a strange contradiction: immense explosive strength, yet quiet and serene.

“Xing Feng,” Li Tianqing called out.

The tall man was Xing Feng, the current leader of the Blood River Sect.

He had always been at odds with the previous leader, Wei Ancheng—the two had clashed often.

Wei Ancheng’s cultivation was higher, but Xing Feng’s talent and strength were unmatched among his peers, making him difficult to suppress.

After Li Tianqing left Gebo Mountain, Xing Feng had helped and sheltered him. The two had become close allies, much to Wei Ancheng’s frustration.

Four years ago, after Wei Ancheng died in the Earth Sea, Xing Feng officially became the new Blood River Sect leader.

Li Tianqing stayed as well.

The Blood River Sect was already a public enemy of the Tang Empire and the southern wilds. With so many enemies, no one cared about one more “stray.”

Xing Feng, unlike his predecessor or most of the sect, had a different approach. These last few years, the Blood River Sect had been lying low—no longer causing chaos everywhere. It was a quiet kind of recovery.

“You’re back?”

Xing Feng opened his eyes, relaxing as he sat down right there in the blood sea. He gestured for Li Tianqing to join him.

Li Tianqing sat down as well, not stained by a drop of blood.

“Yeah, it went fairly smoothly. Got a lot of information. How’s your artifact forging coming along?”

Xing Feng: “Still a long way to go.”

The destruction of the Blood Sea Diagram was a huge blow to the Blood River Sect.

As the new sect leader, Xing Feng had taken on the task of recreating or replacing the artifact.

But that was easier said than done.

If it were simple, the sect wouldn’t have had only one Blood Sea Diagram all these years.

And the Blood River lineage, among the Five Shaman Traditions, wasn’t particularly skilled at crafting artifacts.

Fortunately, with Li Tianqing from the Shaman Dance lineage helping through divine rituals, they had made some progress.

Still, it was a long road ahead.

“Let’s work on it together later,” Li Tianqing said.

Xing Feng: “How’s the situation with Luo Yuan’s gate up north?”

Li Tianqing: “The Tang imperial court is taking it seriously. At least three Ninth-Heaven cultivators rushed there immediately to seal the void gate connecting the human realm to Luo Yuan.”

Xing Feng nodded. “Good. While the big demons in Luo Yuan are busy fighting the Jiuli tribes in the Earth Sea, it’s best to seal it off early and be done with it.”

Li Tianqing: “The four strongest Jiuli tribes—Tanli, Wuli, Guangli, and Fuli—are still battling the Luo Yuan demons?”

Xing Feng: “It’s getting worse.”

The Jiuli weren’t a unified people.

The four dominant tribes had been suppressing the others—Boli and Bili had almost no place left.

But years ago, the Earth Sea and Luo Yuan accidentally connected.

Luo Yuan was a land of disaster, more savage than the Earth Sea, filled with terrifying monsters.

Now the four great tribes were locked in fierce war with those monsters.

That gave Boli and Bili a chance to catch their breath.

And when the Earth Sea accidentally connected to the human realm, the two weaker tribes seized the opportunity to expand.

Meanwhile, during a past Earth Sea conflict, Shen Qubing of the Great Tang had accidentally come into contact with the Wuli tribe.

Though many Wuli warriors were fighting the Luo Yuan beasts, they still managed to send a surprise force to strike a heavy blow against Boli and Bili.

“The guy who opened the gate to Luo Yuan… his name was Chen Yi, right?” Xing Feng asked. “What happened to him?”

Li Tianqing: “He went into Luo Yuan. No one knows where he is now. Might’ve ended up in a demon’s belly.”

Xing Feng: “Then it’s up to his skill and luck.”

Li Tianqing: “You planning to go in again?”

Xing Feng said, “Not going for now. I plan to go into seclusion for a while later.”

Li Tianqing smiled when he heard that. “Who knows, maybe I’ll be the one to go into seclusion first.”

After laughing, he continued, “There’ve been two major incidents in the mortal realm lately.”

He proceeded to relay the news he’d heard about the reappearance of Huangquan and the fall of the Mortal Daoist Nation.

For the first time, Xing Feng showed genuine surprise on his face. “You just said… who killed Huang Xuanpu?”

“Tianshi Mansion’s Xuanxiaozi—Lei Jun.”

Li Tianqing added, “When I first heard it, I had the same look as you.”

Xing Feng’s expression shifted from surprise to admiration as he shifted into a more relaxed sitting posture. “So Huang Xuanpu really achieved Five Energies Converging to the Origin?”

Li Tianqing nodded. “Yes, he did. But first, Xu Yuanzhen shattered his Five-Energies body and his physical Golden Core. Then Lei Chongyun completely destroyed his Nascent Soul Yang Spirit.”

Xing Feng rubbed his palm. “Impressive cultivation, and even more impressive skill! If Huang Xuanpu had truly reached that level, even injured, he was still at the foundation of the Ninth Heaven. For a Daoist from Tianshi Mansion at the Eighth Heaven to kill him head-on... that kind of strength is really beyond expectations.”

Then, Xing Feng paused suddenly, shook his head, and laughed.

“No, actually, maybe it’s not so surprising. Didn’t he previously go toe-to-toe with both a Nine Li expert and Wei Anchang back in the Earth Sea?”

Li Tianqing replied, “He did. But back then, he had the Tianshi Sword and Tianshi Seal with him and was guarding Tianshi Tang Xiaotang.”

“This time, he didn’t carry any of the Three Treasures of the Tianshi. He relied solely on himself, having advanced to the Third Tier of the Eighth Heaven. With the Talismanic Branch’s Divine Court Manifestation and the Dragon-Tiger Combined Strike from the true legacy of Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion, he slew Huang Xuanpu’s Nascent Soul Yang Spirit.”

Xing Feng said admiringly, “What a performance. I respect that. If we didn’t have peace between us, I’d really like to test him myself.”

Then he seemed to recall something and asked, “Lei Jun—he’s been to the Southern Wasteland, right? Have you two ever met face to face?”

Li Tianqing replied, “I’ve heard of him for a long time, but we’ve never met.”

A look of reflection appeared on his face. “Earliest was during that battle at Sleeping Dragon Lake with Wei Anchang and Zong Han. That was more than twenty years ago. Lei Chongyun came to the Southern Wasteland back then too, but he was only at the Middle Three Heavens and just accompanied his master, Daoist Yuan Mobai.”

“Later... maybe during the initial appearance of the Nine Li, when everything in the Southern Wasteland was in chaos. He came again, but I was in Gepo Mountain at the time. So we still never crossed paths.”

Xing Feng changed the topic with a chuckle, “Back in those days, you never imagined he’d catch up this fast, right?”

“Never,” Li Tianqing admitted openly. “Back then, I—along with many others—completely misjudged him.”

Xing Feng commented, “Looks like the Tianshi Mansion is really about to welcome a new Tianshi.”

…………………

Western Regions.

Vajra Monastery.

“Has Master Zongcuo left?”

The Division Head of the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru looked out toward the distance, a compassionate expression on his face.

Beside him, Abbot Suo Yang of Vajra Monastery placed his palms together. “Just received confirmation…”

The Vajra Division Head said, “Tell me everything in detail.”

Suo Yang immediately relayed all the information they had received so far.

The always-calm Vajra Division Head finally showed a trace of surprise when he heard of Huang Xuanpu’s death.

Once Suo Yang finished, he asked,

“Tianshi Tang is currently in Bashu. That Lay Practitioner Lei is in Western Sichuan. As for Lay Practitioner Xu—no trace of her?”

Suo Yang replied, “As for Lay Practitioner Xu, all we know is that she’s still overseas. She hasn’t returned to the Tang Dynasty.”

The Vajra Division Head nodded slightly and said, “Please submit a memorial on my behalf to His Majesty, the Tang Emperor, requesting permission for an audience in the capital at a later time.”

“For now, I will head to Bashu to assist the court in quelling the demonic threats of Inner Shushan.”

Suo Yang was briefly stunned, then understood.

Even with interference from the Western White Emperor and the Northern Sea Whale King, the fact that Huang Xuanpu still died in this campaign to eliminate the Mortal Daoist Nation—or rather, to eliminate Huang Xuanpu—was indeed unexpected.

A peak Ninth Heaven Daoist, a Grandmaster of the Daoist Alchemical Sect who had refined all his life’s cultivation into himself and achieved Five Energies Converging to the Origin—there was no such thing as a “fake” at that level.

And yet, Huang Xuanpu still fell.

There was only one possible explanation:

His opponent was far stronger than anyone had estimated.

With Huang Xuanpu’s death, the Mortal Daoist Nation of the Tang Dynasty was effectively declared dead. This had massive implications for the Daoist world of the Tang, especially for the imperial family and the Daoist cultivators.

With the situation shifting so dramatically, as a Buddhist leader of the Western Regions, the Vajra Division Head had to respond.

One step behind—and everything could be lost.

The middle-aged monk smiled serenely.

“I’ll travel through Western Sichuan, and head for Bashu.”

…………………

Western Sichuan.

Amid the snowy mountains, Lei Jun and Elder Miaokong of Tianlong Monastery stood beside the ruined Huangtian Ancestral Altar.

Upon receiving the news, the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu had immediately dispatched aid to assist Lei Jun with cleanup.

The ones who arrived were two Seventh Heaven Presiding Elders.

One was Chu Kun, a fellow disciple from Lei Jun’s own branch.

The other—Shangguan Ning, their Martial Uncle.

After exchanging a few words, Lei Jun subtly glanced at Elder Miaokong.

Regarding the deaths of Master Zongcuo, Shang Nan, and Xue Xingzi, the official explanation that Tianlong Monastery had submitted to the imperial court seemed... carefully crafted.

To put it bluntly—it didn’t quite match what Elder Miaokong had truly witnessed.

“Senior Brother, this time you’re going down in history,” Chu Kun said with admiration.

Back when the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King died at Mount Longhu, it was a chaotic three-on-three battle.

But this time, Lei Jun had single-handedly taken down Huang Xuanpu.

That kind of achievement more than deserved the words immortal fame.

Especially since Huang Xuanpu was a peak Ninth Heaven cultivator—far beyond the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King.

“Most of the credit goes to Senior Sister. I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.”

Lei Jun turned toward Elder Miaokong. “Not to mention, we had the master here holding the line. That forced our opponent to always keep an escape plan in mind, never fully committing to a final battle. If not for that, I might not have succeeded either.”

He was being honest.

Even back when Huang Xuanpu fought Xu Yuanzhen overseas, the same pattern emerged.

Huang Xuanpu was always on guard, worried that more experts might show up to surround and finish him off.

No matter how calm or experienced he was, the strategic pressure shaped his every move.

And that, in turn, limited his options.

“Elder Lei, you're too humble. This monk dares not accept such praise,” Elder Miaokong replied, pressing his palms together.

Shangguan Ning looked at Lei Jun with a deep sense of appreciation.

From her perspective as a senior elder of the Tianshi Mansion, and as a senior member of the sect, she could find no fault in him.

He was usually low-key, calm, a solid foundation of the sect.

But when needed, he exploded into action—an earth-shaking strike, turning from a foundation stone into the pillar holding up their lineage.

And… she had to admit—his luck was almost too good to be true.

In this mission to hunt down Huang Xuanpu, they’d even managed to destroy the Huangtian Sect’s new Ancestral Altar.

“Senior Brother, we heard some rumors on the way here,” Chu Kun said. “With the Huangtian Ancestral Altar broken, many of their hidden followers are panicking, and local authorities have begun sweeping arrests… What’s our plan for dealing with them?”

Lei Jun turned to Shangguan Ning. “What do Master and Martial Uncle think?”

Shangguan Ning replied, “Junior Brother Yuan said the decision rests with the Sect Leader and you, Nephew Lei. I have no objections.”

Lei Jun had already consulted Tang Xiaotang earlier. She was currently heading south of Bashu and had given him full authority on this matter.

Lei Jun said, “Then with your permission, Martial Uncle, I’ll speak plainly. Just like with the Li Family Clan, Huangtian Sect followers must be evaluated case by case—not all treated the same.”

Shangguan Ning smiled. “Very well. I’ll coordinate with the court.”

“Thank you, Martial Uncle.”

Lei Jun then turned to Chu Kun. “Clean up what’s left of this altar. Look for any clues—we’ll track down their hidden branches from there.”

Chu Kun nodded. “Yes, Senior Brother.”

He immediately began work with fellow Tianshi cultivators like Ke Sicheng and Fang Jian.

The previous Huangtian altar overseas had self-destructed due to possession by Taoist Taiping, leaving no clues behind.

But Lei Jun had intentionally preserved this one in Western Sichuan.

With talismans and jade tokens left behind, tracking down the scattered sub-altars and disciples would be much easier.

During the crackdown, some Huangtian disciples even surrendered voluntarily.

Just as Kang Ming and Chen Ziyang had predicted.

Even without capturing Han Wuyou, the destruction of the altar had severely shaken the sect’s unity.

Still, things had only just happened—most of the Huangtian followers were still in chaos.

But some were already rallying their fellow disciples, proactively surrendering before Tianshi Mansion even reached them.

“No one at the level of Yu Shao, Kang Ming, Chen Ziyang, or Han Wuyou,” Chu Kun noted.

Voluntary surrender did save the Tianshi some trouble—

But whether they’d be pardoned? That was another matter.

Even surrender depended on status and influence.

“Be careful during screening,” Lei Jun instructed. “Especially new recruits—many were deceived or didn’t know what they were getting into.”

“Don’t treat them too harshly. If given the choice, many of them might prefer joining our orthodox Mount Longhu instead.”

Chu Kun nodded. “I’ll compile a list. You can review it when you have time.”

Since it was just the two of them, Lei Jun added frankly, “I’m currently presenting myself as injured. I’ll head back to the mountain to rest. After that, I’ll sneak off to the Bashu Basin to see if I can assist Little Senior Sister. I’ll bring these folks back to the mountain along the way.”

Chu Kun assured him, “Don’t worry, Senior Brother. I’ll handle things here with Martial Uncle Shangguan.”

Lei Jun nodded, then took his leave from Elder Miaokong and Shangguan Ning, leading a group of Huangtian followers back to the ancestral grounds of Mount Longhu.

Later.

The high monk from the Vajra Division arrived in Western Sichuan with great interest—

Only to learn that Elder Lei had already returned to Mount Longhu.