Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 368: The South's No.1

At the moment, within the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu, Yao Yuan was undergoing the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between the Seventh and Eighth Heaven Realms. He had already been in seclusion for some time.

Similarly, Elder Liu Xiao—well-acquainted with the master-disciple pair Yuan Mobai and Lei Jun—was also facing the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between the Sixth and Seventh Heaven Realms and had likewise secluded himself for a while.

Yao Yuan’s disciple, Ke Sicheng, was once a True Disciple of the Tianshi Mansion, famous alongside Lin Shan and Li Xuan. However, several injuries in his early years delayed his cultivation.

Even so, after years of accumulation, he had gradually gained some confidence. Though he hadn't entered seclusion yet, he was already making preparations to challenge the Heavenly Chasm Tribulation between the Sixth and Seventh Heavens.

Lei Jun and Luo Haoran, of course, hoped for everyone's success in overcoming their tribulations.

Yet tribulations were something no one could help with—it all depended on the cultivator themselves.

That year’s New Year Grand Ceremony was hosted by Lei Jun.

During the ceremony, Qin Caiwei was officially appointed as an elder. Afterward, she assumed her new duties, becoming responsible for the Medicinal Garden.

With this new position, she was no longer handling everything in the garden personally. Instead, her role now leaned more toward assigning tasks and instructing other disciples within the Mansion.

Qin Caiwei didn’t reject the change. Though she still often worked the land herself, her leadership of the younger disciples was just as orderly and efficient.

Following the New Year ceremony, Lei Jun began spending more time within the Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar.

Inside the altar were preserved two fragments of the Heavenly Palace Tablet.

Under the tablet’s influence, Lei Jun felt as if he were constantly ascending, reaching an ethereal height and gazing once more over the vast starry sky.

This time, he wasn’t alone—Biluozhu and Jiuyuan Ascension Crystal were with him.

In the current environment, Lei Jun continued nurturing both artifacts.

The Biluozhu shimmered like flowing water, becoming even more graceful.

The Jiuyuan Ascension Crystal, however, seemed somewhat suppressed.

But Lei Jun wasn’t concerned.

Suppression now meant that, just like before, it would soon erupt in a flood of Yellow Springs and a dual-flourish of ascension.

At present, he handled them with extreme care, making fine adjustments to ensure everything would be flawless when the moment truly arrived.

Even though the ritual hadn’t officially begun, being in such an environment already made Lei Jun feel as though his thoughts and spirit were more lively and agile.

After some contemplation, he brought out a few items.

Celestial River Starlight Sand and Ganges Sand.

Both types were clearly granular, each tiny grain imbued with exquisite mana and a distinct Daoist essence.

Now elevated to the Heavenly Realm by the Heavenly Palace Tablet, Lei Jun was surrounded by flowing talismanic patterns and Daoist energy, making every minute detail of the countless grains before him appear even more vivid.

Lei Jun beckoned.

High in the sky, his Grand Celestial Mirror descended once more.

After nurturing it for a while, Lei Jun used the mirror’s brilliance to illuminate the many grains of sand.

A short while later, he selected one grain and drew it toward himself, beginning to refine it.

He infused it with numerous runes and talismanic essences, transforming it into something akin to a formation pattern, inscribed onto the tiny grain.

Already brimming with spiritual energy, the grain now exuded even greater vitality.

Yet Lei Jun wasn’t satisfied. He shook his head slightly.

“Still lacking some materials.” He looked between the grains and the Grand Celestial Mirror, his heart already clear on what was missing.

Lei Jun gave a wave of his hand, sending the Grand Celestial Mirror back up to the sky.

He then stored the grains away.

Winter passed, and spring arrived.

The Southern Wasteland stirred with new developments.

Thankfully, they weren’t bad news—no breaches in the Sea of Earth’s Void Gateway, nor were any great demons rampaging.

Rather, the Holy Land of the Divine Dance Lineage—the sacred Gepo Mountain—was finally welcoming a new Holy Master.

“Looks like Gepo Mountain has finally regained a bit of vitality,” Lei Jun remarked while chatting with his junior martial brother Chu Kun. Both were moved.

Having personally witnessed their own sect’s revival from rock bottom, they could truly empathize with what Gepo Mountain had endured.

Chu Kun said, “So, it’s Fellow Daoist Wen taking the position of Holy Master, huh?”

Lei Jun gave a slight nod. “After Li Tianqing, Wen Xi is the most outstanding Great Shaman of this generation in the Divine Dance Lineage. He’s already reached the Eighth Heaven Realm.”

When Lei Jun had first assumed the position of Tianshi, he had met Wen Xi—who came to offer Gepo Mountain’s congratulations, albeit not publicly.

“In terms of pure cultivation, there are elders above him, but overall, he’s the natural choice to take over Gepo Mountain,” Lei Jun added.

Chu Kun chuckled, “Back when he came to Mount Longhu to congratulate you, it was already a done deal. That was basically confirmation he’d take the reins—if not entirely, then at least mostly.”

Lei Jun replied, “Gepo Mountain still has plenty to deal with.”

Hearing this, Chu Kun’s smile faded into a more serious expression. “Enemies outside, traitors within.”

In the past, Gepo Mountain was one of the more peaceful Holy Lands in the Southern Wasteland.

But then, disaster struck one after another.

When Blood River Sect’s former sect master Wei Anchang and the Sui royal descendant, Prince Yang Yuqi, were active in the region, an elder of Gepo Mountain—Yuan Shanji—instigated internal turmoil.

Later, with Wei Anchang and Yang Yuqi defeated and gone, Yuan Shanji also vanished.

For years, Gepo Mountain had been hunting Yuan Shanji and his followers.

While Yang Yuqi and Wei Anchang had since perished, Yuan Shanji remained elusive, his existence a lingering threat.

Yet compared to another person, Yuan Shanji’s issue was like a drop in the ocean.

Li Tianqing.

His case was far more troublesome.

Looking back now, Gepo Mountain realized that Li Tianqing’s ties to the Sea of Earth and the Jiuli were likely deeper than anyone had thought.

After the chaos had settled, Gepo Mountain reevaluated past events. Regarding the void gate opening and the death of the previous Holy Master, Sang Lu, both internal and external perspectives may have misunderstood Li Tianqing.

Now that Li Tianqing had gone into hiding with the Blood River Sect under the new sect master, Xing Feng, the past was difficult to trace.

According to Chu Kun, Gepo Mountain had started downplaying the bounty on Li Tianqing in recent years.

With Wen Xi about to take charge, it signaled the beginning of a new era for Gepo Mountain.

Still, the sect had lost what could have been its most talented heir in nearly a thousand years.

“Gepo Mountain sent over an invitation. Since you’re currently said to be recovering from injuries, how about I head south instead?” Chu Kun suggested.

“I haven’t been to the Southern Wasteland much. This is a good chance to explore, maybe even get lucky and find the Earth-Rising Starstone I’ve been looking for.”

As one of the most influential forces north of the Southern Wasteland, the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu was impossible to ignore when anything stirred in the south.

So far, their relations with Gepo Mountain had been cordial.

Naturally, such a major event warranted an invitation for representatives of the Tianshi Mansion.

This was a rare gesture—even among the various Southern Wasteland traditions, it was almost unheard of for one sect to invite others to a celebration like this.

The Southern Wasteland had only recently entered a rare period of overall peace.

With a new Holy Master assuming the position, Gepo Mountain took another step forward, openly inviting guests from other lineages—even extending an invitation to the Tianshi Mansion in the north.

Though the Tang Imperial Court was not formally invited, the Tianshi Mansion had heard that private communications had indeed occurred between the two sides.

Lei Jun smiled. “If you’re willing, then I’ll leave it to you.”

“You’ve got your own great opportunity. While you’re at it, keep an eye out for something called the Thousand-Faceted Mirror Jade.”

Chu Kun replied, “Got it. I’ll keep a lookout.”

After making preparations, Elder Chu Kun, accompanied by several Talismanic Disciples, headed south to the Southern Wasteland as the official representative of the Tianshi Mansion.

As soon as they arrived at the border, elders from Gepo Mountain came to welcome them and led them to the new Holy Land.

The original site of Gepo Mountain was very close to the Sea of Earth’s void gate.

Though the portal had been sealed, Gepo Mountain chose a new location to rebuild, never returning to their ancestral land.

Now, with the void gate showing signs of unrest again, their decision seemed more justified.

Establishing new roots was no small feat.

Fortunately, the Southern Wasteland had remained relatively calm in recent years, with significantly less infighting—just the kind of environment Gepo Mountain needed.

Such stability wasn’t possible without the consistent stance of the current Tianshi and Mount Longhu, which discouraged both the Tang Court’s encroachment from the north and minimized internal bloodshed among Southern Wasteland factions.

Gepo Mountain remembered this favor well.

Though the Tianshi was recovering from his conflict with the Western Region Buddhists, Elder Chu Kun—his long-standing ally and fellow disciple—was warmly welcomed.

…

The interactions between the two sects sent a clear signal to the outside world: a deepening alliance between two major Holy Lands—one Daoist, one Shamanic.

For Gepo Mountain, this was a huge win.

Chu Kun fully understood and welcomed it.

Before his trip, he and Lei Jun had already discussed how the Divine Dance Lineage of Gepo Mountain had always been the most peaceful among Southern Wasteland factions. Their return to stability was a good thing.

The only pity was that Elder Chu didn’t have much luck this time.

Though he acquired a few new items, neither the Earth-Rising Starstone he sought nor the Thousand-Faceted Mirror Jade Lei Jun wanted had turned up. He could only sigh in resignation.

Still, he kept a calm mind—if he gained, great; if not, so be it. With no complaints, he remained a guest at Gepo Mountain, planning to explore further after the ceremony.

The soon-to-be new Holy Master, Wen Xi, was understandably busy and hadn’t shown up before the ceremony.

…

At the ruins of Gepo Mountain’s ancestral site—

Though he should’ve been preoccupied, Wen Xi appeared there alone.

He wandered the mountains, feeling the void around him begin to stir again.

In the distance, a young-looking man with a tall frame—clearly of the Southern Wasteland—was also watching the void.

Wen Xi walked over to him.

“The void gate could reopen at any moment,” said the man without turning. “Too bad even our ritual array can’t be reinforced in advance. That’s why these lingering threats persist.”

“Yeah,” Wen Xi responded quietly.

He hesitated, then said, “Senior Brother Li…”

“I won’t be attending the ceremony. But I’m here to congratulate you on taking over Gepo Mountain.”

It was Li Tianqing—once a disciple of Gepo Mountain, now a guest elder of the Blood River Sect. He smiled faintly. “Don’t expect any gifts from me—you know I’m poor and stingy.”

Wen Xi chuckled. “Oh, I know. None of us ever expected gifts from you. We all had to chip in to support you instead.”

He sighed. “I’m just glad you came.”

“My master passed early. It was the Holy Master who guided and nurtured my cultivation.”

Li Tianqing looked at the ruins—where the former Holy Master Sang Lu had perished. Her remains had since been reburied at the new site.

“She was ambushed and killed in chaos. I was lost too. I don’t blame others for their reactions. But I won’t return to Gepo Mountain.”

Wen Xi fell silent.

Li Tianqing smiled gently. “It’s good you’re taking over. If she knew, she’d be happy.”

“Oh, I recently found traces of Yuan Shanji’s whereabouts. I’ll investigate further later.”

“If you need anything, just let me know,” Wen Xi said. “He’s a traitor we must eliminate.”

Li Tianqing waved him off. “Sure. Someone’s approaching—I’ll take my leave.”

And just like that, he vanished.

Wen Xi watched him go and sighed with emotion.

…

All across the lands—

Though rumors of great demons and unstable void gates in the Southern Wasteland were spreading, nothing major had broken out.

Meanwhile, trouble truly erupted in the Northern Frontier.

The great demon Black Mountain Lord appeared.

With the fall of Longtian Azure Wolf and the Snow Kingdom Bear King, space had opened up for others like the Northern Sea Whale King and Black Mountain Lord to rise.

Black Mountain Lord, having reached the peak of the Eighth Heaven, successfully broke through to the equivalent of the Ninth Heaven among humans.

Yet he didn’t rush southward to attack the northern Tang territories.

Instead, he set his sights on the frontier.

There, the Tang Dynasty had newly established pastures and forests for taming exotic beasts.

These beasts were already restless, and the attack drove them into frenzy.

National Preceptor Tang Xiaotang was eager to strike but was beaten to the punch.

Prince Zhao of Youzhou, Zhang Teng, had the advantage of proximity and reached the frontier first, engaging Black Mountain Lord—leaving the Preceptor fuming in frustration.

Back on Mount Longhu, Lei Jun sat with his master, Yuan Mobai.

“His Highness can’t let go,” Yuan Mobai remarked.

Lei Jun nodded. “No, he can’t.”

He handed over a dispatch. “But Senior Sister needn’t feel disappointed. There are still plenty of threats out there for her to eliminate.”

Yuan Mobai read the message:

The Eastern Sea overlord, the great demon Sea King Ju, had reappeared near the coast and looked poised to make landfall.

“Chaos brews, and the nation’s fortune declines… His Majesty really is hurt—and not lightly.” The warmth usually in Yuan Mobai’s smile faded.

Lei Jun replied, “Things won’t fall apart just yet. But what happens next will be critical.”

Yuan Mobai gave a faint nod.

The world outside was in turmoil.

Meanwhile, Lei Jun remained peacefully atop the mountain.

Within the Ten Thousand Methods Altar, Biluozhu shimmered like flowing water while the Jiuyuan Ascension Crystal glowed with dual-colored radiance.

The two gradually reached perfect harmony as Lei Jun had envisioned, intertwining and merging into one.