Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 376: Understand the nature and see all mysteries

Earth Surges, Heaven Stars.

Lei Jun looked at the Taiji Diagram, nodded in satisfaction, and put it away.

With this, the opportunity for Junior Brother Chu Kun to enhance his bone structure was firmly established.

Sun Li didn’t question what Lei Jun and Chu Kun were using this treasure for.

He simply stayed by Lei Jun’s side, silently refining the Morning Sun Sacred Wood he had buried in the ground.

Under Lei Jun’s gaze, the massive log settled into the dark soil, and its glow gradually dimmed. Its surface turned pitch black—

But instead of resembling scorched charcoal, it looked more like concentrated ink.

Its spiritual essence didn’t fade but shifted quietly within, changing in subtle ways.

But then, the void within the Earth Sea suddenly surged, and the flow of spiritual energy changed violently.

A mysterious power began resisting the various ritual instruments Lei Jun had set up.

“A Great Shaman of the Divine Dance Lineage… and already at the Ninth Heaven Spirit Descent Realm.” Lei Jun immediately pinpointed the source of the disruption.

There was no unusual activity from Senior Sister Tang Xiaotang.

With her holding the line, even if Li Zhongding—Chief of the Wenli Clan and the strongest of the Jiuli at this time—wasn’t actively interfering,

he wouldn’t have the bandwidth to focus on Lei Jun’s side either.

Among the Jiuli people of the Earth Sea, besides Li Zhongding of the Wenli Clan, the other Ninth Heaven Great Shaman of the Divine Dance Lineage was the new clan leader of the Luli Clan: Li Jin.

Though her minor realm was beneath Li Zhongding’s, she had recently broken through to the Ninth Heaven of the Witch Sect.

Her setup of a ghostly sacrificial array was enough to cause local upheaval in the Earth Sea.

According to Lei Jun’s earlier intel, Li Jin, one of the top fighters of the Five-Clan Allied Army, was supposed to be engaged with Li Xun, chief of the Fuli Clan from the opposing alliance.

Li Xun had seniority over her.

But like Tanli’s chief Li Yuanheng, he had sustained injuries while fighting the great demon of Luoyuan, having been attacked on multiple fronts.

As such, Li Jin held the upper hand and could even spare attention to deal with disruptions caused by Lei Jun’s rituals from the Tang Mortal Realm.

But the first one who wouldn’t allow her to meddle would be—Sun Li.

Sun Li was at a critical point in refining the sacred wood.

He stood his ground, suddenly performing a sequence of steps—akin to a sacrificial dance—pacing along four directions.

The Four Polar Pillars, which only appeared at the peak of an Eighth Heaven Shaman of the Cursing Lineage, emerged again, rising to connect earth and sky.

However, Sun Li halted mid-dance.

As if waiting for something.

Moments later, the power of the sacrificial array surging through the Earth Sea faltered slightly.

“Hmm…”

Both Lei Jun and Sun Li exchanged glances and nodded.

Li Jin may have had the edge over Li Xun, but she wasn’t untouchable.

Not to mention, the battlefield near the Tanli Clan’s ancestral land had other top fighters besides Li Xun.

Her attempt to suppress Lei Jun’s ritual from afar would naturally face resistance.

Still, once she’d laid the groundwork, another Divine Dance Shaman of the Eighth Heaven could take her place.

Sure enough, after a brief pause, the sacrificial power resumed—but it was clearly weaker than before.

And in that moment, Sun Li’s Four Polar Pillars settled again.

He resumed walking among them, chanting softly.

At the end of his recitation, he knelt between the pillars—

And in that instant, Lei Jun saw flames erupt around Sun Li.

Blazing briefly, then vanishing in a flash.

A thread of black smoke drifted upward,

faint but sharply visible even in the dark, mist-choked Earth Sea.

Like the flames before it, the black smoke vanished quickly.

As if nothing had ever happened.

“Thousand-Mile Descent. Lives up to the name.” Lei Jun nodded repeatedly.

Among the Five Lineages of the Witch Sect, the Cursing Lineage was the most elusive—real and illusory interwoven.

Its rituals could span great distances, often rivaling Daoist flying swords or Confucian divine archery,

though they required far more complex preconditions.

If successful, Sun Li’s Thousand-Mile Descent could curse an enemy from vast distances.

In this case, he used the resonance between Lei Jun’s rituals and the enemy’s array to deliver the curse.

Strictly speaking, this attempt had been rushed. It shouldn’t have been lethal to another Eighth Heaven Great Shaman.

But even just landing the blow would be enough to destabilize the sacrificial array.

“You flatter me, Tianshi,” Sun Li said as his Four Polar Pillars faded away.

Indeed, the opposing sacrificial array was broken again.

Lei Jun’s ritual resumed its stable flow.

“Your mastery of cursing techniques is exquisite,” Lei Jun praised.

If the earlier Cycle Descent that scared off Li Bin showed Sun Li’s talent and luck in grasping one of the Witch Sect’s most powerful curses,

this seamless Thousand-Mile Descent—start, pause, and then resume—revealed the finesse of his control.

Even without Cycle Descent, his skills alone placed him far above his peers.

Also… his sense of timing was wickedly sharp.

“If anyone’s ahead of the curve, it’s you, Tianshi,” Sun Li replied with a grin.

“There’s no set order in learning—those who reach first are the teachers. I’d wager you’ll break through to Ninth Heaven before me.”

“You’re being too humble, senior.”

Sun Li chuckled. “Even Mobai calls you ‘Sect Master’ when we talk.”

“That’s exactly what leaves me at a loss,” Lei Jun replied.

After a brief exchange, Sun Li’s gaze turned to the distance. “That should be the Qiongqi Abyss—one of the Seven Hanging Abysses.”

That was where the opposing sacrificial force had come from.

“I haven’t dealt with Li Jin of the Luli Clan much,” Sun Li rubbed the stubble on his chin.

“But that Eighth Heaven Divine Dance successor who took over after her… feels oddly familiar?”

Lei Jun felt the same.

The one who succeeded Li Jin didn’t seem like a Jiuli Great Shaman.

More like someone from their own side—specifically from the Song Mother Mountain Lineage of the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect.

With Lei Jun’s insight, few things could escape him now.

Reflecting on the spells and subtle cues, the figure in his mind grew clearer—

“Yuan Shanji, that bastard?” Sun Li narrowed his eyes at the horizon.

Lei Jun gave a subtle nod.

He had only encountered Yuan Shanji once before, during his early days in the Southern Wasteland,

when Yuan had clashed with Sang Lu and Li Tianqing.

But the methods just displayed matched that memory perfectly.

Sun Li might not have Lei Jun’s perception,

but he was more familiar with Yuan Shanji.

Back then, when Lei Jun first observed Yuan Shanji in battle, Yuan had been backstabbed by supposed allies.

…The one who stabbed him? Now stood beside Lei Jun.

“We’d already heard Yuan Shanji entered the Earth Sea,” Lei Jun said.

“Looks like he really did join the Jiuli—just like Yang Yuqi.”

Technically, Yang Yuqi might’ve still had some reservations.

But Yuan Shanji, born of the Witch Sect, carried far less burden.

Now, he and a group of Jiuli Great Shamans were heading this way… Lei Jun could feel it.

Sun Li, a peak Eighth Heaven Shaman of the Cursing Lineage, sensed it too.

Yuan Shanji and the others were approaching.

That rushed Thousand-Mile Descent had disrupted the array but didn’t injure Yuan Shanji.

Sun Li shook his head, preparing for battle.

Lei Jun was in no condition to fight—he needed to maintain the ritual.

Sun Li didn’t speak further. He had taken on the role of protector.

But then, a savage slash of blood-red light tore across the dark Earth Sea sky.

A heavy, bloody scent rolled outward—

Even Lei Jun and Sun Li, far away, could feel it.

The red slash cleaved into the oncoming group—targeting one unmistakable figure among the Jiuli Great Shamans: Yuan Shanji of the Xuanyuan Tribe.

The blade was tyrannical, splitting the crowd like waves.

“Xing Feng?!” Yuan Shanji hastily retreated as his ghostly array activated.

He knew that blade style too well.

It was none other than the Blood Battle: Mountains and Rivers Style—a signature technique of the Blood River Sect from the Southern Wasteland of the Tang Mortal Realm.

The wielder?

A towering young man, shirtless, with blood-red curse marks dancing across his body—radiating explosive power.

The new leader of the Blood River Sect—Xing Feng.

He cut down other Jiuli Shamans blocking his path, then brought his blood blade down again on Yuan Shanji:

“I’ve got no beef with you, but Li Tianqing’s helped me out plenty.

He’s busy right now—so I’m here to greet you, in his stead.

Wouldn’t want you slipping off into the shadows again.”

The outward manifestation of the ritual array not only had offensive capabilities but also offered a decent level of defense.

Unfortunately, Yuan Shanji had set up the array in haste, and it was unstable—so much so that even the “Nine Songs: Lady of the Xiang” formation was brutally cleaved apart by a single slash from Xing Feng.

That first strike was a success, and Xing Feng immediately followed up with a chain of blades. The blade’s momentum shifted abruptly, transforming into a Blood Battle Across Mountains and Rivers form.

His furious bloodblade shattered all of Yuan Shanji’s layered ritual arrays in one devastating sweep.

Yuan Shanji staggered backward in retreat, his body unsteady. Wounds burst open all over him, and in the blink of an eye, blood soaked through his clothes.

Compared to Wei Anchang, Xing Feng interacted far less with the outside world.

Still, Yuan Shanji had once staked his life on this: that even at peak Eighth Heaven Realm, Wei Anchang was no match for the current Xing Feng!

Let alone him—even the surrounding Great Shamans of the Nine Li were visibly shaken by the scene.

Their steps unconsciously slowed.

Xing Feng’s speed, on the other hand, only increased. He raised his blade again, slashing down toward Yuan Shanji.

Yuan Shanji had no time to think about why he’d come looking for Lei Jun’s ritual. He scrambled to retreat.

But Xing Feng was hot on his heels. The crimson blade light sliced through the dim underground world like it was tearing a wound open in the darkness—and then vanished in a flash.

“He... is trying to capture Yuan Shanji alive?” Sun Li sounded uncertain.

Lei Jun replied, “Mm. He said he came on behalf of Li Tianqing, but if he gets the chance, it’s clear he’d rather take Yuan Shanji alive.”

Li Tianqing had earlier fought the Ninth Heaven-tier demonic beast, the Nine-Winged Golden Centipede, and continued to pursue it after the battle.

It was only after that that word spread of Yuan Shanji’s appearance in the Earth Sea.

Li Tianqing didn’t abandon the Nine-Winged Centipede to chase Yuan Shanji; he kept up the pursuit to make sure the beast didn’t come back.

Yuan Shanji had been in hiding for years, eluding even the top experts of the Southern Wasteland’s Witch Sect.

Now, at last, they had confirmation he was in the Earth Sea.

And since he wanted to defect to the Nine Li, he had to prove his worth.

But that also meant his movements were no longer as unpredictable as before.

Xing Feng, a close friend of Li Tianqing, seized this opportunity to enter the Earth Sea and cause trouble for Yuan Shanji—before he could vanish again.

Of course, if the situation allowed it, Xing Feng wouldn’t mind capturing him alive and letting Li Tianqing deal with him personally later.

That said, Xing Feng’s combat style was more about overwhelming aggression; taking enemies alive wasn’t exactly his specialty.

From their distant vantage point, Lei Jun and Sun Li felt that Yuan Shanji was more likely to be killed by Xing Feng here in the Earth Sea…

“That blade move—wasn’t it from the Blood River Sect’s ancient techniques, was it?” Lei Jun asked.

Sun Li’s tone was firm. “No, I’ve never seen it before. Very likely his own creation… Cold, ruthless, deadly—if I had to guess, he’s had contact with the Luo Abyss, or maybe the Yellow Springs, or even Avīci.”

Lei Jun nodded slightly at that.

In the Witch Sect’s Blood River Lineage, cultivators at the Eighth Heaven Realm were said to have reached the Spirit Embryo stage.

According to traditional views, the Witch Sect had five branches: the Divine Dance Lineage inherited the Witch Spirit; the Blood River Lineage inherited the Corrupted Blood; the Ghost Dao Lineage inherited the Witch Soul; the Gu Mastery Lineage inherited the Witch Aura; and the Cursing Lineage inherited the Witch Bone.

The term Wu (巫) historically also meant Ling (spirit). Mount Wu was also called the Spirit Mountain.

The Divine Dance Lineage, which inherited the Witch Spirit, was the oldest of the five. While the others didn’t openly acknowledge its primacy, many outside the sect still regarded it as the true source of the Witch Sect’s legacy.

The Blood River Lineage, inheriting Witch Blood, named their Seventh Heaven Realm stage after it.

Upon reaching the Eighth Heaven Spirit Embryo Stage, something shifted. As if by fate, Blood River cultivators, much like the alchemists of the Daoist External Alchemy Sect, began to absorb and integrate diverse techniques.

This stage was called Spirit. First, they would integrate with the path of the Witch Spirit to form a heart of the embryo. With their blood focused, their regeneration increased.

Next, they’d merge with the Witch Bone path to forge the embryo’s bones, further strengthening their physical resilience.

Then, they’d embrace the Witch Soul path to master the third sub-stage of the Eighth Heaven: Embryo Thought. This improved their aura of killing intent, allowing for powerful mental pressure against foes.

Finally, they’d integrate with the Witch Aura path to gain Embryo Aura, allowing them to refine the Life-Death Nether Qi—a power usually only accessible at the Ninth Heaven Realm—while still at peak Eighth Heaven. This massively boosted their mystical combat capabilities.

And Xing Feng’s mastery of Life-Death Nether Qi surpassed even his fellow peak Eighth Heaven cultivators of the Blood River Sect.

His soul resilience was also far beyond anyone else in his realm.

He was not only immensely gifted, but also benefited from rare opportunities.

Though not as bloodthirsty as other Blood River seniors, Xing Feng had cultivated rapidly and decisively.

When it came time to strike, he never held back.

“This battle in the Earth Sea is a rare opportunity for him.”

Lei Jun added, “He might be a little behind Li Tianqing for now, but after this… he’ll catch up.”

Sun Li nodded lightly in agreement.

“Waves of the Yangtze push the old forward.” He chuckled. “From my point of view, I’m quite grateful to this Blood River Daoist, Xing Feng.”

After all, the man had helped block a serious threat.

Sun Li wasn’t afraid of Yuan Shanji, but he didn’t like fighting either. Avoiding trouble was always better than dealing with it.

Thanks to that, Lei Jun’s ritual proceeded smoothly, and the Earth Sea remained calm.

Over time, the Sunrise Sacred Wood that Sun Li had been refining finally reached perfection.

He waved upward.

The now-miniaturized wood, reduced to a stick-sized form, rose up from the soil on its own and landed in his hand.

It was jet black and inky, but the surface shimmered with fine silver patterns.

Sun Li stared at the treasure wood for a moment, exhaled deeply, then stowed it away.

Lei Jun, standing beside him, offered, “Congratulations, Senior.”

Sun Li waved it off repeatedly. “What are you saying, Tianshi? I should be the one thanking you…”

Mid-sentence, he suddenly paused, his eyes looking into the distance.

Someone was approaching.

It wasn’t someone from the Nine Li.

It was Feng Gui—the current Holy Master of the Reincarnation Abyss, sacred ground of the Southern Wasteland’s Witch Sect’s Cursing Lineage, in the Tang Mortal Realm.

Sun Li kept his expression calm and greeted him with a smile. “Holy Master.”

Feng Gui approached and first bowed to Lei Jun. “Before the Tianshi, Feng Gui offers his respects. I regret not attending your ceremony when you took up the mantle at Mount Longhu. Please forgive my absence.”

Lei Jun returned the gesture. “You're too kind, Daoist Feng. I’ve heard much of your great reputation.”

After their formal greetings, Feng Gui looked at Sun Li. “Junior Brother Sun, it’s rare to see someone like you, who’s so used to a carefree life, step into the Earth Sea for the sake of the mortal realm. You’ve improved our odds.”

Sun Li chuckled, “I’m not great with words, but your teachings have always stuck with me.”

Feng Gui smiled. “Your progress in cultivation is the best outcome.”

Lei Jun silently watched, saying nothing.

Back when he first arrived in the Southern Wasteland, during the chaos stirred up by Wei Anchang, he’d already seen that Sun Li—though an Elder of the Reincarnation Abyss—often acted independently.

Now that Sun Li had grown significantly stronger, he wondered how much Feng Gui had heard.

At the very least, it was clear Feng Gui felt some wariness toward him.

What Sun Li thought about that, no one could say.

“Do you require a guardian while performing your rites?” Feng Gui asked Lei Jun.

Lei Jun shook his head. “The ritual is nearly complete. There’s no need for us to stay here. As the leader of the Reincarnation Abyss, you have more important matters—please don’t delay on my account.”

Feng Gui glanced at Sun Li, then nodded and bid farewell to Lei Jun. “You’re right. The situation is still unstable. I’ll take my leave first. Once things settle down, I’ll visit you again.”

Lei Jun: “Much appreciated, Daoist Feng. Thank you for your hard work in restoring peace.”

Sun Li stayed behind, still smiling. “Take care, Senior Brother.”

Feng Gui gave him one last look, nodded faintly, then departed to rejoin others from the Reincarnation Abyss.

Once he was gone, Sun Li let out a soft sigh. “He’s overthinking it.”

Lei Jun didn’t comment on that. Instead, he said, “Senior, both Senior Sister Tang and I are in the Earth Sea. Senior Sister Xu isn’t in the mortal realm either. Though my Master is still holding the fort at our sect, the situation in the Tang Mortal Realm is volatile and could shift at any moment. Just in case, would you be willing to return and help keep an eye on things? I hope it won’t disrupt your cultivation.”

Sun Li normally didn’t get involved in others’ affairs, but since Lei Jun had asked—and it involved Yuan Mobai—he responded differently.

“No problem. I’ve got nothing pressing. Thanks to your help, Tianshi, I’ve gained some lucky opportunities and feel more confident in ascending to the Ninth Heaven Realm. But it’s not something that can be rushed—I need time to prepare.”

Lei Jun: “That’s great news. Thank you, Senior.”

Sun Li pondered a bit, then couldn’t help asking, “Your injuries earlier…”

Lei Jun replied, “As long as I don’t fight, they’re manageable.”

Sun Li nodded gently. One look at how Lei Jun managed the ritual was enough to confirm that.

Lei Jun calmly added, “The Earth Sea’s environment is special. I wanted to follow your example and see if I could find some unique opportunities here.”

So that’s why he insisted on staying.

Was it for a healing technique? Or something else?

Though Sun Li had his guesses, he didn’t pry. “The Earth Sea has its drawbacks, but it also holds many hidden treasures and fateful encounters. You’re blessed by fortune, Tianshi. I’m sure you’ll gain something from this.”

Lei Jun: “I appreciate the kind words.”

Sun Li: “Then I’ll take my leave.”

He left quietly after bidding farewell.

Thanks to his association with Lei Jun, his connection to the Tianshi Mansion was no longer a secret.

But he didn’t just march up Mount Longhu to visit Yuan Mobai.

Instead, after notifying Yuan Mobai, he settled quietly in a secluded grotto in the mountains outside the main peak.

Back in the Earth Sea, Lei Jun was making his way toward the place where Senior Sister Tang had reported the appearance of a Twin Lotus of the Grand Void.

At the same time, he was contacting someone.

“Senior Brother, where are you now?”

Wang Guiyuan’s voice came through. “I’ve reached Canglang Rock. I saw the black lotus you left behind.”

Tang Mortal Realm.

Near Zhongzhou.

In a rarely visited mountain valley, quite a few people were now moving around.

The entire valley was shrouded by an invisible force.

A massive lake of concentrated ink had formed within the valley.

The ink had completely solidified, transforming into a dense, physical substance.

It looked as if an enormous black Go piece had appeared out of nowhere in the valley.

Ye Yao of the Ye Clan from Qingzhou stood at the forefront, holding a scroll in both hands, with a number of clan disciples behind her.

She raised the scroll and levitated it into the air.

Leading her people, Ye Yao performed a distant bow toward the floating scroll.

The scroll gathered a brilliant scholarly aura, transforming into flowing light that streamed into the massive black piece occupying the entire valley.

The black Go piece quivered slightly.

A powerful tremor shot downward, spreading from the depths of the valley through the spiritual veins of the earth, rippling out in all directions.

As it extended outward, other tremor sources responded, converging and stacking atop one another.