Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 377: Taixu Twin Lotus

After setting up a ritual targeting a key point in the mountain and river veins, Ye Yao and the other disciples of the Ye Clan from Qingzhou moved on to the next location to perform a similar ceremony.

Each of these points caused a stir in their respective areas, but for now, the energy remained dormant.

Together, they formed a latent resonance across the land.

At the same time, beyond the Qingzhou Ye Clan, the Cangzhou Ye Clan, the Youzhou Lin Clan, the Fang Clan of Jingxiang, and the Chu Clan of Suzhou all had dedicated personnel carrying out similar arrangements.

Over forty years ago, during the reign of the Late Emperor Zhang Qilong, the major aristocratic families had once cooperated with a tacit understanding.

That collaboration significantly influenced the political landscape of the Tang Dynasty for the following four decades.

Even though many of the changes that came afterward weren’t necessarily what the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans had hoped for.

So much so that the once-powerful Five Surnames and Seven Clans now existed in name only—reduced to Four Surnames and Five Clans.

Still, given the current shift in political tides, they had to prepare again.

Once the Empress recovered, the Tianshi reached the Great Ascension Realm, or a new Ninth-Heaven powerhouse emerged from the heart of the Tang Court, all their preparations would be rendered meaningless.

Even among the Four Surnames and Five Clans now, disagreements and individual agendas remained.

But with the Tang Dynasty’s national fortune declining and the land’s spiritual veins becoming unstable, plotting had become easier than it was back then...

---

The North.

The elder who was supposed to be stationed at the northern bay now appeared quietly in Youzhou.

Summer was ending, and autumn was on the horizon.

Ye Moquan silently watched the sunset in the distance.

Lin Huan, current clan head of the Youzhou Lin Clan, appeared and came to greet him: “Uncle.”

Ye Moquan withdrew his gaze. “How are preparations on your side in Yujing?”

Lin Huan replied, “We’re mostly ready. But... is it truly the right time—or are we walking into danger?”

Ye Moquan said, “His Highness the Prince of Zhao is prepared. When the time comes, we follow his lead. If things can’t be done, we mustn’t act rashly.”

Lin Huan gave a slight nod.

She asked softly, “The news from the Deep Sea—Mount Longhu’s Xuanxiaozi is reportedly still unwell. If he truly hasn’t recovered, why insist on heading there? Tang Xiaotang has already entered with the Tianshi Sword. As long as she remains standing, the situation in the Deep Sea won’t spiral out of control.”

“Is there something in the Deep Sea that can help him recover faster?” she frowned, looking south.

Ye Moquan replied, “Not impossible.”

Lin Huan asked, “Uncle, how is your health now?”

“To be honest—not great,” Ye Moquan admitted. “But I’m prepared for this mission. What happened at Feishan, I won’t allow a second failure.”

It was rare to hear such strong words from Ye Moquan.

Lin Huan could vaguely sense a deeper meaning in his tone.

The elder beside her seemed to have made some sort of decision.

Ye Moquan calmly looked at Lin Huan. “And how is your condition?”

Lin Huan said, “Thank you for your concern, Uncle. My body’s fine for now, but I’m still unable to cross the Heavenly Chasm between the Eighth and Ninth Heaven Realms. Unless the humiliation from that day is avenged on Xu Yuanzhen, I fear I’ll never make it in this life. Unfortunately, from the current situation, whether it’s His Highness the Prince of Zhao or the Crown Prince in Luoyang’s Eastern Palace, both will still place their trust in Mount Longhu.”

On this point, Lin Huan, Ye Moquan, Fang Jingsheng, Chu Xiuyuan, and Ye Yan were all mentally prepared.

The Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu had firmly secured its dominance.

Even if the Prince of Zhao or the Crown Prince took the throne, the position of National Preceptor would still fall to Mount Longhu.

The Tianshi Mansion would remain the number one Daoist Holy Land in the Tang Realm.

Whether due to imperial balance of power or the opportunities and hidden dangers brought by the Nine Heavens, Ten Earths, and other realms, none of this would change anytime soon.

Unless, of course, the key pillars of the Tianshi Mansion collapsed outside the Tang Realm.

For the new emperor, the real target would still be the one recovering in Chang’an.

The only small uncertainty lay with the current Tianshi, Lei Jun, who had yet to reach the Ninth Heaven Realm.

His ascension to the Great Ascension Realm would have far-reaching consequences—and he was just half a step away. Naturally, it made others restless.

To Lin Huan, who was stuck at the peak of the Eighth Heaven and saw no path forward, the pressure was even more tangible.

Both Lei Jun and the one healing in Chang’an—none of the Four Surnames and Five Clans wished to see them rise further.

But they couldn’t fall by the hands of the clans. At least, not openly.

Ye Moquan said, “At this point, if we act, it must be decisive. If things reach a critical moment, whether it’s His Highness or us, we’ll need to make our move. Yujing, if that time comes, I ask that your Youzhou clan act swiftly. Better to risk the dangers of merging smaller and greater sects than be left with lasting regret.”

Lin Huan fell into silence at that.

Ye Moquan remained composed, then let out a long sigh: “Our Eastern and Western Ye ancestors once held dominion over Lianshan for many years. But for various reasons, we missed our chance. Now, Lianshan has vanished.”

After a moment, Lin Huan finally said, “Datong... is not the same anymore either.”

Ye Moquan smiled faintly. “What’s most heartbreaking is when people change but the place remains. Still, if the people remain, there’s always hope.”

Lin Huan nodded gently. “We can leave Longxi out of it for now, but in Jingxiang...”

Ye Moquan said, “Yingyun has come north as well. Go talk to him. The current situation makes the threat of merging small into large a minor concern. Of course, if we can avoid that path, all the better. But we must be prepared.”

Fang Jingsheng, current clan head of the Fang Clan of Jingxiang, styled himself Mr. Tianliu. Yingyun was his courtesy name.

Ye Moquan looked south toward the mountains and rivers of the Tang Dynasty, finally letting a trace of fatigue slip into his voice:

“Seas turn to fields, fortunes rise and fall. The tides of history surge forward, washing away countless eras and heroes. In times like these, how can we do anything less than our utmost?”

Lin Huan's expression shifted slightly. “Uncle...?”

Ye Moquan spoke evenly, “You’ve been keeping an eye on the other Tang Mortal Realms, right? The Ming and Song realms?”

Lin Huan gave a small nod, her expression settling into calm silence.

Ye Moquan continued, “They all branched from the late Han, but time flows differently. The Ming Realm is over 2,400 years ahead of us. The Song Realm is ahead by 1,400 years. Though their histories diverge, some similarities remain.”

“For instance, in both the Ming and Song Realms, the Five Surnames and Seven Clans no longer exist.”

These aristocratic houses that once stood tall for millennia, weathering countless storms, had all faded into history.

When the original split occurred in the late Han, the other realms also had their Five Surnames and Seven Clans.

But over long centuries, those traditions faded.

Thanks to prior dealings with the Lone Eagle Khanate and the Xiao Ming Court within Tianli, Ye Moquan and his peers had gathered some information.

Although bloodlines of the great clans remained in the Ming and Song realms, their former glory was long gone.

“Since so much has changed, maybe there’s still hope for change here as well,” Lin Huan said softly.

Ye Moquan once again suggested, “Yujing, go talk to Yingyun.”

Lin Huan replied, “Yes, Uncle.”

“I thought it would be born somewhere in the Nine Heavens, or maybe in the outer void,” Lei Jun said. “I didn’t expect it to be in the Earth Sea.”

“It’s finally about to open,” he added.

Monk Faqing spoke up: “This humble monk believes that once the treasure matures, it would be safest if the Tianshi brought it back to the Ancestral Grounds of Mount Longhu and secluded himself for cultivation.”

Lei Jun replied, “There are too many eyes on my movements. It’s best to blur the lines between truth and falsehood, between real and fake.”

The current situation was shifting and unpredictable—even Wang Guiyuan had rarely emerged from seclusion lately.

Although he’d always followed the principle of 'less is better than more,' now that he had stepped out under the identity of Monk Faqing, Wang Guiyuan didn’t mind taking action this time.

With Tang Xiaotang, him, and Lei Jun going all-out, the entire situation in the Earth Sea would shift in an instant.

Still, compared to the Earth Sea, Lei Jun was more focused on the various changes happening in the Tang Mortal Realm.

Even if he did end up facing off against the Jiuli Clan in the Earth Sea someday, he preferred to wait until the Tang Mortal Realm had truly stabilized first.

As one of the Ten Lands, on par with the Yellow Springs and Avīci, the Earth Sea held both incredible mystery and danger—it was not to be underestimated.

Lei Jun had just gotten a taste of that not long ago in the Yellow Springs.

Right now, the struggle between Clan Chief Li Yuanheng of the Greedy Li Clan and Li Zhongding of the Cultured Li Clan meant the Earth Sea didn’t have the kind of dominant “local tyrant” like Shushan in the Yellow Springs.

But if things in the Earth Sea escalated dramatically, and the threat posed by Lei Jun, Tang Xiaotang, Wang Guiyuan and other Xuanyuan natives grew too large—whether the Jiuli Clans would unite against them was hard to say.

Whether to Lei Jun and his allies, or to Clan Chief Li Yuanheng, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” might apply—but then again, it might not.

It was because Clan Chief Li Zhongding set up a formation to siphon spiritual energy from the Tang Mortal Realm into the Earth Sea, and because Tang Xiaotang had a personal grudge with Clan Chief Li Yan of the Broken Li Clan, that Tang cultivators were now deeply involved in the internal civil war of the Jiuli Clans.

Otherwise, with the current state of the mortal world, Tang cultivators would most likely just sit on the sidelines and watch the show.

Monk Faqing sighed, “Turbulent times… the storm has already arrived. Luckily, Elder Sun of the Reincarnation Abyss secretly traveled to Mount Longhu, so the place won’t be left completely defenseless. As long as they can hold out, the Tianshi can return.”

Lei Jun asked, “Any unusual activity on the mortal side lately?”

Monk Faqing replied, “Some top experts of the Ye Clan in Qingzhou, led by Layman Ye Yan, have recently launched an assault on Penglai. Meanwhile, the disciples of the Chu Clan in Suzhou, led by Old Chu, are pressing toward Tianli.”

“In the Great Pass Mountains up north, things are reportedly calm, but there have been strange movements on Lone Cloud Plains. It seems more foreign tribes have entered the Tang Mortal Realm through void gateways. The Fang Clan of Jingxiang, under Mister Tianliu, has already set out for Lone Cloud Plains beyond the desert.”

“General Xiao Xueting has suppressed the demon clans emerging from the Luo Abyss portal in the North Sea. Things there are still under control for now.”

“In the west, Layman Xiao Hang has wielded the Righteous Sword to face off against the great demon Snowy Sky Eagle in the snowy mountains of Western Sichuan.”

“Friends from the Shushan Sect have also come to assist, and that front remains stable for the time being.”

“But the Northern Frontier is less peaceful. Word is, the Black Mountain Lord may have returned. And along the North Sea coast, the Whale King has made an appearance…”

Lei Jun listened quietly, a contemplative look on his face. “Some real, some not.”

“Oh, and one more thing,” Monk Faqing continued. “Lately, with chaos erupting all over the Tang Empire and Her Majesty still resting in seclusion at Chang’an, the public has started voicing different opinions.”

Lei Jun asked, “Such as?”

“In general, they think Her Majesty made some miscalculations.”

“While the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru is indeed a threat, the Empress acted too hastily and too harshly.”

“If she had moved more cautiously, they argue, the Vajra Division might not have openly rebelled so soon.”

“And if that hadn’t happened, the Lone Eagle Khanate wouldn’t have so easily opened the void portal at Mount Bayan, and the massive invasion might’ve been avoided altogether.”

“The Battle of Yunzhou was Her Majesty’s way of patching the mistake. It was a remedy, yes, but a temporary one.”

“That battle drained the Tang Empire’s vitality and laid the groundwork for today’s widespread chaos.”

After the battle at Yunzhou, the Empress's prestige was unrivaled.

But as time passed, the afterglow of that triumph faded, while disasters kept piling up. Public opinion had begun to shift, if only slightly.

Lei Jun said, “Someone is fanning the flames behind the scenes. But still—when the nation’s fortune declines and the people's morale drops, they feed into each other.”

Monk Faqing sighed again.

Later that day, the Taixu Twin Lotus finally matured and bloomed in full.

Swaying in the Earth Sea, the twin lotus born of the void resembled a miniature world, harboring a separate realm within.

With a surge of mana, Lei Jun stirred the void. Two streams of energy twined together, forming a Taiji Diagram of Yin and Yang, which he used to collect the lotus.

“This trip must’ve been hard on you, Senior Brother,” Lei Jun said.

Monk Faqing shook his head. “I’m fine. It’s the Tianshi traveling alone who must be cautious.”

Lei Jun said, “Didn’t you already help prepare the protective measures for my place of seclusion, Senior Brother?”

Monk Faqing answered, “Still, better safe than sorry.”

After watching Lei Jun leave, he took out a jade Buddha from his robes.

The Buddha sat cross-legged, radiating rich Buddhist essence and sacred dignity—but its face was completely blank.

Calmly, Monk Faqing spread his palm.

The jade Buddha shattered in his hand, turning into a light mist that enveloped his body.

As the mist surrounded him, his appearance began to change. He grew taller, hair sprouted atop his head and was tied into a Daoist bun, adorned with the Primordial Crown.

His monk’s robes transformed into flowing Daoist robes in nine intertwining colors.

At that moment, Monk Faqing—or rather, Wang Guiyuan—under the cover of the Earth Sea’s black mist, looked exactly like Lei Jun from afar.

Of course, a close inspection by a powerful cultivator would reveal the difference.

But according to Lei Jun’s usual style, he wouldn’t need to interact with anyone face-to-face for a while.

They had already discussed everything regarding the ritual formations. Wang Guiyuan would handle the arrangements.

Daoist rituals and Buddhist ones differed, and Wang Guiyuan’s Daoist cultivation was lacking—but he was a top expert in the Buddhist Wish-Vow Lineage.

He could imitate Lei Jun using that expertise.

The finer details and raw power couldn’t match the real Lei Jun, of course.

But since Lei Jun had supposedly “been injured,” and had recently looked drained even when taking action in the Earth Sea, the imitation would be quite convincing.

Wang Guiyuan also carried Lei Jun’s Heavenly Sight and Earthly Hearing Talisman.

So long as Lei Jun wasn’t in full seclusion, he could speak through the talisman himself, using Wang Guiyuan as a conduit.

This not only allowed Lei Jun to slip quietly out of the Earth Sea, but also let him stay in touch with Wang Guiyuan and Tang Xiaotang—he could even speak through the talisman Wang Guiyuan carried.

Returning from the Earth Sea, Lei Jun arrived once more at Canglang Reef on the southern coast.

Following Wang Guiyuan’s guidance, he avoided all the protective wards left behind by his senior brother and dove back into the sea beneath the reef, entering the enormous Black Lotus.

This was the place Lei Jun had chosen for his seclusion.

In ordinary terms, the conditions here couldn’t compare to Mount Longhu’s Ancestral Grounds.

But the Black Lotus rooted here quietly gathered vast amounts of spiritual energy without alerting anyone.

With the golden bottle Wang Guiyuan left, aligned with the inner and outer structure of the Black Lotus, this place was sealed off from the world.

Lei Jun carried the Tianshi Seal, and could have secluded himself inside the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven, which was also safe.

But if he attempted to break through to the Great Ascension Realm of the Ninth Heaven, it might trigger a resonance with the Tianshi Seal and the Grotto-Heaven, which would alert outsiders.

With the Black Lotus as an extra barrier, even if he caused a massive stir inside, no one would notice.

That was the entire reason for keeping the Black Lotus here.

Inside the Lotus realm, Lei Jun sat cross-legged on the lotus platform. Beside him stood a golden bottle, over five feet tall—the one Wang Guiyuan left behind.

Lei Jun sat calmly.

The freshly obtained Taixu Twin Lotus floated before him.

Under his control, it fully unfurled.

Its colorful radiance faded, leaving behind a nearly transparent blossom, its outline barely distinguishable from its surroundings.

In Lei Jun’s perception, if left unchecked, the Twin Lotus would soon slip into the void and vanish.

He reached out and tapped it lightly.

The near-invisible lotus bloomed once more.

The inner world hidden within the petals expanded.

More than simple spatial growth, the shifting of void realms hinted at a division into two separate realms.

Lei Jun nodded slightly.

His Divine Court Inner Cosmos: Mysterious Yellow Universe unfolded in tandem.

A massive, opaque black sphere appeared in the lotus world—not overly large, but refined and stable.

Guided by Lei Jun, the twofold realm formed by the Twin Lotus merged with his Two-Element Dust Universe.

The surrounding void trembled.

After merging, the space didn’t grow. Instead, Lei Jun’s Divine Court Universe began shrinking.

The already compact black sphere continued to condense, until it became as tiny as a speck of dust.

Lei Jun sat in stillness, while the microcosmic dust swirled endlessly around him.

Within that dust, profound transformations unfolded—so subtle they defied description.

At the same time, Lei Jun accelerated his final accumulation in the Fourth Layer of the Eighth Heaven: Divine Court Inner Cosmos Realm, drawing ever closer to perfection.

In the Tang Mortal Realm, up north in the Northern Frontier, Crown Prince Zhao Wang Zhang Teng held a blade in hand.

Before him stood the formidable demon, Black Mountain Lord, whose strength rivaled that of a human cultivator at the Ninth Heaven Realm.

But Zhao Wang’s gaze wasn’t focused on his enemy—instead, he looked toward the southwest, in the direction of Chang’an, the old capital of the Great Tang.

His grip tightened around the hilt of his long blade.

Expressionless, he withdrew his gaze and returned his focus to the present, facing off against the Black Mountain Lord.

Zhao Wang struck.

The blade’s arc seemed unremarkable, yet it carried a strange, indescribable force that made the Black Mountain Lord feel deeply unsettled.

It instinctively dodged, but was left confused.

Looking again, the attack seemed utterly mundane—as if the eerie feeling from before had been just an illusion.

---

At the same time, in Guanzhong, near Chang’an, something happened.

The void suddenly ripped open, releasing an overwhelming surge of deathly, silent aura like a bursting flood.

A host of powerful demons emerged into the mortal realm.

Among them, a massive figure cloaked entirely in shadow, with glowing red eyes, soared out from what looked like a hellish abyss into the skies above the Tang world.

He didn’t need to make a single move—just his presence alone caused the life force of nearby creatures to extinguish.

One demon stepped forward and reported: “My King, the one who opened the void portal here likely harbors ill intent.”

The towering red-eyed demon responded in a cold, steady tone: “Each seeks what they need. We’ll carry out our own purpose.”

The surrounding demons responded in unison.

Their voices weren’t loud, but they carried a chilling intent—like icy wind slicing through the air.

---

That day, urgent reports reached Chang’an:

A second Luo Abyss portal had been torn open—right next to the capital.

Another wave of the Guanzhong Demon Uprising had begun, its first move aimed directly at Chang’an.

News of this shook the empire to its core.

In Luoyang, the capital-in-waiting, reinforcements were immediately mobilized to head west and protect the Emperor.

At the same time, envoys were dispatched to Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion, urgently seeking to contact Tianshi Lei Jun, National Advisor Tang Xiaotang, or Master Xu Yuanzhen, and plead with them to return to the mortal realm as soon as possible.