Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 392: The Dragon from the Tang Dynasty

The instant after the Arctic Sword slashed through, a burst of sword light—interwoven with the Tianshi Sword’s purple-gold glow—descended from the heavens and struck downward.

Even more terrifying, a white jade seal came flying through the air like a collapsing mountain, hurtling toward Lin Zheng.

Unfortunately, both were a step too late.

The Arctic Sword had already pierced and torn through Lin Zheng’s body. Thunder and flame exploded, engulfing his corpse.

Though the jade seal and sword light carried immense momentum, they paused midair, swerved deftly, and returned.

Tang Xiaotang caught the jade seal with one hand while holding the Tianshi Sword in the other. She looked at Lei Jun and smirked. “You really are fast.”

Lei Jun sheathed the Arctic Sword and asked, “Little Senior Sister, are you alright?”

Tang Xiaotang’s face was slightly pale, but after just a few breaths, she looked back to normal.

At the same time, the damaged edges of the Great Ascension Dao Domain—previously breached by Lin Zheng’s Broad Vast Sword—began to mend. Golden flames of Pure Yang True Fire burned away the remaining blue ice crystals, and the Pure Yang Domain was restored to its original state.

“I’m fine,” Tang Xiaotang replied, then glanced at Lei Jun again. “What about you?”

Lei Jun didn’t seem physically injured, though his spirit looked a bit drained. But with just a brief pause, he too returned to normal.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

He then glanced at the Azure Celestial Bamboo of Upper Purity beside him, now segmented into nine joints. “Still a lot to refine.”

After being reforged with the Profound Darkness Dust and the Nine Heavens Heart Thunder, the Azure Celestial Bamboo had undergone several transformations.

Under Lei Jun’s control, the artifact had shifted from tangible to intangible, bypassing physical barriers to strike directly at the opponent’s soul.

Its power and surprise were undeniable, but the toll it took was steep.

It consumed not only mana, but also heavily burdened Lei Jun’s spirit.

Lin Zheng was no ordinary foe—he had already reached the perfection of the Ninth Heaven and possessed formidable soul cultivation.

Fortunately, the strike was successful.

The toll, though real, was within Lei Jun’s limits.

Thanks to the operation of the Two-Element Celestial Physique, both mana and soul quickly recovered in a short span of time.

Together, Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang quickly cleaned up the remaining matters in the Fang Clan’s ancestral grounds.

“So, as I said before, for powerful spells and mystical abilities like your Primordial Sovereign Apparition, it doesn’t matter if the form itself is intangible,” Lei Jun commented. “Just like an earthquake—whatever you destroy showcases your power.”

Tang Xiaotang gave a dry cough. “I’d still like to have both substance and presentation.”

She didn’t need to say more; Lei Jun understood.

Like him, Tang Xiaotang’s new mystical transformations still needed time to refine.

Whether manifesting the Primordial Sovereign Apparition or transforming the Pure Yang Sea into the Primordial Sea, both placed tremendous strain on her mana.

Even though she had evolved from the Pure Yang Celestial Physique into the Primordial Dao Body, she still needed to slowly polish and accumulate her foundation.

Once that was done, her cultivation and spellcasting would become far more fluid and seamless.

“This won’t do. I need to develop a fast-acting technique too,” she muttered, watching Lei Jun retrieve the Arctic Sword. After thinking for a bit, she declared, “Otherwise, I’ll always lose out when I’m with you—all the big catches get scooped up by you!”

“I’m looking forward to your new technique, Little Senior Sister,” Lei Jun said sincerely.

He then collected several Two-Element Celestial Talismans and used them to suppress the Broad Vast Sword, which had almost taken off.

The sword trembled slightly midair, swaying back and forth.

Since it had been thrown by Lin Zheng, had the Fang Clan’s ancestral grounds still existed, it would likely have been drawn back by its ancestral rites.

But now that the Fang Clan’s grounds had been destroyed, the Broad Vast Sword showed signs of vanishing on its own.

Luckily, Lei Jun’s talismans released vast magnetic force, pinning the unclaimed sword in place.

As with the Vast Sea Sword before, Lei Jun wasn’t in a rush to refine it—he would keep it sealed for later study.

“How are things elsewhere? I think you came from... Su Clan territory?” Tang Xiaotang asked.

Lei Jun replied, “The Su Clan’s settled. Senior Sister handled the Han Clan. With the Lin Clan’s ancestral grounds here taken down by you, four of the five Great Houses of Datong have fallen—only the Xiao Clan remains. Their heirloom sword, the Vast Sea Sword, was taken by me. Their Clan Leader, Xiao Jing, isn’t in Datong right now, so their stronghold is currently vacant.”

Tang Xiaotang seemed uninterested. “Oh... What about Senior Sister?”

After Lei Jun gave a brief rundown, Tang Xiaotang asked with curiosity, “Without the Three Caves True Canon Talismans, they still claim to be the orthodox successors of Mount Longhu? If he’s really a Talismanic Ancestor of the ancient sect and could grant talismans to someone like Ji Daocheng of the Ninth Heaven, then even without the Tianshi Seal or Robe, he should know the Three Caves Talismans, right?”

Lei Jun looked toward the void portal connecting Datong and the Han Mortal Realm. “In theory, yes…”

Tang Xiaotang continued, “If he doesn’t even have the Three Caves True Canon, and still calls himself an ancient talismanic ancestor, who would believe him?”

“There may be something strange going on,” Lei Jun replied. “The records about the change in the Daoist calendar back then are incomplete, so we can’t be sure. But it’s true that the Han Dynasty’s Mount Longhu follows the path of the ancient Talismanic Sect. That much is real. If it were just someone like Ma Zongxiang, an Eighth Heaven cultivator, it’d be nothing. But Ji Daocheng is a true Ninth Heaven Talismanic Grandmaster. No one of the same level could have conferred talismans on him—let alone revoked them.

“And Ji Daocheng isn’t even the only Ninth Heaven cultivator in Han’s Mount Longhu. Its history stretches back thousands of years—back to the chaos at the end of the Han era—matching that of our Tang Dynasty. Several true Ninth Heaven Grandmasters have emerged there.

“This proves they truly inherit from the ancient Talismanic Sect, likely granted by someone beyond the Ninth Heaven—an immortal who transcended to enlightenment.

“Even if the talismans granted aren’t the traditional Three Caves Canons, the lineage is valid.”

The main question now was why Han Dynasty’s Mount Longhu hadn’t shown the expected strength when challenged by the Vast Void Temple or the Vajra Division of Sumeru in recent years.

They hadn’t suffered any big losses—but they hadn’t struck back hard either.

Yet from how Ma Zongxiang behaved, it seemed he was following higher orders.

This contradiction made Lei Jun suspicious.

“You detained that person?” Tang Xiaotang asked.

“Yeah, it was a bit of a gamble,” Lei Jun admitted.

But the light sphere in his mind hadn’t issued a warning omen.

That didn’t make him careless. Perhaps the time or target wasn’t right.

“Senior Sister’s over there?” Tang Xiaotang didn’t think it was a reckless move—instead, she seemed intrigued. “I’ll go check it out. You deal with things here.”

She waved at Lei Jun, fully retracted the Pure Yang Domain, then turned into a streak of light and flew off.

Lei Jun smiled as he watched her leave. He then began contacting the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu in Tang Dynasty territory, Crown Prince Zhang Hui who was guarding the void portal, and the Tang Imperial Family.

Later, a delegation from the Tianshi Mansion—led by Elder Chu Kun and Zhang Jingzhen—arrived in Datong.

Accompanying them were Tang Imperial Court representatives, led by Chu Yu.

“By Her Majesty’s decree, the situation in Datong shall be decided by Tianshi Lei and State Preceptor Tang,” Chu Yu announced. “We are here to collect the scholarly records of the five Great Houses. Please grant us passage.”

“Spreading cultural heritage among the people is a great virtue,” Lei Jun replied. “My sect and I wholeheartedly support it.”

Chu Yu nodded. “Today’s success is largely thanks to you, Tianshi.”

She already knew Lei Jun had killed her father, Chu Xiuyuan, in the Battle of Luoyang.

Now standing before Lei Jun face to face, she showed no unusual expression.

Just as Chu Xiuyuan had once said: should they meet, and circumstances allow, one might survive—left only with their life.

Clashing sides. If you die by another’s hand, that’s fate. The living bear no grudge.

If she hadn’t already made peace with it, she wouldn’t have left Suzhou back then.

Now, looking at Lei Jun, he could see her emotions stir—but her gaze remained clear.

He wouldn’t bring up the matter either.

As he once said to Chu Xiuyuan: the Chu Clan of Suzhou is one thing. Chu Yu is another.

People differ.

This applied to Chu Yu, Chu Kun, Chu Andong, and even Fang Yue and Fang Jian.

In a way, Chu Xiuyuan’s plan had succeeded. The Suzhou Chu Clan bloodline would not be severed.

Yet while the Chu Clan remained, its days as one of the Five Great Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans were over.

In the Tang Dynasty, noble families like the Chu and Fang Clans had declined. Their scholarly traditions might vanish—but in turn, Confucian classics were spreading across the realm, and new cultural lineages were emerging.

Widespread and deep-rooted.

The Tang common folk were growing ever more learned.

The fall of Datong’s five Great Houses marked another chapter in history.

Most of their books and records would be taken to Tang territory.

Some, however, would remain in Datong.

This place had a large population—greater than Sumeru and its like. Though it wasn’t quite a real Mortal Realm, it was still substantial.

“Has Her Majesty been informed of the situation here?” Lei Jun asked.

Chu Yu nodded.

With the empress authorizing Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang to take full charge, Lei Jun understood her intentions.

It aligned with his own thinking. “I plan to petition Her Majesty to preserve the sixteen feudal kingdoms here. Those calling themselves ‘kings’ or ‘emperors’ may retain their nominal titles.”

This place differed from the Tang Mortal Realm. Perhaps a new path could be forged.

While the kingdoms would largely remain, many details would change in time.

It would take great manpower.

Lei Jun had no desire for the Tianshi Mansion to oversee it all alone.

Nor was it where his ambition lay.

“Master Chu, there’s something I’d like to ask,” Lei Jun said.

“Please go ahead,” Chu Yu replied.

“Is Elder Xiao Yumen still alive?”

The reclusive Master of Lonely City—father of Xiao Hang, Xiao Chunhui, and Xiao Xueting—was once the top expert of the Xiao Clan of Longxi. Decades ago, he was a peak Eighth Heaven scholar and seen as the most likely to reach the Ninth Heaven.

He was presumed dead in the West Region demon war—but no body was found.

In recent years, Lei Jun had grown increasingly doubtful of his death.

Upon learning that a Xiao Clan branch existed in Datong, Lei Jun suspected Xiao Yumen might be hiding there.

But the Datong Xiao Clan was led by a woman, Xiao Jing, and none of the elders—like Xiao Yuan—showed signs of Xiao Yumen.

Chu Yu replied softly, “To my knowledge… yes, their father is still alive.”

She looked around. “But ever since the West Region battle—after fighting for the Longxi Xiao Clan and making arrangements for his children—he vanished without a trace. Even Xiao Xueting and her siblings don’t know where he went.”

Lei Jun nodded slightly. “So he’s not in Datong. But perhaps on the Han side, where other Xiao Clan bloodlines exist.”

Chu Yu asked, “You think so?”

Lei Jun replied, “In the Han Dynasty, the ancient Talismanic Sect, Confucian clans, heretical Vast Void Temple, and Vajra Division of Sumeru all exist in a tangled web. Perhaps the Witch Sect hides in the shadows too. I don’t plan to rush things. For now, I’ll wait until Datong stabilizes—and see what the Han royal family does next.”

Chu Yu said sincerely, “Tianshi Lei, your concern for the people of Datong is admirable.”

Through the battles of Luoyang and now Datong, the Tang court had come to understand this contemporary Tianshi. When still, he was as calm as the abyss. But when he moved—he was thunder and heaven-cracking wrath.

Yet most of the time, he remained serene, like a quiet sea.

Still, Chu Yu noted his choice of words.

He personally preferred it this way.

There was room left in his wording—not because Tianshi Lei was being evasive, but because within the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu under the Great Tang, there were still two other individuals.

From the perspective of compliance and order, those two were even less easy to deal with.

Chu Yu, however, remained calm.
Just as calm as Empress Zhang Wantong.

She had long known the double-edged nature of this sword—while enjoying the sharpness that brought her benefits, she was also mentally prepared for its downside.

"I'm heading to the Shangguan Clan's Ancestral Grounds next," Lei Jun said. "What about Lay Practitioner Zhang Hui?"

Chu Yu replied, “Jingtíng Yǒuxīn plans to remain in the Tang Mortal Realm for now. Once the Grand General and Xuetíng make further breakthroughs, he’ll consider moving elsewhere.”

Lei Jun said, “The Grand General and General Shangguan—should be soon, right?”

Chu Yu nodded. “Yes, the Grand General may be slightly faster.”

Though Shangguan Yunbo was less innately gifted than Shangguan Xueting, his foundation was incredibly solid, separated from advancement by only a hair’s breadth.

Now that the Dragon Vein Qi of Nation-Blessed Fortune had dispersed and returned to heaven and earth to nourish all beings, the conditions were perfect for someone like him. He might even break through a step ahead of Shangguan Xueting.

“May the two generals soon attain the body of a Martial Saint.”
Lei Jun nodded and took his leave from Chu Yu, then set off for the Shangguan Clan’s Ancestral Grounds to finalize matters.

---

Meanwhile, the Sovereign of Rong State and his entourage were paying a formal visit to the Tianshi Mansion under the Great Tang.

Chu Kun and others had entered Datong earlier and were now clearing out the Fang Clan Ancestral Grounds on Lei Jun’s orders.

Having received Lei Jun’s prior instructions, Chu Kun offered the visiting Rong sovereign a token of assurance.

The immediate worry was settled, but the sovereign of Rong still couldn't completely relax—because long-term uncertainty remained.

His instincts told him that the future of Datong wouldn’t be as simple as replacing the Five Prominent Clans and Sixteen Nations with just another version of the sixteen states.

Certainly, this opened up more possibilities for the future.

But as for Rong State’s path ahead, it would require careful thought.

While lost in thought, he noticed his eldest son rushing toward him.

“What happened?” the Sovereign of Rong asked calmly.

His son took a deep breath: “There’s something unusual happening inside Yan State.”

The sovereign remained composed. “If they stir up trouble at this time, it won’t end well.”

The larger situation with the Five Prominent Clans was settled. Yan State, though under the control of the Lin Clan of Datong, would not be willing to risk their lives just for Lin’s sake—not at this moment.

Their real targets were the other Datong nations that had been part of the Sixteen Nations.

And Rong State shared a border with Yan State.

“On their own, they wouldn’t dare move,” his son said. “Right now, it’s just behind-the-scenes plotting, weapons at the ready.”

“But if they manage to convince foreign Daoists or that other imperial dynasty’s supporters to back them,” he frowned, “then the situation will be drastically different.”

The Sovereign of Rong gazed into the distance, then shook his head.

“They’ll be disappointed. If those parties had such intentions, they wouldn’t have allowed the Sixteen Nations to remain. They wouldn’t have allowed the Son of Heaven to remain either...”

He fell into deep thought and murmured, “Whether it’s Yan or the other states—including us—it’ll be hard for anyone to make a move in the short term. It’s the Son of Heaven we should be watching. After this upheaval... who knows what he’s thinking.”

---

Far off, also near the outskirts of the Fang Clan’s Ancestral Grounds in Datong...

The Son of Heaven of Datong, known as King Zhou, appeared to be in his thirties or forties. He calmly looked at the young boy before him and said:

“I want you to go to Mount Longhu under the Great Tang and seek the Dao.”

Though young, the child was mature beyond his years. He sat up straight and bowed. “Yes, Father.”

King Zhou nodded. “I’ve inquired—Daoist sects emphasize Immortal Fate. Whether you can be accepted or not is uncertain, but this opportunity must be attempted.”

The child responded with the composure of a little adult.

Nearby, a senior court minister looked grave. He said in a hushed voice, “Your Majesty… what of Sumeru’s side, in the Han Mortal Realm?”

King Zhou replied calmly, “We have but one choice. Only one side we can pick.”

Living under the immense pressure of the Five Prominent Clans, Datong and its Sixteen Nations had no hope of rising on their own.

If any change was to come, it had to be through external forces.

Until recently, Datong had only been connected to the Han Mortal Realm.

Most of the Sixteen Nations could pin their hopes on the Han imperial court, but King Zhou’s position was far less favorable.

The Tianshi Mansion of the Han Dynasty was tightly linked with the Han imperial government.

As for Vast Void Temple, anyone even slightly familiar with them knew they were like bargaining with a tiger.

And the Confucian aristocrats in the Han realm? Even less approachable.

In the end, only one viable ally remained:

The Sacred Buddhist Land—Sumeru’s Treasure Division.

After long and cautious contact, King Zhou had established secret ties with them. They had even recently offered to accept his son as a disciple.

Despite it being a Buddhist lineage, any connection was valuable to King Zhou.

Then came the upheaval.

A complete reversal.

The Five Prominent Clans—who had ruled Datong for millennia—vanished like a dream, leaving nothing but vapor.

The shock to the people of Datong was indescribable.

King Zhou was stunned.

In his mind, even with Sumeru’s help, toppling the Five Prominent Clans would be a near-impossible feat. At best, it might create breathing room for others.

Yet the Five Clans were gone—just like that?

Shocked, King Zhou immediately changed his plans.

His son, who had not yet departed for Sumeru, was now hastily prepared with all the necessary formalities—to seek an audience with a Daoist master from the Tang realm.

Breaking faith with Sumeru would have consequences—he understood that.

But—

“Whether Sumeru or the Daoist sects of the Tang Dynasty, neither is ordinary,” he said calmly. “Either one can overturn heaven and earth with a single hand.”

“But first,” he continued, “the Daoists already control Datong. And second…”

The minister beside him understood what he didn’t finish saying.

Even if Sumeru threw all its might into an invasion, they still might not be able to capture Datong from the Five Prominent Clans.

Whereas the Daoist Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu, had already swept them away.

As for royal face—clearly, now was not the time to worry about such things.

The Buddhists had invited them in.

The Daoists—they had to chase after.

The latter was more passive, true.

But it also involved fewer strings attached.

If it worked, King Zhou’s line would have greater autonomy and fewer risks.

“We don’t have the luxury of time to slowly weigh our options,” King Zhou said evenly. “Waiting too long is no better than choosing wrong.”

Below them, the Sixteen Nations were growing restless.

No doubt, they too would send many disciples, hoping to gain Immortal Fate in the Daoist Holy Land of the Great Tang.

“There’s no time to lose,” King Zhou sighed.
“Whether we succeed… no one can say.”

“In Datong, people’s hearts must be in turmoil right now.”

In the Han Mortal Realm, a diplomatic envoy had just departed from Chang’an, the imperial capital, on their way to Datong.

The chief envoy and deputy envoy were in conversation. They had already been briefed on the general situation unfolding in Datong.

While the hearts of Datong’s people were unsteady, the informed parties within the Han Realm were just as shocked.

“All five of the Great Clans’ leaders—each a Confucian sage at the Ninth Heaven Realm—have perished?” The younger deputy envoy still looked skeptical. “Not even one managed to escape?”

The chief envoy, a middle-aged man named Ouyang Jingyuan, gave him a glance. “Yes, all five. Though the Xiao Clan leader wasn’t present, it turns out the Fang Clan of Datong had a hidden Ninth Heaven scholar.”

Fang Junmei, the deputy, met his gaze. “Lord Shaofu, please don’t look at me like that. Even though I’m from the Fang Clan, the Datong Fang and the Jingxiang Fang split up thousands of years ago.”

“Though we’ve occasionally supported each other, disagreements are even more common. If they had someone like that, they’d never share it with our side.”

He smiled. “Besides, my loyalty is to the Imperial Court, to His Majesty and the Crown Prince. The clan back home often criticizes me harshly. Even if they knew something, they wouldn’t tell me.”

Ouyang Jingyuan responded coolly, “Fang Sheren, what are you saying? Everyone under heaven is loyal to the court.”

Fang Junmei bowed slightly. “The Shaofu is right. I’ll take that to heart.”

Ouyang looked at him again.

The Emperor was surrounded by too many petty schemers—men who flattered and manipulated, clouding his judgment and hampering the Crown Prince.

Still, this man had a point.

The fact that Datong’s Five Great Clans had been wiped out so easily? That was hard to believe.

From what they knew, this wasn’t an ambush or a neutral battlefield. The Five Clans had defended their ancestral grounds with full strength—yet the so-called Daoists from the Great Tang still smashed through their defenses and destroyed them all?

If the Tang Daoists could achieve that as the attackers, imagine how easily they’d dominate a fair fight in neutral ground.

More shocking—Lin Zheng, Fang Xi, Han Tian, Su Guang, Fang Xing... not one escaped?

Even if we discount Han Tian and Su Guang, Lin Zheng had already reached the pinnacle of the Ninth Heaven, a Confucian scholar who walked among the clouds.

Fang Xi and Fang Xing’s ancestral grounds in particular were known to be connected to the Nine Provinces.

Yet not a single one made it out?

When Ouyang Jingyuan first heard, he thought the intel must be wrong.

Surely it would’ve taken a full mobilization of the Great Tang’s entire imperial force—all experts working in unison—to accomplish such a result?

But after multiple confirmations, the report remained unchanged.

Only Daoists had appeared.

More precisely, only experts from the Talisman Sect under the Great Tang had shown up.

After the initial shock, Ouyang forced himself to regain composure. Acting under the Crown Prince’s orders, he headed to Datong to assess the situation personally.

General Yin Ming from the Han Dynasty had been caught in the chaos. Fortunately, he was reportedly unharmed for now.

But what exactly the Tang Daoists and the Tang Dynasty aimed to do remained unclear.

A dragon crosses the river—the Great Tang had made its entrance.

Now, all eyes in the Han Imperial Court were locked onto Datong.

Ouyang Jingyuan and Fang Junmei led the envoy delegation through the Void Gate, entering Datong.

Since Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen had gone ahead, Lei Jun had gradually dismantled the Void Formation sealing the passage between the realms.

Xu Yuanzhen had no interest in dealing with the Han envoys.

But Tang Xiaotang was full of curiosity.

Lei Jun figured his junior sister saw this as a great opportunity to show off—receiving envoys from the Han as the National Preceptor of the Great Tang was quite the honor.

Though she was a bit unreliable at times, as the former Tianshi of Mount Longhu and now the Tang’s official preceptor, she was extremely competent at major public affairs.

Especially when they involved things she found interesting.

With Chu Yu also present as a Tang official, Lei Jun felt no need to worry.

While Lei Jun attacked the Xiao Clan’s Ancestral Grounds, he also instructed Chu Kun, Zhang Jingzhen, and others to begin wrapping up matters across Datong.

He had skimmed through the accumulated stores of the Five Great Clans.

Most of them were geared toward Confucian cultivators.

Many of the natural treasures had already been refined using Literary Radiance or Haoran Qi, making them unsuitable for Daoists.

However, a few items still caught Lei Jun’s attention.

“Senior Brother, is that Six-Dragon Marrow?” Chu Kun asked curiously, eyeing the treasure Lei Jun held.

Lei Jun nodded. “Yes, it is.”

This treasure could be used by both Confucian and Daoist cultivators.

For Confucians, it served one function.

But for Daoists, its greatest value lay in assisting Ninth Heaven Great Ascension realm experts in their regular cultivation.

Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang were at the fourth and third layers of Ninth Heaven respectively. Their cultivation was already deep, so the Six-Dragon Marrow wouldn’t help them as much.

But for Lei Jun, who had just entered the first layer of Ninth Heaven, its effects would be substantial.

“This is just right for my current cultivation,” Lei Jun said with a slight nod.

After reaching the Ninth Heaven, he had spent much of his time crafting magic tools and studying new divine arts, which had cut into his cultivation of Mystic Spirit Qi.

Now, with the Six-Dragon Marrow, he could rebuild that momentum.

Only with a deep reserve of Mystic Spirit Qi could he hope to refine the Three Essences of Danling and step into the second layer of the Ninth Heaven.

In other words, it would save him time—or rather, help him reclaim lost time.

“Senior Brother, things here in Datong have been preserved much better than in Guizang,” Chu Kun remarked.

Lei Jun gave a small nod.

Compared to Guizang, which had previously been occupied by Little Ming Court, the situation in Datong was indeed far better.

The spiritual energy here was rich and vibrant, and it was clear that many treasures remained.

While most had already been harvested, refined, or consumed by the Five Great Clans, the abundance and diversity of the newly grown spiritual herbs and minerals were still significant.