Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 395: The Divide between Immortals and Mortals

Compared to the dim and obscure Xuanling One Qi, the newly-formed Threefold Elixir Qi was graceful and full of vitality, like the refined essence born of all things in heaven and earth after tempering.

Lei Jun remained seated in meditation, continuing his cultivation without pause.

Within the Great Ascension Dao Domain, which had transformed into a cosmic furnace, all things in the Xuanhuang Universe continued to be refined.

From this process, the Threefold Elixir Qi grew ever more exquisite, spreading outward on a large scale.

Once the qi had diffused to a certain extent, under Lei Jun’s mental control, these graceful streams of energy came to a halt.

Then, as if using the Threefold Elixir Qi as raw material, Lei Jun continued refining it within the cosmic furnace that was the manifestation of his Dao Domain.

Gradually, the spreading streams of qi condensed once more, beginning to manifest a more radiant brilliance.

That brilliance shimmered in three colors: purple, gold, and green, circulating endlessly.

It felt as though the very essence of the world was held within.

As the light stabilized, it appeared like a dazzling cloud of mist and haze.

This was known as the Threefold Radiant Mist.

A mystical phenomenon cultivated by Ninth-Heaven Great Ascension level masters of the Talismanic Branch, after advancing to the second tier of the Ninth Heaven. It possessed the wondrous ability to stabilize objects and preserve their essence.

When enemies unleashed various techniques within a Ninth-Heaven Talismanic master’s Dao Domain, many of those methods could be captured and preserved momentarily by the Threefold Radiant Mist.

Although its effect only lasted briefly and was confined to the Dao Domain, in actual combat it often achieved remarkable results.

Of course, this method wasn’t solely for combat purposes.

For cultivators, all techniques ultimately stemmed from one’s personal cultivation.

During regular practice, the Threefold Radiant Mist’s ability to preserve and encapsulate the essence of things made it especially useful for reflecting upon and understanding the subtle wonders of nature and existence.

At this moment, Lei Jun was repeatedly refining the Threefold Elixir Qi into the Threefold Radiant Mist, delving into its mysteries.

His manifestation of the Threefold Radiant Mist was different from others.

As the mist flowed, it seemed to contain a deeper and more subtle mystery within.

While Lei Jun sat in meditation, streams of energy within the Xuanhuang Universe began to coalesce, slowly forming a Taiji Diagram that stood upright behind him.

The diagram rotated quietly, evolving through Two Elements Transformation.

The Threefold Radiant Mist gradually concentrated on one side.

Within it, a subtle, formless presence was extracted and drawn to the other side of the Two Elements.

The invisible force condensed on a large scale, gradually taking on form.

Contrasting with the radiant and graceful Threefold Radiant Mist, this opposing manifestation appeared dense and obscure, with a grayish-white hue.

Its power and intent bore striking resemblance to the golden Primal Magnetic Sea from Lei Jun’s former Divine Court Universe, though this version was even more refined.

“A faint outline is forming, but it still needs further refining,” Lei Jun murmured while sitting in lotus position, nodding slightly.

Back when he was in the first tier of the Ninth Heaven, he cultivated Xuanling One Qi and, beyond the Profound Darkness Dust—which all Great Ascension Talismanic cultivators developed—he had also manifested the additional wonder: Nine Heavens Heart Thunder.

The two complemented and opposed each other, aligning with Lei Jun’s prior realization from exploring the Nine Heavens and the Yellow Springs, bolstered by his Two-Element Celestial Physique, ultimately allowing him to master two profound techniques simultaneously.

Now, having reached the second tier of the Ninth Heaven, those conditions no longer existed.

Yet unexpectedly, something new was emerging.

Thanks to Lei Jun’s steady accumulation of cultivation, this moment had borne unexpected fruit.

The Threefold Radiant Mist he crafted from the Threefold Elixir Qi could preserve form and essence, capturing a moment’s brilliance.

Its opposite phenomenon was a burst of intense explosive power in a single instant.

But such an eruption was only possible through long-term, consistent nurturing.

This very concept aligned perfectly with Lei Jun’s Two-Element Celestial Talisman.

The Threefold Elixir Qi was inherently formed through refining one’s learnings and the world’s essence within a Talismanic cultivator’s Great Ascension Dao Domain.

When Lei Jun refined it, he infused large amounts of Primal Magnetic Force.

Built upon his Two-Element Celestial Physique and natural comprehension, he silently refined the Threefold Elixir Qi with insights from the Primal Magnetism, transforming it into a new miraculous power that existed in direct relation to the Threefold Radiant Mist.

Still, unlike the first-tier’s perfect harmony between Profound Darkness Dust and Nine Heavens Heart Thunder—rooted in the Nine Heavens and Yellow Springs—this second-tier evolution required much more contemplation and experimentation from Lei Jun before it could fully take shape.

He enjoyed this process immensely.

For Daoist Lei, such was one of the greatest pleasures of the Daoist path.

As time passed, his accumulation of Xuanling One Qi and Threefold Elixir Qi grew ever deeper.

The Threefold Radiant Mist he refined became increasingly sophisticated, eventually reaching a point where it could manifest with a single thought.

Its opposing wondrous manifestation also steadily took form, becoming more solid and complete.

During this period of cultivation, Lei Jun also took out two more artifacts.

One was the Guangmo Sword, an ancestral heirloom of the Lin Clan of Datong.

The other was the Hanhai Sword, the treasured heirloom of the Xiao Clan of Datong.

Both were famous Confucian swords, forged with immense effort by the two great noble clans of Datong using rare materials and resources. They had been nurtured over generations, constantly refined over time.

In quality, they were no less than the Northwind Sword and Haoran Sword passed down by the Youzhou Lin Clan and the Outer Zezhou Xiao Clan respectively.

However, due to the differing styles among Confucian scholastic swordsmen, martial combat sword cultivators, and Daoist sword wielders, the Guangmo Sword and Hanhai Sword emphasized different aspects compared to the Mountains and Rivers Sword, Tianshi Sword, and Twin Swords of Purple and Green.

Lei Jun had previously used these two swords to perform Primal Magnetic Flying Sword techniques, which were powerful—but also caused considerable wear on the swords themselves.

So, he intended to reforge and refine them.

While seated in lotus position, the two ancient-style longswords floated quietly in the air.

One sword had a blade of deep black, faintly glowing with a piercing chill—this was the Guangmo Sword. At times, icy light flickered from within, rendering the black blade crystal-clear like snow and ice. A frozen world seemed sealed within.

The other sword had a broader blade, glowing with a vibrant yellow hue. It radiated scorching heat and ferocity, brimming with desert-like sword intent—this was the Hanhai Sword.

The two famed Confucian swords stood in sharp contrast to each other.

After observing them for a moment, Lei Jun summoned forth lightning all around his body.

The lightning split into two colors.

One side was jet black.

The other, pure gold.

As the Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talisman and the Divine Firmament Pure Yang Talisman circulated, both Mysterious Firmament Celestial Thunder and Pure Yang Celestial Thunder were generated.

Then, the two opposing divine thunders—yin and yang—proceeded in stages, separately refining the Guangmo Sword and Hanhai Sword.

The Mysterious Firmament Celestial Thunder was used to nurture and refine the Guangmo Sword.

The Pure Yang Celestial Thunder was used for the Hanhai Sword.

Both swords trembled, revealing their resistance.

But Lei Jun was patient.

As his mana circulated over time, black and gold talismanic runes began to appear on the surfaces of the two Confucian swords, as if etched into them.

On this foundation, Lei Jun then summoned four Two-Element Celestial Talismans, forming two paired sets, unleashing a torrent of Primal Magnetic Force to further nurture the two swords.

He used yin thunder to nourish the Guangmo Sword, and yang thunder for the Hanhai Sword, enhancing each according to its nature, rather than simply seeking yin-yang balance.

After all, the way he planned to wield them differed from that of a standard Ninth-Heaven Confucian master...

In a sense, if these two swords were living beings, then Tianshi Lei was putting them through a rigorous training regimen.

The ancestral Tianshi Sword from the Tianshi Mansion was likewise used to unleash sword light rather than for physical slashing.

Yet in Lei Jun’s hands, using it for Primal Magnetic Flying Sword techniques was not necessarily more powerful—but the sword itself could handle far more stress and strain than the Guangmo and Hanhai swords.

The key difference was that the Tianshi Sword had long been nurtured by the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.

It had always been saturated with divine thunder, and that made Lei Jun’s subsequent infusion of Primal Magnetic Force much smoother.

Now, he was simply applying the same method again.

However, he tailored the process to each sword’s characteristics—using Mysterious Firmament Celestial Thunder and Pure Yang Celestial Thunder respectively for reforging.

So far, it was off to a promising start.

But this was no quick fix—it would require time and consistency.

That said, now that the Guangmo Sword and Hanhai Sword bore his imprint and were being used in this way, if certain Confucian masters learned of it, they’d surely accuse him of “wasting divine treasures”...

Just then, a Confucian scholar arrived at Mount Longhu's Tianshi Mansion seeking an audience with Tianshi Lei Jun.

His name was Ling Hui, refined and elegant in appearance, seemingly in his thirties—though he was older in truth. Lei Jun remembered him as one of the standout scholars to emerge when the Empress founded the Academy.

Though not as dazzling as Meng Shaojie, both Xiao Chunhui and Fang Yue, successive Chancellors of the Academy, held him in high regard.

Over forty years had passed since the Academy’s founding.

Its graduates were now making their mark in the Tang Court, representing a new generation and becoming an indispensable part of the imperial bureaucracy.

Though Xiao Chunhui was gone, these scholars from humble origins continued to rise steadily, drawing closer to the central government—and increasingly stepping into its halls.

Their numbers and excellence only grew.

To Lei Jun’s knowledge, aside from Meng Shaojie, who chose to travel, two academy graduates now stood out. One was Song Hang, who had formally taken over Xiao Chunhui’s former duties.

The other was the man now before him: Ling Hui.

“Tianshi, forgive this student for my abrupt visit. I beg your pardon,” Ling Hui said, bowing respectfully.

Lei Jun replied, “You’re too polite, Master Ling. No need for formalities.”

After giving thanks, Ling Hui explained his purpose: “By imperial order, I am to go to Datong and assist Elders Chu and Zhang of your sect with local administration. But as I am still young and inexperienced, I fear I may overlook matters. I’ve come to humbly seek your guidance.”

Lei Jun said, “You’re too modest, Master Ling. Our sect does have many disciples traveling between Datang and Datong, but I have no intention of turning the Five Great Clans of Datong into ‘One Clans of Sixteen States’. As Datong’s appointed steward, I simply hope you will govern with benevolence.”

Ling Hui bowed. “I will bear your teachings in mind, Tianshi.”

Given the current situation in Datong, if the Tianshi Mansion had no desire to convert the region into a direct extension of the Tang Dynasty, then a political consolidation was unlikely to occur either.

This approach was somewhat unexpected.

As he descended Mount Longhu and reached its foot, Ling Hui paused and looked back up at the mountain.

That Tianshi’s calm and indifferent demeanor belied a mind that was truly hard to fathom.

Was it Daoist non-interventionism?

Or something else?

Ling Hui didn’t know.

But he was certain of one thing: as he departed for Datong, he must keep Lei Jun’s words in mind.

This could lead to a more loosely-governed Datong.

Under normal circumstances, this might seem detrimental to internal stability—especially with the Han Dynasty Mortal Realm right nearby.

Fortunately, Datong had Lei Jun and Shangguan Yunbo to watch over it, while Xu Yuanzhen remained within the Han Realm itself.

Aside from that one astonishing moment when she caused Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion to go into seclusion, Xu Yuanzhen hadn’t made any major moves.

Thus, the Han Dynasty authorities chose to overlook her presence.

At least she wasn’t like Lei Jun or Tang Xiaotang…

Which made it harder for the Han Dynasty to act rashly toward Datong.

Everyone kept things restrained—peace was best.

Still, Ling Hui couldn’t help but feel uneasy when thinking about Master Xu of the Tianshi Mansion.

In recent years, her reputation had soared.

Yet compared to the constant presence of Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang in the Tang Mortal Realm, Xu Yuanzhen felt somewhat… elusive.

But when Ling Hui recalled her past deeds, his heart skipped a beat:

—She had destroyed the ancestral grounds of the Youzhou Lin Clan.

—Dueled the Ye Clan Elder of Jinzhou, Ye Moquan.

—Hunted down Huang Xuanpu, the Emperor of the Mortal Daoist Nation.

—Opened a void gateway between the Tang Realm and Penglai.

—And later reversed the passage between the Ming Realm and Guizang, effectively dooming the Xiaoming Court…

One event after another, Ling Hui could only draw one conclusion:

Guardian Master Xu of the Mystic Vastness had a tendency to stay silent—until she made a move that shook the world.

Her long silences were the most terrifying.

Because you never knew when she would strike again…

Aside from Ling Hui, who had come to pay respects at Mount Longhu before heading to Datong, other individuals were also preparing to leave the Tang Realm.

High-ranking elders of the Shushan Sect and Pure Yang Palace of the Han Dynasty—including He Yuhang, Zhao Haoran, and Wang Jianan—along with their disciples, had completed their tour of the Tang Realm and were now preparing to return home.

Compared to them, the monks of Bodhi Monastery and Xuanyan Temple were far more composed.

But among the Daoist visitors, emotions were mixed.

Privately, He Yuhang of the Shushan Sect met with Zhao Haoran of the Pure Yang Palace, and finally couldn’t hold back his question:

“Brother Zhao, during your visit to the Pure Yang Palace in the Tang Realm, did you… did you happen to meet—?”

He spoke evasively.

But Zhao Haoran seemed to already know what the other party wanted to ask.

There weren’t many things that could elicit such a reaction from He Yuhang.

"Our branch of the sect, within the Tang Dynasty, also offers talisman decrees to the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu," Zhao Haoran said softly.

Upon hearing this, He Yuhang drew a deep breath and remained silent for a long time.

Zhao Haoran fell silent as well.

The Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu, part of the Talismanic Branch, was the undisputed leader of the Daoist path in the Tang Mortal Realm.

It had the joint recognition and support of both the Shushan Sect and the Pure Yang Palace of the Tang Dynasty.

"Whether it’s our sect’s legacy in the Tang Dynasty or your sect’s lineage here, we’ve both experienced the so-called Mortal Daoist Nation upheaval."

After a long pause, Zhao Haoran spoke again, slowly, “The situation here is ultimately different from that of the Han.”

He Yuhang gently nodded. “You’re right, Daoist brother. I just... got a little carried away for a moment. Sigh!”

Zhao Haoran said, “Although there’s no sign of the Mortal Daoist Nation in the Han Dynasty, we should still look into it thoroughly after returning.”

He Yuhang nodded lightly.

The Han branch of Mount Longhu was a direct descendant of the ancient Talismanic Branch and had always been dominant.

This made it hard for the Mortal Daoist Nation to find a foothold in the Han Mortal Realm.

But nothing in the world is absolute.

Especially when Mount Longhu's Han branch unexpectedly sealed its mountain, and the entire sect vanished into a grotto, disappearing from the Han Mortal Realm. This event caught the attention of Zhao Haoran, He Yuhang, and others.

"That said, from what I’ve seen, although the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu in the Tang is powerful, it does not act overbearingly."

He Yuhang let out a long breath. “Our sect’s lineage within the Tang was heavily damaged before, but it has started to recover. Mount Longhu has indeed lent us a helping hand.”

Zhao Haoran nodded slightly. “You speak the truth, Daoist brother.”

The group from the Han used a void portal beneath Zhijin Ridge in Lucheng of Shangzhou to travel via Datong back to the Han Mortal Realm.

To avoid suspicion, they made no stops in Datong, refrained from observation or inquiry, and passed through quickly.

The Tianshi Mansion and the Tang Imperial Court both assigned dedicated personnel to guide and escort them.

"This way, honored seniors." The one in charge from the Tang’s Mount Longhu Tianshi Mansion was Elder Qin Caiwei.

She usually dealt more with spiritual plants than people, but in recent years, she hadn’t missed any essential training in the mansion. She handled hospitality with proper decorum.

Still, no one knew that while Elder Qin from the Tianshi Mansion showed no outward emotion, she was secretly feeling a bit guilty inside.

Because... she’d taken care of a personal matter during this mission.

“Thank you, Daoist Qin,” said He Yuhang politely, the high-ranking elder of the Han Shushan Sect.

Qin Caiwei replied, “You’re too kind, senior. I don’t deserve such praise.”

Her gaze swept calmly over the longsword hanging at He Yuhang’s waist.

The sword was named Enlightenment and was his life-bound artifact.

However, despite its deep connection to He Yuhang's life and soul, at this moment when it was being refined, he failed to notice a sudden flash of bright sword light from within its scabbard.

It lasted only an instant, silently fading away.

The artifact remained sheathed, giving off no light or disturbance.

As if nothing had happened at all.

Qin Caiwei lowered her eyes slightly and whispered inwardly, Forgive me.

No one around—not He Yuhang, Zhao Haoran, nor any other cultivator—noticed anything amiss.

As planned, they quickly passed through the void portal linking Datong and the Han Mortal Realm, returning home.

Tang Mortal Realm.

Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu.

Once again, prominent guests had come seeking an audience with Tianshi Lei.

Each visitor was a well-known figure throughout the Tang Dynasty.

Even the relatively young and newly advanced cultivator, Nie Fang, had just broken through to the Seventh Heaven Realm, reaching the Upper Heavens.

According to Lei Jun, Nie Fang was now preparing to craft a new artificer puppet for his own breakthrough into the Seventh Heaven.

His primary puppet, Countercurrent, was badly damaged in a previous battle during his Middle Heavens stage.

Nie Fang himself, however, downplayed the matter. He quietly collected Countercurrent’s remains and began experimenting with new materials and innovative refining methods.

Xuanji Monastery had also risen in fame across the Tang and beyond, expanding rapidly. Its disciples now numbered in the dozens.

Although it had not yet reached the stature of the three Daoist Holy Lands—Tianshi Mansion, Pure Yang Palace, and the Shushan Sect—its growth trend was clear and increasingly attracting attention.

Aside from Nie Fang, the master-disciple duo Sun Mingjing and Yu Cheng also visited in person.

As the foremost healer in the Tang Dynasty, Sun Mingjing's every move drew great public interest.

In recent years, the Rebirth Hall had collaborated extensively with Mount Longhu and the Shushan Sect.

The Medicine King constantly wandered the world and seldom settled in one place. Ironically, he spent more time at Shushan and Mount Longhu than in the imperial capital’s Rebirth Hall.

So even though Sun Mingjing made a personal visit, the Tianshi Mansion received him with the highest honors, but outsiders weren’t particularly surprised.

What did raise eyebrows was that another Holy Land master from the Southern Wasteland’s Witch Sect had come to visit the current Tianshi.

This time, it was Hu Hengyuan, Lord of Yinshi Cavern—the Holy Land of Gu Mastery—who personally traveled north to pay respects to Lei Jun of Mount Longhu.

While outsiders were surprised, the more they thought about it, the more it made sense.

The Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu was now indisputably the southern pillar of the Tang Dynasty.

In the south—including territories beyond Tang borders—any major event could not bypass Mount Longhu.

There was even a recent precedent: the newly appointed Holy Master of Gepo Mountain, Wen Xi, personally came to visit Tianshi Lei.

But Wen Xi was relatively inexperienced, and Gepo Mountain was the most peaceful and stable among the five great Holy Lands of the Southern Wasteland.

Now, with Hu Hengyuan—the master of a Gu-specialized Holy Land—making the trip himself, attention surged once again.

Times had indeed changed in the Southern Wasteland...

Hu Hengyuan himself remained composed.

Mount Longhu and Yinshi Cavern had already communicated well ahead of this visit.

Inside Yinshi Cavern, this move sparked intense debate.

Yet none of that showed on Hu Hengyuan’s face.

Lei Jun, equally calm, was speaking with Sun Mingjing: “The spiritual pills produced by Rebirth Hall have saved countless lives recently. Elder Sun, your merit is tremendous.”

Sun Mingjing shook his head. “I dare not take credit. The honor belongs to you, Tianshi, as well as the Daoists from Shushan and Xuanji Monastery.”

Nie Fang hurried to echo that they didn’t dare accept such praise.

Lei Jun continued, “Although the Evil Cultivators of the Yellow Springs have yet to reappear, it’s best to be prepared. The Shushan Sect will focus primarily on refining Pure Yang artifacts and magical tools.”

Generally speaking, this endeavor was jointly managed by the Tianshi Mansion, Shushan Sect, and Xuanji Monastery, with Pure Yang Palace providing support.

In the upcoming period, the Shushan Sect would take the lead.

Meanwhile, Xuanji Monastery would begin large-scale cooperation with Rebirth Hall—and even the Witch Sect of the Southern Wasteland.

Lord Hu Hengyuan and Elder Tian Cheng of Yinshi Cavern had come specifically for this purpose.

The central topic: Dehai, one of the Ten Earthly Domains.

There had been a civil war among the Jiuli people within Dehai. The result was unexpectedly peaceful—an early reconciliation followed by a united front.

Then, a massive burst from the Seven Abysses of Dehai expelled all Tang cultivators and sealed the region completely.

It wasn’t that the greedy Li Yuanheng of the Jiuli wouldn't backstab the Tang.

The Tang was already wary of the Jiuli.

But the timing was strange.

So strange, it was impossible not to suspect that some unknown transformation had taken place within the Jiuli.

Naturally, Lei Jun and others stayed vigilant.

While Tang Xiaotang worked on reopening the portal to Dehai, Lei Jun was not idle either.

He began researching how to counteract the black mist and sinister aura in Dehai that harmed human cultivators.

Previously, he had used formations to suppress the mist, but it required his personal presence and was a temporary fix.

From a manpower perspective, it was not efficient.

Now, Lei Jun was developing a strategy involving mass-produced artifacts and pills, used in tandem with talismans, to be deployed everywhere.

Even without top-tier cultivators present, they would still neutralize the mist and eliminate the Jiuli's terrain advantage.

Thus, a joint summit was held, gathering martial physicians, Daoists, and Witch Sect experts to study the matter.

Xuanji Monastery would also shift its focus toward this direction.

Of course, this required extensive testing and refinement beforehand.

Fortunately, Lei Jun’s exceptional comprehension had already allowed him to find solutions for many key challenges in his mind.

Though both stem from the Witch Sect, even the Southern Wasteland’s people saw the Jiuli as a threat.

So Hu Hengyuan and Tian Cheng had no objections.

But for Yinshi Cavern, this wasn’t their main concern.

With the Medicine King present...

And Lei Jun, a Ninth-Heaven Great Ascension cultivator with peerless skill and talent...

Working together with Sun Mingjing, they could likely develop many methods to neutralize Gu poisons.

For Yinshi Cavern, that was equivalent to inviting a wolf into the house.

This caused much internal debate.

After much thought, Lord Hu Hengyuan personally led the visit to Mount Longhu, accompanied by Tian Cheng, the most outstanding new-generation talent in the cavern.

Lei Jun spoke with them as usual.

Hu Hengyuan kept his mind composed and responded with ease.

Finally, Lei Jun said, “Natural disasters and man-made calamities alike harm the common folk. For the people, beyond epidemics, their harvests can be ruined by pest infestations too.”

Hu Hengyuan and Tian Cheng exchanged glances.

Lei Jun's words were unexpected.

But they immediately grasped his meaning.

This Tianshi of Mount Longhu hoped that Yinshi Cavern might integrate into the Tang Empire—or rather, into the world of the Han people—through such efforts?

His vision was both grand and minute.

Grand, in that he was nudging the Gu Mastery lineage of the Witch Sect toward a new path.

It was not hard to imagine this affecting the entire Southern Wasteland Witch Sect in the future.

Minute, in that he focused not on the cultivation world—but on the mundane realm.

He alone didn’t try to find ways to break Yinshi Cavern’s poisons.

“Technically speaking, it's not impossible.”

But at this moment, Hu Hengyuan was willing to believe that Tianshi Lei didn’t intend to do so.

Or perhaps, from another angle, it was that this Tianshi Lei expected the entire Yin Mountain Sect to reform itself, to restrain its practices from top to bottom—thus, the rampant use of Gu poisons would naturally die down.

“I’ve heard of it back in the day,” Lei Jun said. “There are many types of Gu insects. In some regions of the Southern Wasteland, they’ve even been used to help agriculture. It’s a pity it never developed into a real system.”

That was true.

But it had never truly taken shape.

Ultimately, in this world, in this era, in this environment—it was simply unrealistic to expect cultivators, aside from rare individuals like Luo Haoran, to serve the common folk on a large scale.

That would truly be reversing the Heavenly Firmament.

The Imperial Dynasty, for all its concern over stability and disaster relief, was not focused on pushing detailed reforms or systemic improvements.

Most of the time, the involvement of cultivators was incidental—fleeting glimpses through the cracks of their fingers, often without deliberate intent.

Lei Jun didn’t mind this.

He just saw it as military tech turned civilian.

There was no need to rush. And certainly no need to worry.

Slow and steady, with no need for glory in a century.

It would undoubtedly be a long process.

This was where the benefit of extended cultivator lifespans began to show.

If not for that, Zhang Hui wouldn’t be so at ease.

Barring any major unexpected events, he wouldn’t need to share the throne with the Empress across generations.

Empress Zhang Wantong alone could rule the Dragon Court for hundreds of years—

—maybe even longer.

As long as she didn't change course, her only real concern would be making sure that the so-called "major unexpected event" never occurred.

The same applied to Lei Jun.

After a long conversation, Hu Hengyuan chose to stay behind at the Tianshi Mansion on Mount Longhu, while Tian Cheng was sent back to the Southern Wasteland.

Between the Central Plains and the Southern Wasteland, the power dynamic constantly fluctuated.

It was not uncommon in history for the Southern Wasteland’s Witch Sect to be weak, while the Central Plains' Daoist world and the Imperial Dynasty remained strong.

But both Hu Hengyuan and Tian Cheng had a faint sense that this time might bring a sweeping change—unlike any seen before.

History, civilization, tradition, and human inertia were powerful forces.

Any such change might not happen overnight—might not be achieved in years, decades, or even a hundred years.

It could last for a very long time.

But Hu Hengyuan had a vague feeling—this shift in the times was already underway.

It was a transformation of fortune, but it was also driven by people riding the waves.

And the contemporary Tianshi of Mount Longhu, the one from the Great Tang Dynasty...

was unfathomable.

Hu Hengyuan, the Holy Master of Yin Mountain, was no virtuous man.

Back when Wei Anchang, head of the Blood River Sect, had risen up to unify the Southern Wasteland,

Hu Hengyuan and the Yin Mountain Sect had fought alongside the other sacred lands of the Witch Sect against Blood River and Golden Castle,

—but they’d also hesitated and watched from the sidelines more than once.

Yet now, Hu Hengyuan felt instinctively:

He and Yin Mountain must actively ride the tide of the times.

Even if the path ahead would be full of risk, twists, and sacrifice—

—even if they themselves became the cost of those turns,

—even if he himself would never live to see the end—

They had to move forward.

While Tianshi Lei remained on Mount Longhu, hosting Sun Mingjing, Nie Fang, Hu Hengyuan, and others—

the Great Han Dynasty and the Great Tang Dynasty initiated their second official exchange.

This time, the delegation primarily consisted of scholars.

But compared to the last visit, officials from the court were now starting to get involved.

Leading the delegation from the Tang side was Shangguan Qing—

an elder of the Shangguan family, a renowned Confucian scholar, and a senior minister of the Tang Court.

Zhang Hui had previously reached out to Meng Shaojie specifically for this matter.

Meng Shaojie was very interested in traveling to the Han Mortal Realm.

However, he was currently in Guicang, compiling and organizing various folk documents and texts preserved under the governance of the Lesser Ming Court.

A calm and methodical person, he chose to give up this rare opportunity in order to finish the task at hand.

He would consider visiting in the future.

So, Shangguan Qing and his group departed first.

Before they could return, the Han side had already sent a second delegation.

Word of the “Five Surnames and Seven Prominent Clans” and their fate in the Tang Realm had gradually reached all levels of the Han Dynasty.

Thus, they were careful in selecting their envoys, avoiding aristocratic descendants and minimizing the inclusion of imperial relatives.

The lead envoy was Ouyang Jingyuan, whom Lei Jun had met in Datong—

Junior Guardian to the Crown Prince of the Han Dynasty.

Ouyang Jingyuan first traveled north to the Tang capital, Luoyang, to pay respects to the reigning Empress.

Afterward, he headed south to Mount Longhu, to visit Tianshi Lei.

After formal greetings, they sat and exchanged pleasantries.

“War is dangerous and terrifying. No one wishes for the Han Dynasty to suffer such disasters,” said Lei Jun.

“This humble Daoist prays day and night that the turmoil in Han will soon come to an end.”

Ouyang Jingyuan expressed his gratitude:

“Daoist Xuanxiaozhi’s compassion brings blessings to all people.”

At present, the Han Dynasty’s borders were unstable.

In addition to the long-standing threat of Vast Void Temple in the Southern Wasteland,

monstrous beasts had begun appearing near its borders, causing chaos.

Under such circumstances, Ouyang Jingyuan naturally wanted to gauge the stance of both the Tang imperial court and the Tianshi Mansion on Mount Longhu.

Fortunately, Tianshi Lei showed no signs of taking advantage of their misfortune.

“I heard that an ancient creature, a Feiyi, was spotted on Han’s border?” Lei Jun asked.

Ouyang Jingyuan replied,

“Indeed. But the beast was slain by our Crown Prince himself.”

Lei Jun gave a slight nod.

“An impressive feat by Master Xiang.”

The Tang side had also been receiving sporadic reports about the Han Realm,

but many of them were unverified and outdated.

Lei Jun had already heard rumors of Feiyi bloodlines appearing in the Han Realm—

creatures whose power rivaled cultivators at the Ninth Heaven Realm, devastating everything in their path.

Now, hearing from Ouyang Jingyuan that the Han Crown Prince Xiang Jing personally led the expedition and successfully killed the Feiyi,

Lei Jun understood that the Crown Prince had crushed the beasts' morale.

Though he had the support of Imperial Techniques, the Crown Prince’s strength and cultivation were clearly formidable.

But it also revealed something else:

the power struggle between the Han Emperor and the Crown Prince had now reached a critical stage.

Ouyang Jingyuan, as the Crown Prince’s longtime supporter, naturally wouldn’t speak openly about the imperial rivalry in front of Lei Jun.

Instead, he shifted his attention to more mutual concerns:

such as the Mortal Daoist Nation, the Shushan Sect in Yellow Springs,

and the joint rebellion of the Vajra Division and the Lone Eagle Khanate from years ago.

He also brought up the Treasure Division of Mount Sumeru in the Han Realm.

Currently, among the top figures of that division,

besides the briefly seen Division Head Fanta Tuo,

the most active was a Mudra Master who had already reached the Ninth Heaven Buddhist Dharma Body Realm.

Still, Ouyang Jingyuan and some Han ministers suspected there were other masters hiding in places like the Golden Bell Monastery or even within Sumeru itself.

“If each of the Five Divisions of the Vajra Realm has so many top monks,” said Ouyang Jingyuan thoughtfully,

“then their strength would be overwhelming. Maybe it’s not just about spreading influence across five lands. Perhaps there’s something else hidden deep within Sumeru…”

Lei Jun gave a subtle nod.

Then Ouyang Jingyuan leaned in slightly.

“One more thing… The current head of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Jing, did not resettle in Longxi. She and a few clan members have disappeared.”

Lei Jun: “Thank you for informing me.”

Ouyang continued:

“Also, in recent years, a new Talismanic Daoist sect has emerged in our territory—calling themselves the Yellow Heaven Sect.

They’re extremely elusive, slipping under the radar of many sects. Some say they’ve received help from certain renowned schools, but the full picture remains unclear.”

Lei Jun’s expression stayed neutral.

“Most likely, they slipped over from the Tang Realm into the Han Realm. Karma works in strange ways.”

Ouyang Jingyuan nodded in agreement, but continued observing Lei Jun closely.

When he saw that Lei Jun had no intention of crossing into the Han Realm to track them down, he was relieved.

Yet, this young Daoist was so difficult to read, it left Ouyang uneasy.

Even after he left the mountain, the Crown Prince’s advisor was still trying to figure out Lei Jun’s intentions.

Afterward, Lei Jun also left Mount Longhu.

He openly announced that he had received an imperial decree to travel to the capital, Luoyang, for an audience with the Empress.

This time, when he saw Empress Zhang Wantong, she was no longer presenting the image of someone turning her back on the world, casting her line into eternity.

While reviewing memorials, she casually asked:

“Minister Sun mentioned the Southern Wasteland’s Wumen and Yinshan Cave. What’s your take on it, Lei?”

It wasn’t surprising to Lei Jun that Sun Mingjing had reported the matter to the Empress—

this was, after all, part of the intended communication chain.

And to truly implement many of these ideas, the involvement of the Tang Dynasty from central to local government was essential.

“As times change, it’s not the great noble clans that are most affected, but the common people,” Lei Jun replied.

Empress Zhang looked up from the memorials.

“You’re right, Lei. Go ahead and move forward with it.”

Lei Jun gazed at the Empress in front of him.

Her various recent actions were so unusual, he had started to suspect—

Could it be that she, like himself, was from another world?

Had she experienced a similar fate that brought her here?

But deep down, he felt a difference.

Despite the surface similarities, they were not the same.

His thoughts surged rapidly, and suddenly he asked,

“Your Majesty… what do you think of the late emperor?”

It was a blunt and bold question,

completely out of character for Lei Jun,

and even the Empress showed a rare hint of surprise.

She looked at Lei Jun for a moment.

Then her expression returned to normal, and she answered calmly:

“He was fine.”

A short reply, but the meaning was clear.

The choice of words, however, was less than courteous.

If spread outside, it would surely cause a storm in the Tang court.

Lei Jun remained calm as he met the gaze of this once highly praised Empress,

whose reputation had taken a steep fall in recent years.

And yet, within his mind, a realization was forming:

So that’s how it is...

Empress Zhang Wantong actually had a closer relationship with her nephew, Zhang Hui,

or perhaps, it was better to say she admired him.

Her relationship with her elder brother, the late emperor Zhang Qilong, was only average.

She cared for him because of her fondness for his son—Zhang Hui.

That explained why, despite her talent and reputation in her youth,

she rarely had notable accomplishments and didn't offer much support to her brother.

It wasn’t until the Western Region rebellion, when Zhang Qilong was in danger, that she made a decisive move.

This was something Lei Jun hadn't expected.

After all, when the former emperor passed away, Crown Prince Zhang Hui was not even ten years old.

Did Zhang Wantong already see something in her nephew then?

Was it his lack of ambition for the throne?

His disinterest in power and position?

If so, what about her?

Why was Empress Zhang like this?

A swirl of thoughts raced through Lei Jun’s mind,

but his face remained calm as he changed the subject:

“Your Majesty, I heard that your health had been poor. Have you recovered?”

Empress Zhang, already picking up another memorial, replied,

“Nothing serious now. Just a minor delay from recovery.”

Hearing this, Lei Jun suddenly had a thought, and he asked softly:

“Your Majesty… are you preparing to push open the Gate between the Mortal and Immortal Realms?”

To ascend.

The Tang Realm had not seen a true Immortal for many years.

The divide between mortal and immortal had grown wider than ever—

a far greater obstacle than any other catastrophe.

But as the spiritual energy of the world surged, and the grand tide of transformation rose,

that sealed Gate between realms had begun to loosen.

This wasn’t just speculation.

Top experts like Lei Jun, Xu Yuanzhen, Tang Xiaotang, and even Zhang Wantong herself had felt the shift.

Of course, sensing it and actually opening the Gate were two entirely different things.

Lei Jun was certain that other realms had people working toward this too—

perhaps they had been preparing for a long time already.

For example, in recent years, the Golden Khan of the foreign realm—

after overthrowing the Great Song Dynasty,

had remained unusually silent aside from suppressing rival khanates.

And in the Great Han Realm, the struggle between Emperor and Crown Prince was growing stranger by the day…

As for the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, they were shrouded in even greater mystery.

In the Tang Realm, there was no question—

Zhang Wantong was the one at the forefront.

“I’ve gathered enough,” she said offhandedly.

“But I’m still not fully confident I can overcome the coming tribulations. I need to make a few more preparations.”

Lei Jun seemed thoughtful.

Her accumulation probably was enough.

But those “other preparations”—

What exactly was she getting ready for?