Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 403: Immortal Road Continues

Han Qingtao's expression was as grave as Li Hang's. “We’re still unclear whether they belong to the former Heavenly Palace, but in my opinion, we must remain vigilant.”

“Fellow Daoist Han speaks wisely,” Li Hang nodded.

The mountaintop fell silent for a while as the two men stood opposite each other, saying nothing.

Moments later, a streak of spiritual light flashed from the distance and landed atop the mountain in an instant.

An elderly Daoist, wearing a robe similar in style to Li Hang’s but primarily ochre in color, appeared before the two of them.

The old Daoist had white hair and a youthful face, kind features, and a calm, refined aura. Nothing about him seemed overt or ostentatious, yet he gave off a profound sense of returning to simplicity.

“Daoist Brother Yan,” Li Hang and Han Qingtao greeted him in unison with a respectful salute.

The old Daoist returned the gesture with a smile. “Fellow Daoists Li and Han, it has been a long time. I trust you’ve both been well.”

He glanced around at the surroundings of Penglai and sighed softly, “Such a celestial realm... It's a shame it was previously disturbed by those from the Tang Dynasty’s Mount Longhu. Only now has it begun to recover some of its former glory.”

Retracting his gaze, he looked back at Li Hang and Han Qingtao. “Back then, I couldn’t spare the time to come. I must thank you both for your efforts.”

Han Qingtao replied, “This was due to my own failure, and that of Brother Huang from the Tang Dynasty’s Pure Yang Palace. We lacked caution in our actions.”

The old Daoist said, “Fellow Daoist Han, you’re being too harsh on yourself.”

As the three conversed, another stream of light swiftly arrived at the peak.

From within stepped a young Daoist dressed in plain robes and straw sandals, similar in attire to Han Qingtao.

Despite his actual age, the youth appeared to be no more than twenty or thirty years old—remarkably young in appearance.

“Daoist brothers,” the young Daoist greeted the three with a respectful nod.

His name was Shen Xi.

In recent years, as Penglai reopened, Shen Xi emerged among the five elite Daoists who entered from the five directions—known in his realm as the Eastern Azure Emperor.

Now, with the Northern Black Emperor Huang Xuanpu having already perished, the remaining four Daoist sages of Penglai had gathered here today:

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Shen Xi, the Eastern Azure Emperor

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Han Qingtao, the Western White Emperor

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Li Hang, the Southern Red Emperor

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Yan Keji, the Central Yellow Emperor—a yellow-robed elder who also seemed to hail from the Daoist Alchemical Sect.

In their respective worlds, each of them was a formidable figure.

By a twist of fate, they had all entered Penglai—one of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths—around the same time.

Though there had been clashes and friction among them, over time, they chose restraint and began jointly exploring Penglai.

Here, they had discovered numerous relics of the ancient Talismanic Sect and the former Heavenly Palace, gaining much from their expeditions.

Despite coming from different worlds with diverse experiences, fate had led them down a shared path:

To establish a Daoist nation in the human world, drawing upon the ancient legacies of the Heavenly Palace and the Talismanic Sect.

Each of them had their own foundations and secret machinations in their respective realms.

Along the way, many other events had also transpired.

The Northern Black Emperor Huang Xuanpu, who had resided in the Tang Dynasty’s realm, had ultimately fallen. Later, Xu Yuanzhen entered Penglai from the Tang world and stirred up significant trouble.

Through it all, Shen Xi, Li Hang, and the others uncovered many hidden truths.

Some had been great help, while others hinted at danger.

“The disturbance in Bilu might be linked to the former Heavenly Palace,” Han Qingtao said.

Yan Keji slowly nodded. “Fellow Daoist Han speaks true. I, too, have sensed something.”

Shen Xi remained calm and steady. “Are they descendants... or survivors from the Heavenly Palace itself?”

Han Qingtao responded, “After all these years, if there truly are survivors of the original Heavenly Palace still alive, their cultivation must be...”

“The war back then was undoubtedly brutal, yet much remains shrouded in mystery,” Li Hang said slowly.

The three—Yan Keji, Shen Xi, and Han Qingtao—fell silent once more.

Together, the four Daoist sages gazed down at the mountain beneath their feet.

This place was once a relic of the ancient Heavenly Palace.

In ancient times, there were three realms: Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.

Following catastrophic upheavals, Heaven split into the Nine Heavens, Earth into the Ten Lands, and only the Human Realm remained intact.

As time passed, even the Heavenly Palace vanished, and the supreme order was lost.

Amid the rise and fall of noble clans, sects, and empires, chaos abounded—but the path to immortality was not yet severed. Mortals could still ascend, roaming the cosmos.

That was until the end of the Han Dynasty.

Amidst turmoil in the Human Realm, another great shift in Heaven and Earth occurred.

Those claiming to be descendants of the Heavenly Palace emerged, seeking to restore its reign.

A devastating war broke out between them and their opposition, eventually engulfing the Human Realm and all of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Countless cultivators and beings perished.

History was lost, records fragmented and confused.

Even the spacetime of the Human Realm became unstable, leading to a divergence.

The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths disappeared.

Spiritual energy waned, the path to immortality was severed, and for many years, no one ascended.

Only now, with the resurgence of spiritual energy, was change returning.

For Han Qingtao, Li Hang, and the others, this was an opportunity—but also a potential crisis.

They wished to believe that the cataclysm at the end of the Han had wiped everything out—that even immortals and Buddhas had perished—but they knew this was an idealized version, and likely far from the truth.

Regrettably, the information they gathered from Penglai had come in bits and pieces.

Only after treading the same path of reestablishing the Heavenly Palace did they realize—others might have come before them.

“If any cultivators above the Nine Heavens realm still exist, they’re likely hidden somewhere within the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths,” Li Hang said slowly.

“Such as in Bilu,” he added.

Shen Xi, who was usually silent, now spoke evenly, “If that's true, then everything is fated.”

“Fellow Daoist Shen is right,” Yan Keji said. “All we can do is act with due effort and accept Heaven’s will. Fortune and misfortune often go hand in hand—these changes may not be all bad.”

Han Qingtao asked, “Should we go to Bilu and investigate?”

Li Hang replied, “The situation remains unclear. Best not to act rashly.”

Yan Keji and Han Qingtao nodded slightly.

“What are your thoughts on the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu in the Tang world?” Yan Keji asked.

Li Hang answered frankly, “To be honest, I once hoped to obtain the Tianshi Seal, but ultimately failed. Mount Longhu has grown far too powerful. In my view, whether looking to Heaven, Earth, or the Human Realm, they are one of the most outstanding successors of the Daoist traditions. No single sect or group could challenge them alone.”

Han Qingtao added, “The Talismanic Sect of the Tang world is a new lineage born from the Daoist reformation after the fall of the Han. If the disturbance in Bilu truly stems from the former Heavenly Palace, and they aim to restore its rule, they would naturally support the ancient Talismanic Sect. Even without conflict, it would be hard for them to walk the same path as Mount Longhu.”

“It’s too soon to make any firm conclusions,” Yan Keji said. “Let’s consider some indirect approaches.”

At that moment, Han Qingtao recalled a junior from the Tang world who had slipped through her fingers—a young man named Chen Yi who later joined Luoyuan.

Though many years had passed, she still remembered the faint secrets he had exhibited—perhaps faint ties to the Heavenly Palace.

It might have been a crucial opportunity. Sadly, she hadn’t taken him seriously at the time, allowing him to escape.

Keeping her thoughts to herself, she showed no emotion outwardly.

After the four set some rough strategies, Shen Xi was the first to depart, vanishing into the depths of Penglai.

Yan Keji said his farewells to Li Hang and Han Qingtao, then also left.

Watching the old Daoist vanish, Li Hang eventually spoke, “We still can’t be sure.”

Han Qingtao nodded. “Nor can I see through Daoist Yan.”

While Shen Xi was aloof and quiet, over the years, Han Qingtao and Li Hang had come to understand him somewhat.

For example, they weren’t certain of Shen Xi’s realm’s exact details, but it was likely younger and less developed than the Ming or Song realms—perhaps significantly so.

Also, Shen Xi’s world had experienced a resurgence of spiritual energy later than either the Ming or Song.

Yet when it came to Yan Keji, neither Han Qingtao nor Li Hang could say they truly understood him.

Even back when Huang Xuanpu was still alive in the Tang world, he’d had the same sense.

“Fellow Daoist Han,” Li Hang changed the subject, “how fares our sect’s branch in the Ming world—the True Martial Monastery?”

Han Qingtao answered, “Senior Brother Mu and the monastery are facing significant trouble right now.”

Li Hang smiled, “Have you spoken to him in depth?”

Han Qingtao shook her head. “I haven’t had the chance.”

Still, she was certain that Mu Chunyang had long suspected the notion of a Daoist nation in the Ming world.

She also sensed he didn’t approve of the idea, but tolerated it in silence.

Perhaps it was because Mu Chunyang had no fondness for Ming Dynasty neo-Confucianism and thus quietly allowed some change to happen.

But now that the Daoist nation plan had been exposed, he could no longer stay silent.

Han Qingtao bore no grudge against him.

Still, as she thought: after this incident, True Martial Monastery wouldn't remain unscathed either.

She turned her attention inward.

With spiritual energy surging and the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths reopening, the severed path to immortality might reconnect.

The gate to ascension could reopen.

… Ming Dynasty Human Realm.

Amidst the picturesque mountains and rivers, many had set up camp, spreading out to search painstakingly through the mountain ranges.

Later that day, soldiers returned to the main command tent to report—they had still found no weak point in the void that could be opened as a “portal” to Penglai.

Inside the command tent, the court official in charge of overseeing the search, Yu Zan, waved silently. The messenger immediately withdrew.

Only Yu Zan—scholarly in appearance yet clad in a general’s robe—and a middle-aged official in formal court attire remained.

The middle-aged official stood with his hands behind his back, silent.

Yu Zan bowed behind him. “Grand Secretary…”

At last, Grand Secretary Chao Feng, one of the senior ministers of the court, spoke. “Keep searching.”

“Yes, Grand Secretary,” Yu Zan replied.

He paused, then said, “Grand Secretary, in my opinion, for Han Qingtao to have escaped, someone must have colluded with her and aided her in secret…”

Grand Secretary Chao turned his head. “You mean… Master Mu?”

“Exactly,” Yu Zan said.

Chao Feng’s tone sharpened. “Master Mu of the True Martial Monastery was personally granted his title by His Majesty. How could he consort with traitors?”

Yu Zan replied, “Han Qingtao, despite her betrayal, once held a rather… special status.”

“That being the case, it’s not entirely impossible,” Chao Feng murmured. “Have a few censors file wind-report memorials back to the capital. Since the matter remains uncertain, there’s no need for us to formally memorialize it for now.”

“As you wish, Grand Secretary. I trust His Majesty and the Prime Minister will uncover the truth in due time,” Yu Zan said.

On one hand, someone needed to take the fall for Han Qingtao’s escape.

On the other, once the memorial reached the court, Master Mu would have no choice but to return to the capital to clear his name—thus preventing Elder Liu Chong from leveraging his support.

“Personally, I still want to believe in Master Mu,” Chao Feng said, sitting down. “His Majesty is benevolent and magnanimous. I’m sure he’ll still give Master Mu a chance. That said, in the northwest, those barbarian tribes and the Western Region’s demon monks are getting more and more out of hand.”

Yu Zan agreed, “Indeed. In recent years, reports have indicated that the demon monks of the Western Regions are entrenched in Mount Sumeru, and it’s not just the Karma Division. Their scriptures mention all five divisions of the Vajra Realm—and judging by Karma Division’s scale, the remaining four are likely just as formidable.”

“Exactly,” Chao Feng said. “Especially since they’ve allied with the barbarians. This isn’t some minor rash—it's a serious threat. If our dynasty wishes to fully pacify the Sumeru Crisis, we must be prepared for a chain reaction. It must be handled with great care.”

The Ming world had seen surging spiritual energy for centuries and had accumulated profound reserves.

What limited its full potential now often lay in internal complications...

“Prime Minister surely has a comprehensive plan,” Yu Zan said.

Chao Feng nodded slowly.

---

… Meanwhile, back in the Earth Sea Realm…

Lei Jun could already sense the pressure from the Ming world at Guizang was clearly starting to fade.

Whether the other side was merely regrouping or preparing a final blow, he didn’t know.

For now, he didn’t care.

His priority was to block any chance of the Ming world entering through Guizang.

Senior Sister Tang Xiaotang was still in the human realm of a barbarian khanate. Once things wrapped up there, Lei Jun would consider visiting the Ming world in person.

At the moment, Earth Sea hadn’t completely settled down—but nothing major seemed likely to erupt.

Li Bin, chieftain of the Ju Li Tribe, was using the terrain of the Earth Sea to dodge Li Tianqing’s pursuit.

Li Tianqing cultivated the Divine Dance Lineage of the Witch Sect, a tradition that emphasized overwhelming, sustained force. It always took him time to subdue opponents of the same level.

But once he secured the upper hand, his enemies had no escape—defeat meant death.

Just like with the Nine-Winged Golden Centipede before.

Xing Feng, meanwhile, was guarding the void gate from Luoyuan into Earth Sea.

This ordeal helped Lei Jun realize that this new Blood River Sect Master—successor of Wei Anchang—was no ordinary figure.

Though not completely unrestrained, Xing Feng could enter and exit Luoyuan freely and frequently…

They weren’t enemies at the moment, so Lei Jun didn’t press for answers about how Xing Feng pulled it off.

He was more focused on another matter.

The Jiuli tribes—an ancient people.

Yet Lei Jun remained skeptical about the naming of the current Jiuli clans.

They were now divided into the Tan Li, Po Li, Ju Li, Fu Li, Bi Li and others—names that corresponded to stars like Greedy Wolf, Breaking Army, Giant Gate, Left Assistant, and Right Assistant.

From what Lei Jun had gathered since arriving in this world, these names seemed... too recent compared to the age of the Jiuli lineage.

So when did these names originate?

Who gave them these star-inspired names?

“Tianshi.”

In the Earth Sea, Shen Qubing saluted Lei Jun and introduced the woman beside him—an elder of the Jiuli tribes.

“This is Chief Li Ying of the Wu Li Clan.”