Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 426: The Third-Rank Chance to Breathe

The Southern Song remnants in Jiangnan had just received the worst possible news.

The Golden Khan, Ang Qinfu, had successfully crossed the final Heavenly Chasm Tribulation of the Mortal Realm and ascended beyond the Ninth Heaven.

A peak Martial Saint at the Fifth Layer of the Ninth Heaven—also known as a Human Immortal—once surpassed, would officially become a being beyond the mortal world. In martial cultivation, such a state is typically called a Martial Immortal.

A Martial Saint specialized in combat who ascends beyond the Ninth Heaven is also called a Battle Immortal.

Since the great calamity at the end of the Han Dynasty, no being of such strength had emerged in any part of the Mortal Realm for thousands of years.

With this breakthrough, Ang Qinfu’s first sacrifice was none other than Hu He Dalai, the White Deer Khan who had once stood as his equal, also a peak Martial Saint and Human Immortal.

Besides Hu He Dalai, most of the top experts of the White Deer Khanate perished in battle, their blood soaking the earth and their souls returning to the heavens.

When the news spread, it rekindled in the Southern Song remnants that deep despair they once knew too well.

Even though word had it that Immortal Realm beings currently could not remain in the Mortal Realm for extended periods, the fate of Hu He Dalai and his men still sent a chill through everyone's hearts.

Strictly speaking, the Jiangnan-based Song remnants had already begun to stay alert once they heard that Zongga, the Lord of the Sumeru Lotus Division, had reappeared in the world.

Zongga’s support of the Golden Khanate’s capital, backed by powerful rare treasures from the Great Wilderness, had made the city fortress-like.

Thus, the Cangwolf Khanate and White Deer Khanate found no further opening and had no choice but to retreat despite their unwillingness.

That split retreat ended up saving the Cangwolf Khanate.

The White Deer Khanate became the sacrificial choice between the two.

Perhaps, the Cangwolf Khanate won’t be able to escape calamity either?

And what of the Song remnants here in Jiangnan?

Just as they began to retreat, word of the White Deer Khanate’s destruction had already arrived.

Alongside it came another chilling piece of information: Zongga of the Sumeru Lotus Division had immediately headed south and was last seen north of the Great River.

There, in the shadowy valleys and lightless lands formed during the Golden Khanate's southern expedition, lay one of the Ten Earths and Nine Heavens—the Sea of Earth, and its gateway.

Judging by Zongga’s movements, he likely left the capital right after the Cangwolf and White Deer Khanates lifted the siege, maybe even before the Golden Khan emerged from seclusion.

What did Zongga intend?

“He wants to seize the Sea of Earth—or at least its entrance—to prevent the Sea of Earth’s inhabitants from assisting the Tang cultivators in sealing the portal!”

Zhu Junjie’s voice trembled in alarm. “He’s not doing this for himself—he’s helping Ang Qinfu!”

The news was real: beings from the Immortal Realm indeed could not stay in the Mortal Realm long-term, which was why they had to seize one of the Ten Earths and Nine Heavens!

Among the realms once connected to the Song’s world: Youyin had been sealed off for years; Huangquan and Kongsang had only briefly appeared and vanished again, with their portals now nearly impossible to locate.

The Southern Red Emperor Li Hang had entered Penglai using an ancient talismanic decree, not by stabilizing a new portal.

Guixu was similarly sealed off, possibly harboring monstrous beings beyond the Ninth Heaven.

Only Sumeru remained open—but it was already guarded by the Venerable Sage of Wisdom, and actively aiding the Golden Khanate.

“What about the Great Wilderness, where these barbarians originated?” someone asked urgently.

“No idea. Maybe something happened. Maybe Ang Qinfu is just as greedy and domineering as ever.”

Zhu Junjie quickly composed a message using the Confucian “Letters As Face” technique: “But they’ve likely set their eyes on the Sea of Earth!”

Everyone around him looked at each other in fear. “If the Sea of Earth’s portal gets sealed, we’ll have no way out…”

An elder said gravely, “Even if we rush over now, we won’t get there faster than Ang Qinfu!

Our only chance is to request the inhabitants of the Sea of Earth to seal the portal themselves, forcing Ang Qinfu to divert elsewhere since he can’t linger in the Mortal Realm.

But if he gets control of the Sea of Earth, he’ll have a bird’s-eye view of the entire Great River region, and our situation will only get worse!”

These words drained the color from everyone’s faces.

Zhu Junjie sent the message silently, his eyes fixed on Jingxiang, the Song’s old territory.

…It might already be too late.

The northerners would need time to understand the situation in the capital and the White Deer Khanate.

Even if the message reached them instantly, they’d still need time to act.

But for someone like Zongga, already at the peak of the Ninth Heaven, and for Ang Qinfu, now a Martial Immortal…

That delay would be an eternity.

The Sea of Earth’s inhabitants might not have time to react at all.

Ang Qinfu might already be attacking the Sea of Earth before they even grasp what’s happening…

Zhu Junjie held his breath.

---

But the Sea of Earth had reacted.

Even before Zhu Junjie and the others received the message, someone had already arrived there:

Lei Jun, Tianshi of Mount Longhu under the Tang Dynasty.

To be precise, Lei Jun’s presence wasn’t essential.

The Void Gateway connecting the Sea of Earth to the Song remnants’ realm was originally left open for Senior Sister Tang Xiaotang.

But knowing that the Golden Khan might ascend, whether he returned to the Great Wilderness or not, the Tianshi Mansion naturally had to prepare for contingencies in the Sea of Earth.

Preparations had long been complete.

As soon as Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen returned from there, everything was in place to shut the gate at any moment.

Communication between Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang far outpaced outside knowledge.

When Lei Jun had visited Empress Zhang Wantong in Luoyang, he’d already mentioned this briefly.

Which was why the Tang Empress remained relaxed, fishing at ease, unconcerned with personally overseeing matters in the Sea of Earth.

So why did Lei Jun come in person?

"Dao and Dharma, separated by a hair's breadth; people across the sea bar entry to immortals."

While seated in his sect’s ancestral grounds, a light sphere flashed in Lei Jun’s mind, followed by words.

Then came four omens:

• Upper-Moderate Omen: Seal the Sea of Earth portal before noon—well-handled, chance to receive a Third-Grade Opportunity, good fortune.

• Moderate-Moderate Omen: Seal before the rise of Yuluo Purple Mist at midday—no gain, but no loss either, stable.

• Moderate-Moderate Omen: After noon, portal unsealed—no immediate danger, but may harbor future risks, stable.

• Lower-Moderate Omen: After noon, portal unsealed—no gains, possible grave calamity if present in Sea of Earth, bad luck.

Reading the Lower-Moderate Omen, it was clear: the critical point was noon today.

If Ang Qinfu had truly ascended, and could not linger, he’d either enter the Outer Void to slumber or settle in one of the Ten Earths.

Slumbering was a last resort—it hindered cultivation, and isolated him from worldly affairs.

If given a choice, the Golden Khan would definitely pick one of the Ten Earths.

It was said the Great Wilderness was his ancestral domain, but it had long gone quiet.

This time, the Golden Khanate held out during the siege thanks to a powerful treasure from the Great Wilderness.

Based on everything known, Lei Jun suspected that the Wilderness was like Guizang—perhaps worse.

Back when the foreign tribes rose to power, they might have exploited the Wilderness to the extreme, yielding a crop of top-tier cultivators rivaling even Sumeru.

The resulting trauma might still linger today.

Or maybe Lei Jun was wrong, and the Wilderness still stood.

Either way, Ang Qinfu was real—his cultivation level undisputed.

He was a Martial Immortal. Among Immortals, he was one of the deadliest one-on-one combatants, with unmatched offensive, defensive, and movement abilities.

If he made it into the Sea of Earth, no one there could stop him.

Not even Lei Jun—unless he could fully mobilize the Five Mountains and Seven Abysses, surpassing even what Li Yuanheng had achieved.

Or… he’d need to summon another Three Caves, Three Heavens Supreme Dragon-Tiger Formation to counter him.

Otherwise, the Lower-Moderate Omen would come true—a grave calamity.

To protect the Sea of Earth, Tang’s top experts would have to act in unison.

Tang Xiaotang was certainly eager.

But Lei Jun had another thought: “If Ang Qinfu takes the lead and seizes the portal, he won’t be the only one in the Sea of Earth.”

Even if the Venerable Sage of Wisdom didn’t personally leave Sumeru, Zongga had already slipped out of Guixu, which hinted at deeper secrets.

“What if,” he said to Tang Xiaotang, “we block the Sea of Earth? Where would Ang Qinfu go?”

Tang Xiaotang: “Sumeru? They're practically tied at the hip now.”

Lei Jun: “If the Golden Khan enters Sumeru, who knows what’ll happen.”

Tang Xiaotang: “Oh? Might be an exciting show?”

Lei Jun: “Maybe. Worth a shot.”

Preparations to seal the portal had long been in place.

If they acted swiftly, it would fulfill the first Moderate-Moderate Omen.

The Yuluo Purple Mist, a strange phenomenon of the Yuluo Valleys, occurred twice daily—once around noon, once at midnight.

Exact timing varied slightly but was near those hours.

Between the mist’s rise and high noon was the window that determined if they’d get a Third-Grade Opportunity.

Sealing the portal before the mist: safe.

Sealing after the mist but before noon: risky, but potentially rewarding.

So long as the seal was complete before noon, they were safe.

Lei Jun was curious about the exact form of the opportunity as he approached the portal, making final checks.

Tang Xiaotang, upon receiving his message, had also rushed to the lightless lands of Jingxiang.

Standing beside Lei Jun in the Sea of Earth, Li Tianqing asked, “Tianshi, do you truly believe that foreign Golden Khan is about to ascend?”

Lei Jun replied, “All signs from the other side say… he’s just one step away.”

Li Tianqing nodded slightly.

As fellow cultivators, both at the Ninth Heaven, he understood the hidden meaning behind Lei Jun’s words.

In situations like that of the Golden Khan, it might take years for anything to happen.

But it was just as likely that tomorrow—or even today, in the very next moment, perhaps even as they were speaking—the other party would break through that final barrier, as fragile as a sheet of paper.

“If that’s the case, then the sealed portal to the Earth Sea might not be reliable?” Li Tianqing turned to Lei Jun.

As a Great Shaman of the Divine Dance Lineage of the Witch Sect, and a Ninth Heaven cultivator, he was one of the most skilled in the Dao of Void within their sect’s heritage.

Which was exactly why Li Tianqing didn’t dare underestimate Ang Qinfu, the Golden Khan.

The man was a martial cultivator.

Creating and stabilizing void portals wasn’t his specialty.

Or more accurately, helping others traverse the void wasn’t.

But when it came to his own individual movement—tearing through the void with his body—that was exactly where his strengths lay.

When the Golden Khan ascended to the Immortal Realm, his every step seemed like instantaneous teleportation.

With that kind of power, even without a portal, he could likely cross the void personally.

What mattered most was simply pinpointing the correct location.

If it were a place like Youyin, Kongsang, or Huangquan, where portals had been sealed long ago and clues were scarce, then even a Martial Immortal might struggle to traverse the void.

But a portal that had been sealed just moments ago might not be able to keep the Golden Khan out of the Former Song Mortal Realm.

That was why Li Tianqing had some reservations.

Only some, because standing beside him was that tall, young Daoist.

Though he hadn’t worked with Lei Jun much before, what he knew told him this man was calm, methodical—surely, he had made preparations.

Li Tianqing offered no objections, while Lei Jun focused on observing the other side of the void portal, the lightless region of the Former Song Mortal Realm.

The Zhou Heavenly Mirror of Jade Purity had been brought into the Earth Sea with him.

The Earth Sea’s environment was unique—not the best for the mirror to function.

One, it was cloaked in black mist. Two, the mirror couldn’t be raised too high without risking detection.

Especially with Li Tianqing, a Ninth Heaven Divine Dance Great Shaman, right beside him—his spiritual sense was extremely keen.

However, with Lei Jun himself nearby, his own overwhelming presence helped cloak the mirror’s aura.

The mirror wasn’t focusing on Li Tianqing, but peering across layers of void toward the Former Song Realm.

There, deep within the Youluo Ravine, it was pitch-black, void of light.

Yet the Zhou Heavenly Mirror still allowed Lei Jun to make out faint images.

As noon approached, a hazy lavender mist began to spread through the dark canyon.

The Youluo Purple Mist—had appeared.

Lei Jun silently shifted the mirror’s light.

Soon, a small group of people came into view.

They weren’t the typical Jiuli people who lived in darkness, nor were they foreigners. They looked like Former Song survivors.

Their cultivation levels weren’t high. Faces weathered and worn, they looked like they’d just endured a long, arduous journey to reach this lightless domain.

Judging by their direction, it seemed someone had guided them—they knew where the portal to the Earth Sea lay and were stumbling through the dark ravine, making their way over.

Lei Jun wasn’t unfamiliar with people like them.

During the years when the Earth Sea was connected to the Former Song Realm, some Song survivors who’d heard the news came seeking a new life.

Though few in number and often just mortals, the Tang cultivators of the Earth Sea usually didn’t turn them away. After evaluation, they were given shelter.

It looked like this was another such group.

And at this precise moment... could the Upper-Moderate Omen’s so-called Third-Grade Opportunity lie within these people? Lei Jun wondered.

If they had sealed the portal earlier, these people would’ve been cut off from the Earth Sea…

He was in the middle of pondering this when something caught his eye.

The mirror’s light shifted again. He quickly noticed someone else approaching the lightless region.

This time, it was someone far stronger.

The newcomer wore a monk’s robe, with a handsome, dignified face and a serene, radiant demeanor. Riding a crimson peacock, he descended into the region in an instant.

A crimson Buddhist light, full of clarity and completeness, lit up the deep underground canyon.

This was a master from Mount Sumeru, someone who had reached the Fifth Layer of the Ninth Heaven, having fully attained the Five Manifestations in One Body. It was none other than the Lotus Division Head Zongjia.

He had left the Golden Khanate’s capital, and his arrival here told Lei Jun everything he needed to know.

Ang Qinfu, the Golden Khan, had succeeded.

Thousands of years after the calamity of the Late Han, the Former Song Realm had birthed its first next-gen Immortal cultivator.

And yes, his sights were set on the Earth Sea.

Zongjia, head of the Lotus Division, had come ahead as his vanguard.

As a Martial Immortal, Ang Qinfu could stay in the mortal realm longer than most.

He wasn’t planning to retreat right away to rest or recuperate.

Instead, he aimed to make full use of this brief window—sweeping through the Former Song Realm.

This way, even if he and the Sage of Wisdom were soon to withdraw, the Golden Khanate and Mount Sumeru’s Lotus Division could still firmly control the realm.

Lei Jun wasn’t sure if the Azure Wolf Khanate and White Deer Khanate had been wiped out yet, but compared to the Song refugees in Jiangnan, the Azure Wolf Immortal Zhuoligetu and White Deer Immortal Huhe Dalai were far likelier targets of the true Martial Immortal Ang Qinfu.

Because he went to deal with them first, Zongjia, out of caution, had rushed to the lightless region of Jingxiang ahead of time.

He had no intention of entering the Earth Sea.

Nor did he plan to clash directly with any major cultivators inside.

All he wanted was to stall, to delay the sealing of the void portal.

He didn’t need to hold out long.

Ang Qinfu couldn’t remain in the mortal realm too long either.

But once he finished off his northern enemies and rushed back here, it wouldn’t take long at all.

The small group by the portal looked at Zongjia like he was a living Buddha, slowing their steps.

They were Song survivors, wary of the Western monks aiding the Golden Khanate.

But the monk exuded no hostility. Just looking at him made people feel at ease.

The Hand Seal Lineage of Buddhism focused on spiritual cultivation, and the Lotus Division was the most spiritually attuned among the Five Sumeru Vajra Divisions.

The gap in cultivation was vast—Zongjia didn’t need to say a word. His very presence influenced their hearts.

He kept his attention on the Earth Sea portal, initially uninterested in the Song refugees.

But then his senses flickered. He turned to look at the group.

At first glance, he felt something strange—yet couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

Still wary of the Earth Sea, he didn’t let his guard down.

But before he could examine further, the void portal began to tremble.

On the other side, Lei Jun hadn’t made a move.

Instead, he traced symbols midair—forty-nine glowing talismans shimmering and suspended, not yet released.

Beside him, Li Tianqing began the Divine Dance rituals of the Witch Sect to seal the Earth Sea portal.

The Ghost-God Ritual Array of “Nine Songs: Lord in the Clouds” erupted with a roar, instantly spreading and disturbing the void.

In that moment, Li Tianqing no longer looked like himself.

As he danced the Blessing of Ghosts and Gods, he silently donned a massive, ferocious mask—the visage of a god or demon, only his eyes visible.

His gaze grew cold, devoid of human emotion—as if he’d become the very spirit he invoked.

This was the power unique to Ninth Heaven Great Shamans: the God-Facing Mask, drawing spiritual energy into the divine, amplifying his Witch Sect arts.

The ritual array, focused on spatial disruption, shook the void portal, triggering signs of closure.

Across the portal, Zongjia reacted instantly.

Seated on his Amitābha Peacock Throne, he formed the Samādhi Mudra with one hand and the Wisdom Fist Seal with the other.

The turbulent void steadied once more.

Though his cultivation surpassed Li Tianqing, Zongjia didn’t underestimate him.

He sensed that this was a Divine Dance Great Shaman whose expertise in spatial manipulation was formidable. He wouldn’t take that lightly.

Amid the clash, the Song refugees snapped out of their trance.

Some fled in panic.

A few, however, clenched their teeth and dashed toward the still-open Earth Sea portal.

Zongjia didn’t stop them.

He was still curious about the anomaly he’d sensed—but his top priority remained the portal.

With his focus restored, his gaze remained steady.

In the Earth Sea, the forty-nine talismans still hovered in front of Lei Jun, glowing but unreleased.

The mirror’s light moved—from Zongjia to those charging through the portal.

It was precisely because of Zongjia that they could still pass.

“Fei’er, hold on tight!” a couple gripped a girl’s hand firmly.

The girl, bold and unafraid, wasn’t panicked. In fact, she looked around curiously as they passed through the void portal.

She entered Lei Jun’s vision—and gave him the same sensation Zongjia had just experienced.

Something was off.

But like before, he couldn’t quite see through it at first.

For someone of his and Zongjia’s cultivation, the difference between them and a child should be overwhelming.

Yet they nearly missed it.

That anomaly made Lei Jun suddenly remember something.

As the girl and her parents stepped into the Earth Sea and came closer, he quickly confirmed his suspicion.

This girl’s physique was extraordinary.

So that was it—the so-called Third-Grade Opportunity from the Upper-Moderate Omen wasn’t some artifact or treasure…

It was a living, breathing person.

Lei Jun went momentarily speechless.

Ever since he met Bao Bao in the Rainy Mountains of Bashu, it had been a long time since he’d encountered a “living opportunity.”

Immortal Physique.

Grand Void Celestial Physique.