Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 430: Chu Kun's Heartache

Xu Yuanzhen didn’t enter the city.

She had no curiosity about Zhou Pu.

Her reason for coming was because of something currently in the hands of the Later Han Dynasty.

To be precise, it was something once controlled by the Later Chu Dynasty, which had now fallen into the hands of Zhou Wei, the founder of the Later Han.

After hosting the abbot of the Liuli Zen Monastery, Master Zhiquan, and sending him off, Zhou Wei summoned Zhou Pu in the palace.

"You don’t like Liuli Zen Monastery?"

There were no outsiders present. Zhou Wei was relaxed when interacting with Zhou Pu and gestured for him to sit.

Zhou Pu didn’t hide his thoughts from Zhou Wei:

“Father, those monks are no better than the sorcerers from the Witch Sect. None of them have good intentions.”

Zhou Wei replied, “Our positions are no longer what they once were. Those in high places must learn to tolerate others.”

Seeing that Zhou Pu was about to speak, Zhou Wei cut him off:

“I’ve heard about what happened in Shambhala. That’s exactly why we must treat these monks with courtesy—for now.”

He emphasized the words “for now.”

Zhou Pu nodded. “Yes, Father. I understand.”

Zhou Wei nodded in return.

Although Zhou Pu acted coldly around Buddhists and rarely interacted with them, he still observed the necessary decorum, showing that he understood propriety.

Zhou Wei had always valued this adopted son.

In fact, Zhou Pu’s distance from the Buddhists wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for Zhou Wei.

In the chaotic era of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, wars and shifting power dynamics brought not only bloodshed but also rampant betrayal.

Zhou Wei himself had been a high-ranking general under the Later Chu Dynasty before overthrowing them and founding the Later Han.

Such shifts were common over centuries—court ministers turning on monarchs, members of the same royal family fighting to the death.

Overthrowing a dynasty often required not only internal strength but also external aid.

Just as Zhou Wei had help from the Liuli Zen Monastery to rise against the Later Chu, the Later Chu itself had been supported by Witch Sect experts in its early days.

Even before its fall, the Later Chu was teeming with powerful shamans, many of whom fought in the great battle to quell the Black Qilin Army rebellion—

but in the end, it was Zhou Wei who led the Black Qilin Army to conquer the Later Chu and establish a new dynasty.

There were countless precedents, and Zhou Wei’s own rise was one of them.

Even without a regime change, any powerful military or faction could fall prey to betrayal.

Given such times, it was impossible for Zhou Wei to fully trust even his own troops.

He had ties with the Buddhist sects; so did some of his subordinates.

Could one of them rise up and overthrow him in the future?

That made Zhou Pu—who secretly resented the Buddhists—all the more trustworthy.

And Zhou Wei knew this wasn’t just for show. Zhou Pu had not only expressed disdain for Buddhism, but had also fought and killed many top-tier shamans of the Witch Sect.

The two greatest potential backers of internal rivals—the Buddhists and the witches—were both estranged from Zhou Pu.

That made Zhou Wei even more confident in him.

Of course, Zhou Wei also noticed that this nephew-and-adopted-son had closer ties with Confucian scholars than with anyone else.

But in this realm, the scholars were not a significant force.

Even if they had ambitions, they lacked the power to change things the way the Buddhists or witches could.

They could instead serve as a counterbalancing faction.

So Zhou Wei appreciated Zhou Pu’s judgment.

However…

“In such chaotic times, what matters most to people like us… is this!”

Zhou Wei, despite wearing a dragon robe, had a blade at his waist. He unfastened it and placed it on the table.

“With this, you can command others. No matter what they’re plotting, they can be used by us.”

Zhou Pu responded, “I understand, Father.”

Zhou Wei nodded, then gestured to him. “Take a look at this blade for yourself.”

Zhou Pu looked surprised but didn’t hesitate. He stood, accepted the sword, and took a few steps back before drawing it.

He quickly realized that this wasn’t Zhou Wei’s usual treasured blade.

Even before it was fully unsheathed, Zhou Pu could sense its unusual aura.

Once the blade was fully drawn, his expression turned to shock.

The sword was entirely made of stone—a stone blade, not a conventional divine weapon.

He focused on the power and intent flowing from it and fell into contemplation.

Zhou Wei’s eyes shone with admiration as he saw how composed and focused Zhou Pu remained.

After a long pause, Zhou Pu finally said,

“Father, the intent in this blade bears some similarity to the royal Chu sword style—but there are significant differences.

No, it’s more accurate to say that the royal sword style of Chu was developed from this stone blade.

They studied it, internalized its intent, and fused it with their own techniques to craft a sword style tailored to their lineage.

This stone blade is the source. The Chu royal sword style is merely a branch.”

Zhou Wei looked at him. “And what else?”

Zhou Pu frowned in thought. “The top-tier martial arts of the Southern Yue and Northern Liang royal families… also seem related.”

After years of war, Zhou Pu had faced many elite fighters from various kingdoms.

With his exceptional talent and heightened soul-sensing ability, he had always felt that these royal techniques shared a mysterious commonality.

Now, seeing this blade, it clicked—perhaps they all stemmed from this same origin.

“You’re right,” Zhou Wei said, accepting the blade back. “But not all of them come from this one blade.”

Zhou Pu asked, “There are others like it?”

Zhou Wei nodded. “I came to that conclusion after slaying members of the Chu royal family and obtaining this blade.

I also gathered hints from Liuli Zen Monastery. That helped me piece together the bigger picture.”

He sheathed the blade and gestured for Zhou Pu to sit again.

“You know that martial arts today are quite different from ancient times,” Zhou Wei continued.

Zhou Pu nodded. “Yes.”

Zhou Wei said, “Much of that is due to changes in the world, and the influence of Buddhism and the Witch Sect.

But there’s another key factor.”

Zhou Pu glanced at the sheathed blade. “This stone blade?”

Zhou Wei nodded. “Exactly. You know the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Shambhala and Ling Mountain are among them. But one of the Ten Earths is called ‘Great Matrix’—have you heard of it?”

Zhou Pu nodded again.

“Yes. I heard it was first explored jointly by martial artists and Confucian scholars.

The name itself, ‘Great Matrix,’ came from the scholars.

Later, the scholars dominated it—until martial artists eventually took control, just like with the Abyss and the Great Wilderness.

But when the calamities at the end of the Han era struck, everything fell into chaos.

No clear records of what happened inside remain, so now it’s all speculation.”

He looked at the blade. “Father, are you saying these blades—these stone blades—come from the Great Matrix?”

Zhou Wei said, “I’m not certain, but it’s a strong possibility.

The martial insights in them could have far-reaching influence, reshaping martial arts over centuries.”

Zhou Pu asked, “Is it possible the monks of Shambhala or the shamans of Ling Mountain know the truth—or at least part of it?”

Zhou Wei said, “Very likely.”

Zhou Pu said quietly, “These stone blades have unknown origins, and there’s no record of anyone reopening the portal to the Great Matrix.

Maybe those monks and shamans want us martial artists to find a way to unlock it for them.”

Zhou Wei replied, “It’s good that you’re thinking this way.

From now on, unless you’re away on campaign, come to the palace daily to study this blade.

Even if you can’t uncover the secrets of the Great Matrix, it will still aid your cultivation.”

Zhou Pu bowed deeply. “Thank you, Father.”

Tang Dynasty Mortal Realm

Tianshi Mansion, Mount Longhu

Lei Jun spoke with Xu Yuanzhen:

“So, Senior Sister, your view is that it’s not just the martial artists in that realm looking for the Great Matrix—but even the Buddhists from Shambhala and the Grand Shamans of Ling Mountain are actively searching for it?”

Xu Yuanzhen nodded. “That’s right.”

Now Lei Jun understood why the Great Matrix intrigued his Senior Sister so much.

The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were naturally extraordinary, but the enthusiasm shown by the Buddhists and the Witch Sect made it seem like they knew of some unique secret hidden within the Great Matrix.

Given that Shambhala was guarded by a Buddhist Venerable and Ling Mountain likely housed similarly unfathomable figures, both places probably had cultivators who had ascended before the catastrophe at the end of the Han era and had survived until now.

“Those stone blades,” Lei Jun asked, “are they really from the Great Matrix?”

Xu Yuanzhen replied, “If not from the Great Matrix, then definitely from one of the Nine Heavens or Ten Earths.”

Lei Jun mused, “Might be similar to how the foreign tribes and the Great Wilderness affected things.”

The foreign tribes had ravaged cultural heritage, toppling both the Da Liang of the Ming Realm and the Da Song of the Song Realm.

Their martial techniques bore a distinct wild and desolate flavor, setting them apart.

Lei Jun had long suspected their origin was connected to the Great Wilderness.

Now it seemed the Great Matrix had subtly influenced martial arts in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.

The impact was not as intense as the tribes’ brutality, but it seeped in gradually and quietly.

“I picked up one of those stone blades in a place called the Northern Liang Kingdom,” Xu Yuanzhen mentioned casually.

...Of course you did.

Lei Jun blinked.

“How’s the Han Realm doing lately?” Xu Yuanzhen asked.

The Earth Sea and Datong regions had both been sealed off recently, and since Xu Yuanzhen had laid down her own arrangements in the old Song Realm and current Han Realm, she wasn’t concerned.

Her real interest in the Han Realm was always the Tianshi lineage of Mount Longhu.

“A storm is brewing,” Lei Jun said. “Although there was a stir involving the Golden Khan and Mount Sumeru not long ago, certain long-planned events are now inevitable.

The Witch Sect from Kongsang will likely just adjust and adapt to the situation.”

Xu Yuanzhen smiled faintly. “That’s good.”

After a while, she ended the conversation.

Lei Jun remained seated, gazing up at the sky, lost in thought for a long while.

Then, he slowly gathered his wandering thoughts.

For Lei Jun, life continued at its usual pace:

Quiet cultivation, refining artifacts, overseeing matters in his residence, and guiding his disciples.

In teaching, Lei Jun followed in the footsteps of his Master, Yuan Mobai.

Though he often had flashes of inspiration in his own Daoist practice, when instructing Zhuo Huajie and Han Xiaofei, he kept to the most orthodox teachings.

At least until their foundations were solid—after which, he would allow them to explore freely.

Time passed unnoticed in the mountains.

After summer began, Lei Jun celebrated his eighty-second birthday.

By the following spring, the Tianshi Mansion held the fourth Initiation Ceremony under Lei Jun’s tenure.

Cheng Rongrong and Han Xiaofei, both exceptionally talented, would miss this round and have to wait until the next.

Judging by their current progress, they might not have to wait the full six years.

Whether an exception would be made for them remained undecided.

Even without talents like Han Xiaofei and Cheng Rongrong, this year’s ceremony still had some promising candidates favored by the elders—

Some of whom came from rather unique backgrounds.

Representing Pure Yang Palace at the ceremony was the young elder Yu Yichen.

Beside him stood a priestess in simple robes and straw sandals—Xie Yiying, the representative from the Shushan Sect.

At the moment, both were watching a yellow-robed Initiate Disciple of the Tianshi Mansion.

“That young man—is he from Datong?” Xie Yiying asked softly.

Yu Yichen nodded. “He’s the prince of Rong Kingdom, one of the Sixteen Kingdoms of Datong.

His name is Qiu Ming—his talent and foundation are both quite exceptional.”

Xie Yiying nodded slightly.

She had heard that someone else from Datong had also joined Mount Longhu.

That was Xin Lu, the only son of the Datong Emperor.

It was said his aptitude was no less than Qiu Ming’s.

But apparently, Xin Lu had not made it into this Initiation Ceremony.

Xie Yiying didn’t feel comfortable asking Yu Yichen about him.

She had heard rumors that Xin Lu’s spiritual foundation was actually more suited to the Daoist Alchemical Path.

Whether at the Pure Yang Palace of the Han Realm or the Tang Realm, had he trained in that path, he might have already surpassed Qiu Ming.

But whether due to orders from his father or his own decision, Xin Lu had ultimately joined the Talismanic Branch of the Tianshi Mansion on Mount Longhu.

Today, it was said that Xin Lu had already reached the Perfection Stage of the Second Heaven Foundation Realm, just a step away from the Third Heaven Altar Stage.

However, it was a strict tradition at the Tianshi Mansion that one must reach at least First Stage of the Third Heaven Altar Realm to participate in the Initiation Ceremony—

Just like needing to reach the Twelfth Layer of Qi Refining to qualify for the Initiation.

Thus, Xin Lu had just barely missed this round.

Fortunately, this didn’t impact his ongoing progress.

Over the next six years, he could continue training diligently and aim to break through to the Altar Realm and beyond.

The First Altar Stage was merely the minimum.

There were plenty of disciples in this year’s Initiation Ceremony who were already at the Second or even Third Altar Stage.

But Xin Lu’s name wasn’t something Xie Yiying could casually bring up to someone from Pure Yang Palace like Yu Yichen.

Back then, Xin Lu had chosen the Talismanic Branch over the Alchemical Path for a simple reason.

In today’s Tang cultivation world, Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion held absolute dominance over the Daoist sphere.

Had Xin Lu been a mere individual without ties, he might have prioritized his own path.

But given his royal background, he had no other option but to choose Mount Longhu—

especially since the Rong Kingdom's prince, Qiu Ming, had already formed a Daoist affinity and entered Mount Longhu.

This left neither the Datong Emperor nor Xin Lu with any alternative—

unless Mount Longhu had flat-out refused to accept him.

But naturally, Tianshi Mansion would not deliberately turn him away.

Neither would Pure Yang Palace take issue with this.

At this moment, Xie Yiying chose not to mention it, and Yu Yichen had no reason to mind.

After all, one’s path was a personal choice—and with it came personal responsibility.

More importantly, back when Pure Yang Palace accepted Mount Longhu’s Talismanic Decree,

figures like Lü Jinduan, Wang Xuan, Jiang Yu, and Yu Yichen had already anticipated such situations.

No one would be shaken by it.

Mount Longhu had seized the great fortune of the era.

Over the past centuries—possibly even the past millennium—unless something earth-shattering occurred,

the Daoist structure of the Tang Realm was not going to change.

Even if all the great Alchemical Path sects—such as the Pure Yang Palaces of the Tang, Han, and Song Realms, or the True Martial Monastery of the Ming Realm—merged into one again,

they would still struggle to reclaim dominance.

Besides, in the event of some cataclysmic upheaval, being part of the Pure Yang Lineage wouldn’t necessarily be a blessing either.

Thus, figures like Wang Xuan and Yu Yichen had only one focus—

cultivate diligently and restore their sect’s strength. Nothing else mattered.

---

“Congratulations to you both, Daoist Friends Yu and Xie, on attaining the Eighth Heaven Realm.”

After the Initiation Ceremony, Lei Jun hosted the two representatives.

Both had emerged from closed-door cultivation the previous year—

Yu Yichen had entered the Infant Transformation Stage of the Alchemical Path’s Eighth Heaven Realm,

while Xie Yiying had entered the Celestial Roaming Stage of the Artifact Refining Path.

Fifty or sixty years ago, the two were considered rising stars.

Similar in age and equally talented, they had reached the Seventh Heaven Realm at nearly the same time,

each cultivating in one of the two great Daoist Holy Lands.

But in today’s Tang Daoist world, Mount Longhu stood unrivaled.

Pure Yang Palace and Shushan Sect had no need to fight over second place.

They focused solely on internal growth and recovery.

Due to great losses among the older and mid-generation cultivators,

Yu Yichen and Xie Yiying had now become pillars of their respective sects.

As the current Purple Star Swordmaster, Xie Yiying’s breakthrough to the Eighth Heaven Realm was especially significant.

Aside from the long-lost Chen Donglou,

and with past greats like Wang Dongchu, Wei Qiyue, and Zhang Dongyuan all having fallen,

Shushan finally had another Eighth Heaven-level sword cultivator.

Chen Donglou was still seen as the ideal swordmaster in Shushan’s eyes,

but with him missing for years, Xie Yiying’s ascension gave new light to the Purple Star Sword.

---

“I also heard that Sect Leader Zhang of Shushan and Daoist Brother Yue Xiling from Pure Yang Palace have reached the Fourth Layer of the Eighth Heaven Realm, nearing Great Ascension,”

Lei Jun added.

Xie Yiying and Yu Yichen both responded:

“Our senior brothers have been diligently cultivating.

They regretted missing your recent disciple initiation, and asked us to bring gifts in their stead to offer congratulations.

Please forgive them for not attending in person.”

Lei Jun smiled, “Sect Leader Zhang and Brother Yue are too kind.”

Back at the previous Initiation Ceremony, Shushan and Pure Yang Palace had already sent representatives with gifts.

This time, they were simply offering continued thanks.

Over the past years, the three great Daoist Sacred Lands had interacted more frequently,

bringing great mutual benefit.

As they quietly recovered, both Shushan and Pure Yang Palace were regaining their strength.

With Yu Yichen and Xie Yiying entering the Eighth Heaven Realm,

and new young talents emerging in both sects, things were looking up.

Although some talents like Xin Lu inevitably chose Mount Longhu,

Shushan and Pure Yang Palace were also gradually emerging from their downturn.

The current era brought a surge in spiritual energy, and while the Tang Realm still had the occasional storm,

it had mostly entered a peaceful era—very favorable for cultivation.

In Shushan, the aging Xu Duan and the plateaued Ji Dongquan were exceptions.

Most others, including Ye Dongming, were still young.

Compared to Xie Yiying, who had just reached the first level of the Eighth Heaven Realm,

Sect Leader Zhang Taigang had reached the Fourth Layer Celestial Roaming Perfection,

after forty years of seclusion.

But perfection in Celestial Roaming didn’t guarantee a breakthrough to Great Ascension.

Many had gotten stuck here before—and may never cross the chasm to the Ninth Heaven Realm.

Such was the case for Yue Xiling of Pure Yang Palace.

He and Zhang Taigang were much like Yu Yichen and Xie Yiying—similar in age, similar breakthroughs, and now facing the same hurdle.

Because of his teacher, Huang Xuanpu, Yue had grown more low-key over the years.

Yet his steady cultivation and deep insight had not dulled the brilliance of his name.

Today, Yue was the highest-ranking cultivator in Pure Yang Palace.

Though Sect Leader Jiang Yu was more senior, her cultivation lagged behind Yue’s due to her age.

Still, she advanced rapidly, and whether she or Yue would reach Great Ascension first remained to be seen.

“The next Ninth Heaven Realm cultivators of the Tang Realm,” Lei Jun remarked during a casual chat with fellow disciples after seeing the guests off,

“will most likely be Cultivators Shen and Fang. After that, it'll be Sect Leader Zhang of Shushan and Sect Leader Jiang and Daoist Yue from Pure Yang Palace.”

He turned to look at his Third Junior Brother, Chu Kun, who had already reached the Inner Cosmos of the Divine Court Realm.

“If you push harder, you might just overtake them all.”

Chu Kun smiled and shook his head. “I’m no match for you, Senior Brother—or for Senior Sister Xu or Senior Sister Tang.

I’ll keep things steady and not rush.”

He added with a sigh, “Actually, there are two elders from Shushan and Pure Yang Palace who were delayed along the way.

If not for that, they might have reached further by now.”

Lei Jun nodded slightly. “Elder Wang from Pure Yang Palace and Elder Ye from Shushan.”

Both Wang Xuan and Ye Dongming weren’t actually that old by cultivator standards.

Among their generation, they had always been considered elite talents.

When Wang Xuan first became the Vermilion Bird Elder of Pure Yang Palace, he was the youngest of the four great elders.

Like Yuan Mobai, Ye Dongming, and Yue Xiling, he had entered the sect late, but had a highly ranked master.

Unfortunately, during a catastrophe at Pure Yang Palace, Wang Xuan lost his physical body.

Though he later escaped, he didn’t rely on body-snatching and had to live on in the form of a Nascent Soul and Yang Spirit.

Even though Lei Jun later helped him reconstruct a physical body, his progress had been delayed for too long.

He still had potential, but the momentum of his youthful advance was long gone.

Ye Dongming, on the other hand, had been severely injured when he entered the Yellow Springs Realm during the early days of Shushan’s reappearance.

That too set his cultivation back.

Fortunately, with the current surge in spiritual energy, both men still had chances to move forward.

“Elder Wang and Elder Ye,” said Wang Guiyuan, another disciple, “are indeed cautionary tales.

We must always reflect and learn from their examples.”

He looked at Chu Kun and added,

“Third Junior Brother, your next step—from Inner Cosmos to Outer Cosmos of the Divine Court—is critical.

You can’t be too careful.”

Chu Kun nodded. “Senior Brother is right. I’ll keep that in mind.”

---

After leaving his fellow disciples and returning to his own grotto, Chu Kun fell deep into thought.

He raised a hand and tapped his forehead gently with his finger.

But under his own deliberate control, his figure didn’t vanish as it sometimes had in the past.

Instead, he remained seated, concentrating deeply.

Inside—something was changing.

Chu Kun's expression grew solemn.

His earlier accidental trip to the Ming Realm hadn’t been so accidental after all.

Though Senior Brother Lei Jun had never questioned him, Chu Kun himself knew the truth.

The “paradise” he had always cultivated within—

was beginning to change.

When had this started?

It was likely around the fiftieth year since he first obtained this blessing.

That was when the transformation began.

It hadn't stopped since—

quiet, subtle, but ongoing.

Would it eventually become a cataclysmic upheaval?

And if so…

When would it happen?

In sixty years, during the next full sexagenary cycle?

In eighty-one years—at the cycle of Nine-Nine Return to Origin?

In a century?

Or maybe… tomorrow?

The very next moment?

Chu Kun leaned back slowly, resting against the chair.

His gaze drifted upward, staring blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought.