Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 444: After the Great Battle: Ten Thousand Gold in Two-in-One Chapter

"What does the Han Emperor himself think?" Lei Jun asked calmly.

Chen Xiao replied, "After surviving the ordeal, His Majesty the Han Emperor has come to see many things more clearly. With the empire in chaos and the Great Han Dynasty on the brink, His Majesty hopes to maintain stability and prevent the situation from spiraling further out of control."

Lei Jun had interacted with the Han Emperor Xiang Chengyuan in the past, back when he disguised himself as Wang Xu, the Eastern Mountain Hermit. Hearing Chen Xiao’s words now, Lei Jun roughly understood the emperor’s thoughts.

Just like Crown Prince Xiang Jing, the Han Emperor Xiang Chengyuan was destined to become part of this era's history. He had no intention of returning to power as the sovereign ruler. For the Han imperial family, both he and Xiang Jing would only continue to drag down its reputation and prestige.

After all, this Great Han had already gone through four dynastic cycles in this era's human history, making the Han dynasty deeply rooted in people's hearts. If it had been another dynasty, another royal family, pulling off the kind of stunts Xiang Chengyuan and Xiang Jing did—father and son both playing double-faced games together—it would have shattered public trust and brought about a regime change in Shenzhou.

Even with the support of Kongsang Dudu, Xiang Chengyuan could hardly hold on to the throne. Every day he stayed on the throne, the Han court's reputation would keep bleeding away. Not only did he need to abdicate, but it would be best for him to never show up again.

Right now, the Great Han Dynasty was holding together a fragile balance. Xiang Chengyuan had no desire to disrupt it.

Moreover, both he and Kongsang Dudu had heard some whispers—whether it was the Tang Dynasty court or the Daoist sects under Mount Longhu's Tianshi Mansion, neither seemed interested in further meddling in the current Han Dynasty’s affairs.

Lei Jun’s attitude toward the Great Han Dynasty's future was also becoming clearer.

At this moment, Xiang Chengyuan's decision to take a step back aligned with the expectations of all sides. From now on, there would be no more Han Emperor Xiang Chengyuan—only Grand Shaman Xiang Chengyuan.

Xiang Chengyuan reflected on it himself: if he were still in his prime, in the height of his ambitions to rule the world, he might not have been willing to step down. But after suffering heavy losses at the hands of the Kongsang Witch King, barely surviving for years, and now taking another brutal hit and walking away from death’s door twice, his perspective had changed.

He no longer held the same unyielding ambition. Stepping down and settling in as an elder of the Kongsang Dudu—he could accept that now. Of course, this was all based on his current situation. Though severely weakened, if he could make it through this ordeal and recover in peace, Kongsang Dudu would gain another top-tier expert, potentially no weaker than Ke Lang.

With this, while other factions would still be wary, Kongsang Dudu would have little trouble establishing a foothold in the current Han world.

But of course, there was still the same issue: any move required considering the attitudes of two key players—Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion of the Tang Dynasty, and the Buddhist sect of Sumeru.

The latter had been quiet in recent years, but the fact that an otherworldly martial immortal had once emerged from Sumeru was enough to make anyone wary of their existence.

Yet, compared to them, Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion under the Tang Dynasty was the far more visible presence. After all, they had just crushed the Great Han’s Mount Longhu, even defeating Ancestor Zhou Tian, a master of the Immortal Realm.

Even now, whether it was Chen Xiao, Xiang Chengyuan, or Ke Lang, they all felt a sense of awe and disorientation over this. After all, they had always been under the threat of the Kongsang Witch King. The closer one came to directly facing Immortal Realm experts, the more they felt the enormous gap between them.

Yet Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion, to some extent, had bridged that gap.

“The Han Emperor’s decision to prioritize the people is admirable,” Lei Jun said calmly. “This humble Daoist has long heard of His Majesty and Master Ke’s reputation. They are always welcome to visit Mount Longhu.”

Chen Xiao bowed and changed his address for Xiang Chengyuan: “With the Celestial Master’s invitation, both the Holy Lord and Elder Xiang would be honored.”

Later, Ke Lang, the Holy Lord of Kongsang Dudu, arrived at Mount Longhu for a secret meeting. He brought a seemingly ordinary clay jar with him—Xiang Chengyuan’s soul was temporarily housed within it, as he was still extremely weak.

This trip, Xiang Chengyuan wasn’t the main figure. After showing respect to Lei Jun and understanding his general attitude, Xiang Chengyuan was content. His soul returned to the jar to rest.

The main discussions were between Ke Lang and Lei Jun. As a Grand Shaman at the peak of the Ninth Heaven, Ke Lang was one of the few top-tier experts in Kongsang, alongside Peng Youshan and Yun Qingyan. Yet, Ke Lang, who looked to be in his early thirties, had a scholarly and elegant demeanor, dressed in traditional Han attire, looking more like a Confucian scholar than a Grand Shaman.

His main purpose in coming was to clarify the stance of both himself and Kongsang Dudu: they had no intention of establishing a foothold in the Great Han Dynasty’s territory. Instead, they would head to the northern border.

The remnants of Kongsang Tianjing, blocked from returning to Kongsang by the sealed void portals, would also retreat north.

After meeting Lei Jun, Ke Lang would immediately return north to continue targeting Kongsang Tianjing.

The void portal connecting the Tang Dynasty’s human world to the current Han world had been opened by Kongsang Tianjing’s people. They had deliberately chosen a location in the Han’s southern frontier to directly pit Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion against the Great Han’s Mount Longhu.

After Mount Longhu of the Great Han was destroyed, Lei Jun established new Daoist laws there, so the Tang Dynasty’s influence remained centered in Jiangnan.

Kongsang Dudu’s move northward was not only a sign of their hostility toward Kongsang Tianjing but also an expression of goodwill to the Tang Dynasty’s Mount Longhu—an intentional gesture of stepping back.

Meanwhile, in the northern frontier, the nomadic tribes of the Mo Bei had long been active. The Xiongnu Chanyu, a long-established expert in this world, still posed a threat. The recent surge of spiritual energy across the Han world had fostered the rise of new young talents among the tribes.

As the Great Han descended into turmoil, these nomadic experts watched from the sidelines. Though they had made moves southward, they hadn’t yet launched a full-scale invasion, seemingly waiting to see if the Tang Dynasty would take further action against the Han, before deciding on their own strategy.

Ke Lang’s visit to Mount Longhu, along with Xiang Chengyuan, was also a way of showing that they would not ally with the nomads to attack the Han.

Lei Jun, for his part, wasn’t particularly invested in whether the Han Dynasty survived. In a way, the imperial family was just another powerful clan. Xiang Chengyuan and Xiang Jing’s antics had already cost them the people’s trust—and pushed Lei Jun’s patience.

For now, Lei Jun was observing. Watching how the Xiang family’s conduct evolved.

At present, it was still the Kongsang Witch King, with his long history of wrongdoing, who strained Lei Jun’s patience the most. But with the Three Caves and Three Heavens Supreme Longhu Immortal Array temporarily unusable and limited to Mount Longhu, and the Kongsang portal now sealed, Lei Jun wasn’t constantly preoccupied by it.

This conversation with Ke Lang, along with the information exchanged about the Kongsang Witch King, helped Lei Jun gain a broader perspective.

Ke Lang also mentioned another topic: “A monk from the Sumeru Treasure Division, although he did not enter Kongsang before, is rumored to have taken advantage of the chaos to collect some Kongsang-related items.”

Lei Jun asked, “The work of the Wise Virtue Venerable?”

Ke Lang replied, “It’s unclear at the moment what exactly they obtained, but it’s something we must consider.”

Lei Jun gave a slight nod. “Thank you, Master Ke, for letting me know.”

The Han world was in chaos. Lei Jun rarely left Mount Longhu, yet his location had become the focal point. Representatives from various factions came and went in an endless stream.

Even those who couldn’t win Lei Jun’s support at the very least didn’t want to earn his opposition.

After Ke Lang and Xiang Chengyuan left, others continued to arrive, including many members of the Han imperial family now vying for the throne. Secret visitors from the prestigious clans of the Great Han also made their way to Mount Longhu, hoping for an audience with the Celestial Master.

Among those Lei Jun recognized was Wang Bujiu, a younger member of the Langya Wang Clan. He had stayed in the Tang Dynasty’s human world even after the Datong portal closed, never returning to the Han. But with the Han now in upheaval, Wang Bujiu rushed back through the void portal.

After reconnecting with Wang Yan and other clan elders, Wang Bujiu came to Mount Longhu as their representative. Alongside him was Li Tingyu, a promising young talent from the Suzhou Li Clan under Li Feiyang.

Like Kongsang Dudu earlier, the Langya Wang Clan and Suzhou Li Clan were cautious on their first visit. The main figures like Wang Yan and Li Feiyang didn’t come themselves; instead, they sent Wang Bujiu and Li Tingyu ahead as scouts.

Though the Wang and Li clans had already begun shifting their family policies years ago thanks to Wang Xu, the Eastern Mountain Hermit, the terrifying reputation of Lei Jun and the Tianshi Mansion—having wiped out the major clans of the Tang, then flattened the Five Greats of Datong—meant they couldn’t be too careful, even if they wanted to engage.

Wang Bujiu, having spent time in both Datong and the Tang world, was relatively more at ease. Li Tingyu, however, was noticeably more anxious.

Lei Jun, for his part, received them calmly. He handed them off to his junior brother, Chu Kun, without much fanfare. When Wang Yan, Li Feiyang, and the others came later, Lei Jun would consider showing up personally.

In fact, even if they came, Lei Jun’s attitude remained one of quiet observation.

After speaking with Chu Kun, Wang Bujiu and Li Tingyu left Mount Longhu. Not far from the gates, they ran into Fang Junmei from Jingxiang.

The two looked at each other in surprise.

Fang Junmei greeted them with his usual composed demeanor. "It's been a while. I hope you’ve been well."

Wang Bujiu asked, "Brother Chi Xing, are you here on behalf of Jingxiang?"

Fang Junmei replied calmly, "It’s my personal decision, though I did inform my clan beforehand... Well, you could say this is a result that everyone is happy to see."

Li Tingyu remained silent.

Wang Bujiu, watching him, softly remarked, "Perhaps one day, we’ll meet again in the Tang Dynasty."

Fang Junmei smiled. "I’d like that."

His situation in the Han Dynasty was quite unique. Long ago, he had appeared as a wayward son in the clan, almost like a flatterer, serving under Han Emperor Xiang Chengyuan.

Fang Junmei knew he wasn’t a sycophant. He also understood that his sovereign had not been a tyrant or a fool. Xiang Chengyuan’s past actions had often been out of desperation. The two of them, ruler and minister, had formed a rare bond despite the age gap.

But unfortunately, despite Xiang Chengyuan’s years of struggle, he had never been able to escape the control and schemes of the Kongsang Witch King. His reputation as a once-great ruler was shattered, ending in total defeat and humiliation.

And yet, the Kongsang Witch King hadn’t won either.

Xiang Chengyuan barely managed to stay alive, but to the outside world, he was already dead—"ascended to the heavens" in official terms.

As for Fang Junmei, already seen as a petty courtier, his reputation and position had become even worse. But perhaps because of this, he decisively left the Fang Clan of Jingxiang and even the Han Dynasty altogether, stepping away from this world.

The now-elder of Kongsang Dudu, Xiang Chengyuan, had encouraged him to do the same—find a new place, start over. It couldn’t possibly get worse than this.

Fang Junmei didn’t follow Xiang Chengyuan to Dudu. Instead, he wanted to see what lay beyond the Han world.

The Patriarch of the Fang Clan in Jingxiang, Fang Qiong, tacitly approved Fang Junmei’s decision.

Compared to the Langya Wang Clan and the Suzhou Li Clan, both of which had only recently risen to prominence in the Great Han Dynasty, the Fang Clan of Jingxiang had a far longer history.

Naturally, this made it harder for them to shift their stance.

Few were willing to change.

But for someone like Fang Junmei, a disgraced scholar with a tarnished reputation, leaving the family to start anew was just the right move.

Fang Junmei held no sentimental attachment to the Fang Clan of Jingxiang.

In the future, he would forge his own path, build his own lineage, and walk a different road from the Fang Clan.

If they ever crossed paths again, neither side would hold back.

After bidding farewell to Wang Bujiu and Li Tingyu, Fang Junmei climbed the mountain to seek an audience.

Lei Jun, as before, handed him over to Chu Kun.

Lei Jun had previously interacted with Fang Junmei and knew that, despite his tarnished name, the man possessed considerable talent.

Seeing Fang Junmei striding in openly, without having been expelled by the Fang Clan of Jingxiang, spoke volumes about the internal disagreements within that clan.

Later on, even disciples of the Ye Clan from Qingzhou came to pay respects at the mountain.

Lei Jun also left them to Chu Kun.

But there were some who couldn't simply be passed on to Chu Kun.

---

In the pale, ink-stained darkness of the Tianshu’s shadow universe, a dark star named "Radiance" shimmered faintly.

This starlight belonged to Luo Hou.

Kang Ming sat alone within the third layer of the Huangtian Sect’s altar, his expression solemn.

The great battle between the Tang Dynasty’s Mount Longhu and the Han Dynasty’s Mount Longhu had affected the Huangtian altar.

This meant the altar’s location had been exposed—and more than one faction had noticed.

For Huangtian Dao, this was a disaster of the highest order.

Although they had Kang Ming and other upper-three-heaven cultivators, if the altar itself was destroyed, even if Kang Ming and Chen Ziyang were willing to sacrifice themselves and merge into the altar, they still lacked the necessary spiritual materials to sustain it.

Faced with this dire situation, Kang Ming could only make a desperate gamble:

He had to find a way to relocate the Huangtian altar entirely, to escape from its now-exposed location.

This had never been done before in Huangtian Dao’s history—not even by past leaders like Yu Qinglei or Daoist Taiping.

The altar, a formation that emulated the heavens and earth and resonated deeply with the spiritual energy of the land, was not something that could simply be moved like an ordinary object.

Fortunately, during his time in the current Han world, Kang Ming had a stroke of luck and obtained a rare treasure.

The clash of two opposing factions that had left secret traps within the Huangtian altar had actually given Kang Ming an opportunity to erase their marks.

After clearing these traps, Kang Ming could attempt his secret technique to relocate the altar.

He succeeded.

By harnessing the flow of the earth’s spiritual veins, Kang Ming successfully moved the Huangtian altar from Donghai Island to a new location on the northeastern mainland.

The process was somewhat similar to how the Shu Mountain Sect’s Clearmist Pavilion of the Tang Dynasty used the earth’s spiritual energy to move itself.

Having suffered multiple setbacks, Kang Ming had been searching for ways to avoid such threats.

The rare treasure he obtained in the current Han world had been key—something not even found in the Tang Dynasty.

However, the Huangtian altar wasn’t the Clearmist Pavilion.

Its movement wasn’t smooth or repeatable. After this single relocation, it would be hard to move it again.

Now, though the altar was once more stabilized, the process had left it deeply damaged and shaken.

Kang Ming sat in meditation within the altar, nurturing it with his own cultivation, slowly mending the cracks.

At the same time, it felt as if he were waiting for a final judgment.

The Huangtian altar’s location had changed.

But if their enemies could still find traces, they might uncover this new hiding place.

For now, Kang Ming felt relieved—there had been no signs of others finding the new location for quite some time.

The Huangtian altar had a new, hidden address.

Kang Ming kept an eye on outside events.

Ji Daocheng, Xiang Jing, and others from the Han Dynasty’s Mount Longhu had all perished, but the Tang Dynasty’s Mount Longhu still stood.

This left Kang Ming with complex feelings.

Another thing that puzzled him was the dark radiance of Luo Hou.

Through the Tianshu’s shadow universe, he had learned much, but Kang Ming remained wary of it.

“But... many times, there is no choice.” Kang Ming shook his head slightly.

---

At Mount Longhu, Lei Jun calmly watched the Huangtian altar’s relocation.

Though Kang Ming had done his best to erase the marks, the talisman inscriptions Lei Jun had left behind were not something Kang Ming could remove.

Lei Jun admired Kang Ming’s technique for moving the altar—it was quite impressive.

But unfortunately, such a method could only be applied to relatively simpler altars like the Huangtian altar. It wouldn’t work on the Tang Dynasty’s Wanfa altar or the Han Dynasty’s Longhu altar.

Still, for Lei Jun, it was an interesting reference.

He didn’t mind the Huangtian altar relocating, nor did he mind letting Huangtian Dao linger a bit longer.

What intrigued him most now was a piece of information Kang Ming had provided:

Kang Ming had discovered a relic from the Suzhou Chu Clan in the current Han world.

The Chu Clan of Suzhou had long since declined—its territory now managed by the up-and-coming Li Clan.

In a Chu Clan ruin outside Suzhou, Kang Ming had found remnants of ancient writings.

Lei Jun, as the master of the Tianshu’s shadow universe, had been gathering clues related to ancient talismans and the old Tian Palace.

Kang Ming’s discovery included a lengthy but fragmentary manuscript, which mentioned a name Lei Jun had only recently heard:

Chu Baiyu.

His real name: Zheng Baiyu, also known as Master of the Northern Star.

He had married into the Chu Clan.

According to information from Kunlun, this great Confucian of the late Han era had led an extraordinary life. He rose from setbacks again and again, ultimately becoming a Sage of Confucianism. After joining the old Tian Palace, he rapidly ascended in cultivation and status, eventually ranking among the core figures—just below the High Lord, on par with only a few others.

After the Han era’s great disaster, Zheng Baiyu was said to have perished. Unlike the High Lord and others, who were sealed within the Bilu by Zhang Wantong’s past-life incarnation He Ying, he had supposedly died.

But based on Kang Ming’s findings in the Chu Clan’s pre-disaster manuscript, Lei Jun saw hints that suggested otherwise.

The manuscript was heavily damaged, but one detail stood out:

Zheng Baiyu had once sought out the residence of the Jiuli people in the lightless depths of the Undersea Realm.

The record was brief, almost a passing mention, and the original scribe hadn’t paid it much mind.

But Lei Jun couldn’t help recalling something:

A great Confucian had once entered the Undersea Realm, profoundly influencing the Jiuli people there, even changing the names of their nine great tribes.

Names like Tanli, Luli, Juli, and Fuli bore a striking resemblance to star names such as Tanlang, Lucun, Jumen, and Zuo Fu.

Zheng Baiyu himself was often associated with the stars—his birth name, his title, all reflected that.

If it was indeed Zheng Baiyu who had influenced the Jiuli tribe’s renaming, then the rumor of his death during the Han era’s disaster might not be true after all.

Back in the Undersea Realm, Lei Jun had thoroughly investigated, and clues had eventually led from there to the remnants of the old Song Dynasty’s human realm—and then to the Youyin, one of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Whether Zheng Baiyu was still alive or had been reborn like Zhang Wantong, it seemed highly likely he was connected to the Youyin.

For now, there was no concrete evidence.

It wasn’t even certain whether Zheng Baiyu had ever reached the Undersea Realm.

But Lei Jun’s intuition told him he wasn’t wrong about this.

When it came to the Tian Palace remnants, beyond the Bilu, the Youyin was also a place to keep an eye on.

Lei Jun thought quietly for a while, then set his thoughts aside, calming his mind and focusing on his tasks at hand.

Aside from overseeing the Daoist reform at the Han Dynasty’s Mount Longhu, Lei Jun never slacked in his personal cultivation.

Though the Great Han’s situation remained unstable, the overall landscape was becoming clearer, allowing Lei Jun to relax somewhat.

Whenever he had free time, he would study the spoils he had recently acquired.

There was the Taiqing Duren Grotto, of course, but also two treasures obtained from slaying Xiang Jing:

Wu Jin Blade and Guiyuan Bottle.

The Wu Jin Blade had been Xiang Jing’s ultimate trump card, a fearsome weapon—sharp, solid, and imbued with top-level curse techniques from the Witch Sect, capable of harming enemies invisibly and nearly impossible to counter.

But it had been suppressed by Lei Jun’s Taiqing Eight-Scene Cloak and failed to show its true power.

This blade could kill with a single cut, its material extremely durable and well-suited for powerful attacks.

Although Lei Jun, as a Daoist cultivator, couldn’t fully harness the blade’s Witch Sect nature, its solid construction meant he could use it as a Yuan Magnetic Flying Blade.

The other treasure, the Guiyuan Bottle, was the white jade bottle Xiang Jing had used to absorb Lei Jun’s spiritual power and attempt to capture the Celestial Master’s Seal.

It appeared delicate, but it held profound mysteries.

This was no creation of Xiang Jing or Ji Daocheng—it originated from Ancestor Zhou Tian.

The bottle had been previously suppressed by the Celestial Master’s Seal, but after Lei Jun cleaned it thoroughly, it was ready for use again.

It was a proper Daoist talisman treasure.

The Wu Jin Blade was the ultimate trump card Xiang Jing had kept until the very end.

Its edge was razor-sharp, the blade incredibly tough.

More importantly, it was imbued with the top-tier curse arts of the Witch Sect, painstakingly reinforced by numerous masters of that lineage.

This meant it could harm opponents invisibly, its damage extremely difficult to resolve.

But when Xiang Jing had used it, he had been up against Lei Jun’s Taiqing Eight-Scene Cloak, which suppressed the blade’s full potential.

The blade’s properties were terrifying—anyone wounded by it faced a high risk of death.

Its material was exceptionally solid, making it perfect for overwhelming attacks—sharp beyond compare.

While Lei Jun, as a Daoist cultivator, couldn’t directly harness the blade’s Witch Sect nature, its sturdy foundation made it an excellent candidate to be repurposed as a Yuan Magnetic Flying Blade.

As for the other treasure—the Guiyuan Bottle—it was the white jade vessel Xiang Jing had used to absorb Lei Jun’s spiritual power and even attempt to seize the Celestial Master’s Seal.

Delicate and fragile in appearance, the bottle was anything but simple.

This wasn’t a product of Xiang Jing or Ji Daocheng’s own crafting.

Rather, it originated from Ancestor Zhou Tian himself.

The bottle had previously been suppressed by the Celestial Master’s Seal.

After a thorough cleansing by Lei Jun, it was now ready for use once more.

This was a genuine talisman treasure of the Daoist school—an authentic artifact of the Talisman Sect.