Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 457: Second-Rank Opportunity – Blade Soul of Time

Deep within the Abyssal Ravine, despite the chaotic spiritual energy swirling around, Witch Luo Sun Li's spiritual sense remained exceptionally sharp—outperforming even Witch Gu Lei Lei, Abbot Zhiquan, and Master Du Ci.

Lei Jun hadn't brought the Jade Purity Zhou Tian Mirror with him. Instead, he relied solely on his own Heaven-Penetrating Earth-Comprehending Talisman to focus his sight and observe the surroundings.

Sensing Lei Jun's direct gaze, Sun Li instinctively felt something.

Lei Jun quickly averted his eyes.

He neither approached Sun Li nor revealed himself—this involved his junior brother Chu Kun, and secrecy took priority.

Midway through the ravine, Sun Li paused, glancing around. Since Lei Jun had retracted his gaze in time, Sun Li couldn't determine who had been watching him.

With the situation inside the Great Formation unclear and powerful figures like Lei Lei and Zhiquan present, Sun Li grew more cautious and restrained his movements further.

He slowed his actions of exploring and collecting spiritual items from the valley.

Lei Jun had earlier noticed that Sun Li was collecting bones—likely of great use to a Grand Witch of the Curse Blessing lineage at the Ninth Heaven. For others, they may be worthless.

At the upper origin point of the Hanging Abyss in the sky, Sun Li suspected this place to be the core of the realm. Naturally, it would draw the most attention.

As expected, Witch Gu Lei Lei, Abbot Zhiquan, and Master Du Ci all headed straight there.

So Elder Sun, the newly appointed Witch Luo, decided to go for the cold stove instead—taking what suited him rather than vying for the best.

Lei Jun stopped watching Sun Li and let his gaze follow the ravine downward.

Among the Ninth Heaven masters from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the last one—Li Weilie, Sovereign of Southern Chu—also went for the cold stove and avoided the crowd at the origin.

Instead, he descended into a crevice on the valley floor—where he encountered Zhang Mengchen, Crown Prince of Southern Yue.

A Ninth Heaven Martial Saint against an Eighth Heaven martial cultivator—there was practically no suspense.

For a martial cultivator, the worst matchup is one of a higher cultivation level in the same discipline.

Zhang Mengchen was quickly and heavily wounded, fleeing for his life.

Had this been in the mortal world, Li Weilie would have chased him down—but with the Great Formation's dangers and many experts around, the Southern Chu sovereign chose instead to continue exploring, hoping to obtain some fated treasure underground near the valley mouth, making this venture worthwhile.

Though martial cultivators have poor external spiritual perception, the immortal expert buried within the Great Formation was a Martial Immortal—an existence extremely tempting to Li Weilie, located right here at the upside-down valley mouth.

…To be precise, one also lay above, in the sky.

But if given the choice, Li Weilie had no interest in clashing directly with Zhiquan, Du Ci, Lei Lei, or Sun Li.

Obtaining the underground item would already satisfy him.

But then—

Lei Jun watched as Zhiquan and Du Ci reached the upper source of the Hanging Abyss first, while Li Weilie beat everyone to the lower valley mouth.

Before any change occurred above, a massive quake erupted from below!

A violently condensed energy burst from the earth and shot skyward.

The valley mouth collapsed massively, dust surging into the air.

A translucent but searingly hot fist—formed of pure martial intent—blasted upward.

Even from afar, Lei Jun felt like a blazing sun had risen from the depths, a heat greater than that of his own Yin-Yang Star Radiance.

The sheer ferocity of the martial will shattered the valley mouth, stirring winds and clouds and setting off changes throughout half of the Great Formation.

Hidden beside Lei Jun, Chu Kun felt his Star-Moon Lightless Banner tremble for a moment, nearly failing to conceal him.

He looked down, his soul shaken.

All he could see was a figure—blurred like the sun—punching forward under the light.

Where that punch struck, another form tried desperately to evade—yet was still being torn apart.

That seemingly fragile victim was, shockingly, a Ninth Heaven Martial Saint!

Chu Kun turned to look at Lei Jun.

Lei Jun, while quietly reinforcing him with a Heavenstride Talisman, transmitted, “The Martial Immortal has perished, but he did leave something critical behind. That’s why the remnants of his former power erupted now—far more violently than most anticipated.”

He gazed about and added, “This Great Formation is truly unique… especially for martial cultivators.”

Zhang Mengchen, an Eighth Heaven cultivator, had no chance against Ninth Heaven Li Weilie—beaten senseless in just a few blows. Whether he lived depended entirely on Li Weilie.

Now, Li Weilie found himself in the same position—or worse.

He was struck head-on by that Martial Immortal’s final remnant strike and killed instantly.

The first ruler to personally venture into the Great Formation met a swift and tragic end.

In the world of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the fate of Southern Chu could already be imagined.

No wonder even a Second-Rank Opportunity like this came with only a “moderate” fortune rating… Lei Jun understood now.

Had he faced that strike himself, it wouldn’t have gone smoothly.

The Martial Immortal’s blow was devastating—but thankfully, there was only one.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been rated “moderate.”

Its force surpassed even the Yin-Yang Star Radiance, but like a burning sun that had exhausted its flame, the martial intent dissipated after one strike.

Lei Jun’s eyes flickered as he saw another familiar figure enter the valley—Zhou Pu.

Seeing this, Lei Jun redirected his attention upward, toward the abyss's origin in the sky.

The sudden upheaval below had caused Witch Lei Lei—who trailed the Buddhist monks—to instinctively slow down.

Though the martial intent had vanished, its aftershock stirred the heavens and affected the entire ravine.

Zhiquan and Du Ci, having reached the abyss’s origin, sensed something wrong—but it was already too late.

From the sky above, a blade of light suddenly burst forth!

Zhiquan and Du Ci were both shocked.

They had entered the abyss's origin with utmost caution.

But the brilliance of this blade was far beyond anything they had anticipated—so intense it seemed to rewrite their understanding of reality.

In that moment, they nearly believed a Martial Immortal still lived, hiding within the Great Formation, launching a sudden attack.

Zhiquan activated his Luminous Lotus Supreme Body from the Glazed Zen Monastery to shield both himself and Du Ci.

Du Ci, seated cross-legged in his Great Vajra Dragon Bodhisattva Body, clasped his palms and took the most solid defensive stance.

A Martial Saint of the same level would have struggled to break this defense—but the terrifying blade light slashed through it.

The Glazed Buddha Light rippled like water—then, in the next moment, Du Ci’s Great Vajra Bodhisattva Body was split in two.

Du Ci, a high monk of the Ninth Heaven from the Vow Lineage, was killed on the spot.

Zhiquan’s Luminous Lotus Supreme Body was also shattered.

He groaned, his Fixed Dharma Body, standing sixteen feet tall, was likewise sliced in half.

Though severely injured, he clung to life thanks to his tenacity.

Just like the earlier punch, the blade vanished quickly after a single strike—but not without consequence.

The abyss's source was linked to the Abyss of Time, a place of chaotic space-time.

This attack disrupted that delicate connection.

The Eight Scenery Treasure Cloak Lei Jun had used to stabilize it could no longer hold.

Crimson cracks appeared in the once-frozen deep abyss.

All the turbulent undercurrents below the “ice” exploded outward, and the abyss—made of chaotic time and space—burst open.

Zhiquan, critically wounded, stood no chance and was immediately swept into the Abyss of Time.

Lei Jun saw this and understood—this was why the fortune rating had been “low-moderate.”

The blade had not only slain its victim but also triggered the spatial collapse, devouring anything near the abyss origin.

Even someone like Thunder Master Lei would’ve had a hard time escaping if caught in that.

As for the “moderate-high” rating…

Lei Jun’s gaze sharpened.

Though the blade had vanished, its martial intent mingled with the power of the Abyss of Time and the Great Formation—forming a new phenomenon.

Under the glow of Lei Jun’s Heaven-Penetrating Earth-Comprehending Talisman, he saw a mystical ancient saber—squeezed and erased by colliding forces.

Its physical form disintegrated—but its blade intent remained, taking on a translucent form, radiating faint light.

This illusionary “new blade,” born of the earlier slash, flew out of the abyss.

As these thoughts flickered through his mind, Lei Jun moved like a phantom and decisively intercepted it.

[Blade Soul of Time]

The name echoed in his heart—this, he guessed, was the Second-Rank Opportunity tied to the “moderate-high” fortune.

He quickly examined it for abnormalities, found none, and stored it away for later inspection.

At the time of the upheaval at the valley mouth, the inverted and eerie Hanging Abyss still managed to hold together.

But once the shock from the abyss origin above struck, the entire ravine began to distort and collapse.

All the Martial Immortal remains once buried here were stirred.

As the ravine fell into chaos, the earlier blade from the sky and the fist from underground, along with other lingering martial wills, mixed together and formed strange phenomena in the surrounding heavens and earth.

Even Chu Kun found his mind impacted. For an instant, vivid visions flickered in his thoughts.

Fortunately, Lei Jun’s spiritual soul was extraordinarily resilient—like a sea wall standing firm against a tsunami of mental shockwaves.

And so, within his mind, the chaotic images grew clearer:

Several martial cultivators were besieging a single Daoist.

The clash was earth-shattering, its shockwaves rippling across the entire Great Formation.

In the end, the Daoist emerged victorious, while the Martial Immortals—including the wielder of that blade—fell and were buried within the formation.

The vision vanished as quickly as it came.

Lei Jun had regained mental clarity.

As the Hanging Abyss collapsed, this entire half of the Great Formation descended into chaos.

Witch Gu Lei Lei quickly retreated.

She looked up—through the ever-shifting skies, she seemed to glimpse a flash of blade light before it vanished.

The crimson sky appeared to split open.

Lei Lei wanted to observe more, but the sky above showed signs of further collapse and engulfment—she dared not linger.

Sun Li also had no choice but to retreat from the Great Formation. He rushed to rendezvous with Lei Lei and assist her: “Will anyone come from Mount Lingshan?”

Lei Lei sighed deeply, “Our king has other plans and will not leave Mount Lingshan. Others won’t make it in time.”

Sun Li said, “Then we’ve no choice but to withdraw.”

Though unwilling, Lei Lei had no alternative.

The two Grand Witches left the formation at once.

In the crumbling, hellish valley below, Zhou Pu managed to retrieve an item—a crystal-like object, flawless and transparent, with a faint red glow within.

It resembled an eyeball.

Seeing the scene turn apocalyptic, Zhou Pu didn’t risk further greed. He also escaped the Great Formation as quickly as possible.

For a time, among those who entered from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, some died, others fled.

The already fractured Great Formation trembled ever more violently.

“Senior Brother?” Chu Kun looked to Lei Jun.

Lei Jun waved his hand casually, summoning a barrage of talismans that hovered in midair, forming a protective wall to seal the cracking sky above.

He still had enough leisure to ask, “Is there a chance?”

Chu Kun gazed skyward, “We can’t fix it all at once—but we should be able to make some progress.”

Lei Jun nodded, “That’s expected. The cracks here in the Great Formation are unlike anything in the Nine Heavens or Ten Earths. No need to be overly harsh on ourselves.”

As he spoke, Lei Jun activated his power. The illusory light around him coalesced into a massive three-tiered altar, glowing in purple, gold, and azure.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the formation where they had first entered, the crimson sky was also trembling, and beams of light flared.

Countless talismans came together to form a second barrier.

Besides his own talismans, Lei Jun had left behind one of the Three Celestial Treasures—the Celestial Master Seal.

Now, the seal expanded into another altar the size of a mountain, and merged with the Grand Dao Realm of Profound Yellow Cosmos that Lei Jun had previously established on this side.

This served as a hub to circulate and synchronize the countless talismans he had placed—harmonizing with the opposite half of the Great Formation.

On this side, Lei Jun's own altar fused with his second Grand Dao Realm of Profound Yellow Cosmos.

He deliberately kept his distance from the Abyss of Time, avoiding direct involvement.

Together, these two altars worked in tandem to stabilize the chaos within the Great Formation.

His Eight Scenery Treasure Cloak began showing signs of slipping into the Abyss of Time.

But then—snap!—the Jade Bamboo of the Upper Clarity Realm lifted into the air, and with Lei Jun’s control, it “hooked” the cloak and pulled it free, as if fishing it out.

Meanwhile, Chu Kun tapped his own forehead lightly.

Earlier, Lei Jun hadn’t noticed anything unusual about the motion.

But now, he could see it clearly—each tap on Chu Kun’s brow sent faint red ripples radiating outward.

By himself, Chu Kun couldn’t have quelled the chaos at hand.

But with Lei Jun at his side, he operated like a master—using minimal force to achieve maximal effect.

The fractured void gradually stabilized.

Besides the two Grand Dao Realms—one for himself and one anchored by the Celestial Master Seal—Lei Jun's distributed talismans on both sides began flying into the void, filling in the cracks caused by the expanding Abyss of Time.

The rampage of the abyss finally came to a halt—as if a raging beast had returned to slumber.

But the chaotic space-time within it remained unstable and dangerous.

“This is as far as we can go for now,” Chu Kun exhaled deeply.

At this point, Lei Jun brought out the Blade Soul of Time again and flicked it with his finger.

“Yan Rizhōng and the others may be dead,” he said, “but they were nothing good. Back in the day, the Abyss of Time was dormant—almost impossible to stir. Now, centuries later, with spiritual tides rising in the human realm, the Great Formation is waking… and they finally had a chance to wreak havoc even in death.”

Chu Kun looked over with curiosity, “Yan Rizhōng… I think I’ve seen that name in some old scrolls in the Decree Library Pavilion…”

Lei Jun nodded, “A warlord during the late Han chaos. Rumor says he was the last Martial powerhouse to control the Great Formation… and once a member of the Heavenly Palace.”

But now, dust had returned to dust.

Martial cultivators cannot reincarnate or possess others.

Now that the Blade Soul of Time is in Lei Jun’s hands, there would be no second chance for its former owner.

The fortune reading had warned of possible future entanglements—perhaps linked to the Abyss of Time, whose nature had merged into the blade itself… Lei Jun silently speculated.

Chu Kun added, “The one who killed Yan Rizhōng and the others… must’ve been a Daoist senior from our sect…”

He, too, had glimpsed that mental vision earlier—though not clearly.

Lei Jun gave a slight nod.

That lone Daoist who triumphed against all odds—who killed Yan Rizhōng and other Martial Immortals—was a stranger to them in appearance, yet not unfamiliar in name.

It was none other than the 16th Celestial Master of Mount Longhu’s Celestial Master Mansion—Zhuang Zheng.