Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 54: Emoticons

The mountain ranges to the north of Qingxiao Lake were also flooded. However, the water's flow did not head toward Qingxiao Lake, so the lake's dike and the talisman formation remained unaffected.

Considering the earlier commotion, Lei Jun speculated that the Lower-Bad Omen described for the north wasn't an ambush by the Lin Clan, but some kind of natural disaster — large in scale and hard to withstand?

Fang Yue waved his hand to end the conversation, instructing Fang Mingyuan and Lu Zhaoqing to temporarily retreat. He remained on Qingxiao Lake's dike, gazing northward.

No natural disaster appeared, nor did any Lin Clan members show up.

After an unknown amount of time, a purple-robed young Daoist appeared above the Suspended Lake, arriving on a drifting white cloud. With his arrival, the clouds dispersed, and the rain ceased. The atmosphere was as gentle as a spring breeze, bringing peace and harmony.

He waved his hand, and the Suspended Lake descended. The floodwaters stopped wreaking havoc, and the spiritual energy calmed. In a blink, Qingxiao Lake returned to its usual tranquility.

"Are you Daoist Yuli Zi from Mount Longhu?" Fang Yue tidied his robes and respectfully greeted him. "I am Fang Yue of the Fang Clan from Jingxiang."

Fang Mingyuan widened his eyes, staring at the distant broken mountaintop revealed after the Suspended Lake receded, where Lei Jun and Luo Haoran calmly emerged.

Hearing someone address his master's Dao name felt so unfamiliar that Lei Jun almost forgot to respond. Collecting himself, he dispelled the Water-Repealing Golden Eyes and stepped forward. "Master."

The newcomer was none other than Yuan Mobai. He smiled warmly, just as he always did, and returned Fang Yue's greeting. "So, you are indeed the talented son of the Jingxiang Fang Clan. You certainly live up to your reputation."

Fang Yue responded, "You flatter me, Daoist. You can call me by my courtesy name, Duanfeng."

Turning to Fang Mingyuan, he said, "This is my younger cousin, Mingyuan."

Yuan Mobai's smile remained as gentle as ever. "Young Master Mingyuan is also quite impressive. Since we last met a year ago, you've grown even more remarkable."

The Fang Clan youth composed himself, his demeanor flawless. "Mingyuan greets Daoist. May you enjoy boundless fortune and longevity."

After greeting the guests, Yuan Mobai acknowledged Lu Zhaoqing and then turned to Lei Jun. "It seems this trip gave you quite the ordeal."

Lei Jun replied, "I'm fine, Master, but Senior Brother Luo is seriously injured, and Elder Lu has worked hard tending to him."

Yuan Mobai waved his hand and flew over to Luo Haoran, blending into the white clouds, careful not to disturb Luo's recovery.

Lei Jun briefly summarized the events. "The Lin Clan..."

Yuan Mobai shook his head slightly. "Several people indeed perished on the North Mountain."

Lei Jun noted, "Earlier, we only heard a major commotion to the north."

Yuan Mobai sighed softly. "Strictly speaking, I am somewhat responsible. I did not kill Bo Ren, yet Bo Ren died because of me."

So, the 'natural disaster' up north wasn’t entirely natural — it was a man-made catastrophe caused by his master. Lei Jun's curiosity piqued.

Everyone, even Fang Mingyuan, perked up their ears.

"My earlier absence was due to a duel," Yuan Mobai explained. "I deliberately chose a remote location to avoid affecting Qingxiao Mountain. Unfortunately, the battle impacted the Lin Clan members. Although it wasn’t my direct attack..."

It was the aftermath of his opponent's strike that killed the Lin Clan members ambushing in the North Mountain.

The Lin Clan had intended to ambush Lei Jun and the others in the Third Heaven and Second Heaven realms. Little did they know that two powerhouses were clashing nearby.

Lei Jun kept a straight face, having been trained to stay composed. He didn’t laugh.

Yuan Mobai said no more on the matter and turned to Lu Zhaoqing. "Senior Brother Lu, the talisman formation at Qingxiao Lake is temporarily secure. This place isn't suitable for guests; let's invite the two young masters from the Fang Clan to Qingxiao Monastery."

Fang Yue responded, "In that case, we'll gratefully accept the hospitality."

The status of the Tianshi of Tianshi Mansion remained unclear. The Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, their old rival, was becoming restless again and making preliminary probes. Besides instigating trouble through the Dong Clan downstream of the Qinglan River, Lin Clan members had also infiltrated the Yunxiao Mountain Range.

But they paid a steep price. Fang Yue had saved Qin Tao and driven off the Lin Clan from West Mountain. Meanwhile, the forces advancing toward North Mountain and Qingxiao Lake were utterly defeated.

The conflict between the Jiangzhou Lin Clan and Tianshi Mansion was poised to escalate.

On the way back to Qingxiao Monastery, Yuan Mobai told Lei Jun, "The flood in the Yunxiao Mountain Range was severe. I couldn’t intervene sooner. Tianshi Mansion and the Zixiao Sect have sent reinforcements."

They might have missed the flood, but the battle against the Lin Clan and the Dong Clan was just beginning.

Familiar faces were part of the team dispatched, led by Li Xuan, the eldest son of Elder Ziyang. Among the accompanying disciples was Qu Yong, who had previously visited Xuanyang Grotto-Heaven with Lei Jun.

At Qingxiao Monastery, after formal greetings, Li Xuan and the others listened to the situation concerning the Jiangzhou Lin Clan without panic. After all, they were familiar foes.

Li Xuan asked Yuan Mobai for instructions. "Uncle Yuan, shall we...?"

Yuan Mobai replied calmly, "The Lin Clan will have backup plans, but there's no need to rush. We’ll stay in the Yunxiao Mountain Range for now. Report the events to the sect and escort Luo and the other injured back for rest. Also, while the two young masters from the Fang Clan are here, we should discuss their stance."

Everyone agreed.

As for Qin Tao, he stood in front of the main hall, filled with regret and fear, awaiting judgment.

Though Li Xuan wasn’t particularly close to Fang Yue, they were acquainted. Hearing about Qin Tao's capture by the Lin Clan, Li Xuan took a deep breath. "A disgrace to the Zixiao Sect."

He turned to Yuan Mobai and Lu Zhaoqing. "Since he is a disciple of Zixiao Sect, let’s return him to the sect for punishment."

Yuan Mobai and Lu Zhaoqing nodded. "That works."

Qin Tao's flicker of hope vanished when a true disciple was assigned to escort him back to Zixiao Sect for judgment. He realized he couldn’t rely on personal connections to save him and despaired.

This was all normal.

What was not normal was the reaction to Lei Jun's account of the events at Qingxiao Lake.

When Li Xuan heard about their clash with the Dong Clan, he looked at Lei Jun in surprise. Then he suddenly turned to glare at Qu Yong.

Qu Yong's eyes almost popped out of his head. The look from Senior Brother Li sent a chill down his spine.

Lei Jun stood calmly, unfazed by their expressions. Remembering his Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen's advice, he mentally composed two images:

First, Li Xuan and Qu Yong standing side by side, mouths agape. He titled it “Shocked.”

Second, Li Xuan glaring at Qu Yong, who looked utterly wronged. He titled it “Aggrieved.”