Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 66: The third skill of the natal chart, the Five Thunder Talisman

The Lower-Moderate Omen foretold that the Tianxu Sect would suffer an internal collapse caused by infiltration.

If it wasn’t a matter of breaking through spatial barriers for a surprise attack, such a capable opponent could have already breached the Mountain Guarding Formation with a frontal assault.

Ruling out those possibilities, Lei Jun's first guess was that there was an internal traitor who had sided with the Yellow Heaven Sect.

During his time cultivating at Tianxu Sect, he got along well with the others. Moreover, Sect Master Tu Guangyu was familiar with Yuan Mobai, so after thinking it through, Lei Jun decided to speak privately with Tu Guangyu.

If anyone in Tianxu Sect had defected to the Yellow Heaven Sect, Tu Guangyu was undoubtedly the least likely suspect—almost impossibly so.

Otherwise, this Mountain Guarding Formation would have collapsed long ago, and everyone could have just gone back to bed.

An obvious problem doesn’t need a heavy reminder.

Lei Jun merely mentioned a few things, and Tu Guangyu immediately understood. His expression turned grave. “Nephew Lei…”

“I haven't discovered anything specific, but recalling past events makes me uneasy. I hope Elder Tu will forgive me,” Lei Jun said.

Tu Guangyu responded calmly, “I believe our fellow disciples would not make such a grave mistake.”

Lei Jun replied, “It was rash of me, Elder. Please forgive me.”

The warning was given; the rest was up to Tu Guangyu.

After parting ways with Tu Guangyu, Lei Jun and some disciples of the Tianxu Sect descended from the Main Peak and headed toward Qiántiān Peak in the south.

Following ritual procedures, a three-tiered altar was activated at the peak of Qiántiān.

According to the ceremonial process, Lei Jun and the others entered in groups, raising Daoist banners, lighting incense burners, hanging mirrors, and offering portraits of past ancestors.

Once all preparations were complete, the disciples sat on the three-tiered altar and began reciting the Daoist scriptures.

Lei Jun, with his Third Heaven Altar Stage, led the group, sitting on the highest, third-tier altar.

The Tianxu Sect disciples with Foundation Establishment Second Heaven sat on the second-tier octagonal altar.

Unlike the Tianshi Mansion, where all Qi Refining disciples studied together in the Daoist Children’s Academy, some formal disciples of the Tianxu Sect were still in the Qi Refining Stage and had yet to undergo tribulation to reach Foundation Establishment. They sat on the lowest, square altar.

As the ceremony continued, light gradually radiated from the altar, forming a giant talisman above it.

From a distance, the altars on the other seven peaks displayed similar scenes.

Eight colossal talismans shimmered and rose into the sky, converging above the Tianxu Main Peak.

In the sky above the Main Peak, eight talismans appeared simultaneously, forming a small talisman array to receive the light.

Under this radiance, countless spirit talismans appeared, spreading outwards from the center of the small talisman array.

Eventually, they formed a massive protective formation of interwoven talismans that enveloped the Tianxu Mountain and the surrounding peaks.

With the formation complete, all the disciples of the Tianxu Sect sighed in relief.

At Qiántiān Peak’s altar, Lei Jun and the others no longer needed to maintain constant vigilance; they could now take shifts.

Lei Jun calmed his mind and patiently awaited the night.

He turned his attention elsewhere.

Since achieving the Third Heaven Altar Stage, the inscriptions for his Life-Bound Talismans—Spirit Strike Talisman and Wind Talisman—were etched onto his altar.

Now, Lei Jun began inscribing the third one.

Structurally, it was more complex than the first two talismans.

The talisman’s markings resembled thunderclouds, ever-changing and elusive.

But within them lay a concealed and sharp power, restrained yet potent.

This was the third Life-Bound Talisman he had chosen.

After his comprehension improved to the Illuminated level, Lei Jun continually refined the Thunder Talisman of his sect.

Initially, he experimented with the Flame Talisman and various combinations:

• Flame Talisman with Flame Talisman.
• Flame Talisman with other spirit talismans.
• Other spirit talismans with each other.

Ultimately, Lei Jun favored using the Thunder Talisman as the foundation.

Perhaps it wasn’t appropriate to call it a Thunder Talisman anymore, given the modifications:

• Thunder Talisman combined with the Golden Barrier Talisman became the Metal Thunder Talisman.
• Thunder Talisman infused with Upper Qing Golden Bamboo energy became the Wood Void Thunder Talisman.
• Thunder Talisman fused with Dark River Force became the Water Dark Thunder Talisman.
• Thunder Talisman mixed with the Flame Talisman became the Fire Vault Thunder Talisman.
• Thunder Talisman merged with Breath-Taking Flag energy became the Earth Seal Thunder Talisman.

He then combined all these elements into a unified sequence of Five Elements.

In the end, he named it the Five Thunder Talisman.

Well, since I’m part of the Tianshi Mansion now, and my name is Lei (Thunder), a bit of symbolism doesn’t hurt, Lei Jun joked to himself.

Thus, Lei Jun’s three Life-Bound Talismans for the Lower Heavens were complete.

Having finished, Lei Jun stepped outside the altar to breathe in the fresh air.

Night had fallen.

Under the night sky, the Eight Extremes Mountain Guarding Formation of the Tianxu Sect glowed softly, peaceful and serene.

Sadly, this tranquility didn’t last.

Like a signal flare, a streak of fire shot across the sky and struck the formation’s glow.

Boom!

Flames exploded, rippling through the formation.

Before the flames faded, more radiant lights filled the sky, cascading down like a torrential rain, bombarding the formation!

Lei Jun and the other disciples of the Talismanic Branch knew this sight well.

Countless spirit talismans flashed with light, transforming into bolts of lightning and waves of flame, relentlessly attacking the Tianxu Mountain.

The Yellow Heaven Sect had finally arrived.

Both sides knew each other well.

No need for probing; the assault began immediately.

As the talisman bombardment continued, some Yellow Heaven Sect members approached the outer peaks.

But the formation’s glow kept them temporarily at bay.

Both sects shared similar foundations but developed differently over time, each now wielding their own techniques in a fierce battle.

Lei Jun, seated on the altar, scanned the scene and noticed several Yellow Heaven Sect members with Middle Heaven cultivation levels.

However, no absurdly powerful figures were present.

Indeed, this was just a local skirmish; the fiercest battle was still at Mount Longhu.

But the Tianxu Sect had no time for such thoughts—they focused solely on the fight before them.

With the Mountain Guarding Formation protecting them, they held firm. Though the Yellow Heaven Sect attacked fiercely, they couldn’t breach the formation.

Just when many felt a bit relieved...

Boom!

The Main Peak trembled violently!

Lei Jun turned and saw a brilliant light explode above the Main Peak.

When the explosion cleared, the formation’s core—eight talismans above the Main Peak—had lost two.

The Yellow Heaven Sect seized the opportunity, shattering the third and fourth talismans.

Fortunately, the remaining fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth talismans flickered but held.

Yet, a massive crack had opened in the Eight Extremes Formation, expanding continuously.

Many Yellow Heaven Sect members soared through the air, bypassing the remaining formation to enter the breach.

Tianxu Sect disciples stationed at the outer altars either held their ground or rushed to defend the Main Peak.

From Qiántiān Peak, Lei Jun watched the Main Peak tremble, as though a dragon beneath the earth was rolling over, spreading violent tremors to the surrounding peaks.

Qiántiān Peak shook, rocks collapsed, and the altar atop it shattered!

A fissure split the mountain, revealing a hidden cavern.

From the depths, violent winds howled outward like steel blades.

Lei Jun checked the time.

Midnight had not yet arrived.