Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 68: The joy of big explosion

After the Five Thunder Talisman, Lei Jun unleashed another Chain Flame Talisman.

Thanks to the Vermilion-Tipped Brush, his current Second Layer of Altar Realm allowed him to achieve upper-grade results, whether with his Life-bound Five Thunder Talisman or the non-life-bound Chain Flame Talisman.

The Chain Flame Talisman Lei Jun crafted fused one main talisman with three auxiliary talismans. The main talisman exploded first, dragging the other three into a synchronized detonation.

The mountainside, which already resembled a warehouse of thunder and fire igniting in a chain reaction, now blazed even more intensely. Explosions erupted in a frenzy, flames shooting skyward.

With just two talismans, Lei Jun produced the equivalent firepower of ten people. Then, he went for another round.

He cast a Five Thunder Talisman infused with Fire Vault Thunder, followed by another Chain Flame Talisman. The Yellow Heaven Sect disciples attacking the Daoist Temple never anticipated that an entire “team” had stealthily crept behind them, unleashing a sudden barrage of firepower.

Like wheat being cut down, many were blasted away, bodies consumed by the inferno, making even recovery of corpses difficult.

Despite the devastating ambush, the Yellow Heaven Sect disciples were fierce. After their initial shock, they regrouped and counterattacked, launching a barrage of Flame Talismans and Thunder Talismans in retaliation.

But Lei Jun was no longer in his previous position. The dense firepower of many attackers was useless against his single-person mobility and stealth.

Some disciples charged through the flames, scaling a ridge and scanning the area, but Lei Jun was nowhere to be seen.

Beneath their feet, a sticky, pitch-black substance with a faint green glow—like “ink”—silently crept closer. Hidden behind a rocky fold, Lei Jun stood calmly, another Five Thunder Talisman in hand.

This time, the talisman’s elemental transformations faded its gold, green, red, and brown sigils, leaving only deep black. Thick, inky liquid dripped from the talisman, but instead of falling to the ground, it hovered midair, viscous yet agile. At Lei Jun's command, it glided silently over the ridge.

Five Thunder Talisman, Water Dark Thunder.

Thunder is the embodiment of extreme yang, yet now it transformed into a deadly, yin-infused thunder-water. The dark lightning-water coated a Yellow Heaven Sect disciple’s body silently. He convulsed as his flesh and mana corroded, falling limp without a sound, scorched as if struck by lightning.

After testing the Fire Vault Thunder, Lei Jun moved on to the Water Dark Thunder. His overwhelming bombardment turned to silent assassinations.

One by one, the retaliating Yellow Heaven Sect disciples collapsed without a sound, vanishing into the dark forest. Their sudden, silent deaths shattered the morale of the remaining disciples, who fled in panic. In their desperation, they wished for more legs to outrun their peers.

As they clumped together in chaotic retreat, Lei Jun, from his vantage point, dropped another Fire Vault Thunder. The explosion engulfed them all.

The Tianxu Sect disciples inside the temple, unsure of the situation, hesitated to move. When they finally launched a counterattack, they found only the charred corpses of the Yellow Heaven Sect disciples.

“Just what happened?” one of them wondered.

“It looks like a whole group struck back, surrounding and taking out those Yellow Heaven Sect fiends!”

Another regretted, “If we’d known, we should have charged out and coordinated with our rescuers.”

“But why did they leave so quickly?”

“Yeah, even if they didn’t want us to join them, they could’ve shown themselves.”

“Could it have been a single Talismanic Elder who acted alone?” someone guessed.

“Possibly…”

“But still, who was it?”

They looked at each other in confusion, their joy mixed with uncertainty.

Lei Jun had no interest in introductions and left quietly. He enjoyed helping the Tianxu Sect disciples while testing his new talismans. Occasionally going for a big explosion spree was fun, but…

"I still prefer being a light-footed warrior who can strike hard and maneuver deftly," Lei Jun mused.

The truth was, big explosions drained his mana and soul too much. While Talismanic Branch cultivators could prepare talismans in advance, activating them in battle still consumed personal mana and taxed the soul.

Ordinarily, Talismanic Branch cultivators had the advantage of lower personal cost for equivalent output. But Lei Jun's method—using Five Thunder Talismans and Chain Flame Talismans—was uniquely taxing.

“These are just trials under low pressure. In real, evenly-matched combat, I’ll need to pace myself better.” Lei Jun found a secluded spot, breathing deeply to recover his energy.

Thanks to his earlier strikes, the Tianxu Sect disciples regained their foothold at the mountain’s base, pushing back the Yellow Heaven Sect invaders.

Meanwhile, another figure made a more overt appearance: Xia Qing, a Tianshi Mansion True Disciple. She returned from Kunyuan Peak’s sub-altar, leading a squad to rescue comrades and counterattack.

In the Third Layer of the Altar Realm, Xia Qing wielded the classic “Golden Wind Thunder” trio of talismans: the defensive Golden Barrier Talisman, the swift Wind Talisman, and the offensive Thunder Talisman. Even when her enemies knew her tactics, they remained effective.

Balancing defense and attack skillfully, Xia Qing’s disciplined yet flexible combat style frustrated the Yellow Heaven Sect disciples—until…

“Uncle Zhong?!”

The Tianxu Sect Elder Zhong Yunfei, who was supposed to be an ally, suddenly betrayed her.

A Sealing Talisman froze her mana flow.

An Immobilizing Talisman locked her movements.

A Spirit-Suppressing Talisman subdued her mind.

Caught off guard, Xia Qing couldn’t resist. Despite the protective glow of a superior Golden Barrier Talisman and Flame Talisman, Zhong Yunfei was prepared. He used two stunned Tianxu Sect disciples as shields and broke through her defenses, capturing her.

“Guard her well. She’s valued by Li Hongyu and Xia Bo. With things uncertain at Mount Longhu, she might be useful,” Zhong ordered the Yellow Heaven Sect disciples.

The betrayal had compromised the mountain’s defenses, making the invasion easier—though the Sect Leader Tu Guangyu’s quick response had prevented total collapse.

“Has anyone seen Lei Jun, the other Tianshi Mansion True Disciple?” Zhong asked.

No one had.

“Capture him alive if possible,” Zhong ordered, then flew off.

But as the captors prepared to leave with Xia Qing, the ground churned, revealing a tall young man—Lei Jun. He calmly stowed away his command flag, his gaze fixed on Zhong Yunfei’s retreating figure.

“That guy’s a menace…” Lei Jun murmured.

Well then, time to eliminate him.