Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 69: Kill people with a pit instead of a knife

Before those Yellow Heaven Sect disciples could react, black Water Dark Thunder had already seeped silently to their feet.

The Yellow Heaven Sect and Tianshi Mansion share the same origins. Although they developed separately after their split, many aspects remain similar.

For example, disciples of lower cultivation realms all favor the Golden Barrier Talisman.

When facing opponents of similar cultivation levels, the Golden Barrier Talisman provides highly reliable defense.

But now, these Yellow Heaven Sect disciples were facing Lei Jun's Water Dark Thunder.

This was a product of his Life-Bound Five Thunder Talisman.

Superior grade.

Although the Golden Barrier Talisman defense was strong, it was like metal encountering strong acid—the black Water Dark Thunder corroded it in an instant.

Then, everyone was struck by a silent thunderbolt.

As those Yellow Heaven Sect disciples collapsed, Lei Jun checked on Xia Qing's condition.

Zhong Yunfei, who was at the Middle Heavens cultivation stage, had personally struck her with a Soul-Suppressing Talisman of supreme quality.

Though it had a time limit, it would suppress Xia Qing's soul for a while, keeping her unconscious.

Lei Jun didn't try to use his Superior Tranquility Talisman to remove the spiritual power of Zhong Yunfei's Soul-Suppressing Talisman.

It was better if she remained unconscious.

Lei Jun grabbed Xia Qing and entered the forest.

Doubling back, he headed toward Qiántiān Peak.

After searching near the main peak for a while and still finding no trace of Lei Jun, Zhong Yunfei was puzzled:

"Where did that brat run off to?"

Considering his earlier courage in volunteering to guard the outer altar of Qiántiān Peak, it was unlikely he’d flee down the mountain after the formation broke.

Or had he found a hidden spot and was quietly hiding?

As Zhong Yunfei pondered this, some Yellow Heaven Sect disciples reported resistance at the base of Qiántiān Peak. The enemy's cultivation was at least at the Altar Stage.

Visually, it was a tall, young Daoist.

Hearing this, Zhong Yunfei rushed over.

But all he found were three dead Yellow Heaven Sect disciples—Lei Jun was nowhere to be seen.

Zhong Yunfei frowned, scanning the area: "Did that brat really escape down the mountain?"

---

Deliberately revealing his location to the Yellow Heaven Sect disciples, Lei Jun hid again, blending into the night breeze.

At this point, besides the still-unconscious Xia Qing, he also carried a Yellow Heaven Sect disciple's corpse.

This one had died from Daoist Gao's single Flame Talisman.

Lei Jun carried the corpse up the mountain, carefully avoiding the summit path, and left the body in the forest at the peak. After setting the scene, he quietly retreated.

He circled to the back of the mountain.

Calculating angles and distances, Lei Jun took out a Spirit Talisman.

This was another by-product from when he developed the Five Thunder Talisman, or rather, a preliminary version.

A combination of the Flame Talisman and the Wind Talisman.

Lei Jun called it the Fire Flight Talisman.

A hybrid basic Spirit Talisman, it consumed immense mana and mental focus.

The Fire Flight Talisman required almost as much energy as the Five Thunder Talisman, even more than a Linked Flame Talisman.

Precise aiming and control were crucial.

Lei Jun closed one eye, raised his thumb between himself and Qiántiān Peak, pretending to calculate distance.

Then he activated the Fire Flight Talisman.

In the wind, a thin red beam rose from behind the mountain, flickering through the forest, and flew toward the cracked summit of Qiántiān Peak.

Lei Jun controlled the trajectory carefully to avoid the summit entrance.

The red beam landed successfully in the forest atop the peak.

Then...

Boom!

The forest exploded, flames and smoke billowing skyward.

---

Down the mountain, Zhong Yunfei heard the blast, turned back in surprise, and saw flames erupting near Qiántiān Peak's summit.

"A Flame Talisman?" a Yellow Heaven Sect disciple beside him wondered, "The outer altar on this summit is ruined—no one from Tianxu Sect would be foolish enough to defend it..."

Zhong Yunfei took a deep breath. "Someone's still on the mountain!"

Amid the chaos, the elders couldn't determine the whereabouts of their disciples.

Seeing the sudden eruption of fire atop Qiántiān Peak, it seemed like a Yellow Heaven Sect disciple had engaged an enemy.

Who would hide on the ruined Qiántiān Peak?

Unable to find Lei Jun, Zhong Yunfei considered a possibility.

"The safest place is the most dangerous one..."

Could that brat be hiding right under their noses in the abandoned outer altar?

Though uncertain, Zhong Yunfei decided to check. He rushed toward the summit entrance.

---

At the summit's blaze, Zhong Yunfei examined the area.

It wasn't an ordinary fire—the lingering spiritual energy confirmed it was caused by a Flame Talisman from a Talismanic Branch cultivator.

He found the corpse of a Yellow Heaven Sect disciple and signs of a brief struggle.

But no sign of the enemy.

Scanning the area from above, Zhong Yunfei saw no one flying or hiding in the woods.

He was sure he'd arrived quickly enough that even an Altar Stage cultivator couldn’t have fled in time.

Ordering the disciples to search, Zhong Yunfei's eyes turned toward the cracked, dark mountain belly.

---

Far below, Lei Jun watched his handiwork.

Satisfied with the accuracy, he nodded, ignored the aftermath, and left with Xia Qing still unconscious.

Zhong Yunfei, believing the enemy had fled down the mountain, searched futilely. Meanwhile, Lei Jun, concealed by rocks, headed back to the main peak.

Whatever Zhong Yunfei did next around Qiántiān Peak was no longer Lei Jun's concern.

Just like with Li Ming during the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool incident.

If nothing happened later, well… that was unfortunate—no, actually, it was better for everyone.

If something did happen, everyone would see it was Zhong Yunfei's choice to go up the peak.

Staying vigilant for threats, Lei Jun no longer worried about Qiántiān Peak.

Carrying Xia Qing, he returned to the base of Tianxu Mountain's main peak.

The effect of Zhong Yunfei's Supreme Soul-Suppressing Talisman was fading with time.

Originally, the Yellow Heaven Sect disciples guarding Xia Qing had to reinforce it periodically with new talismans.

Lei Jun now took out his Superior Tranquility Talisman, dispelling the suppression on Xia Qing's soul.

After some time, Xia Qing gradually woke.

"…Lei-shidi?" she asked uncertainly.

Lei Jun nodded. "It's good you're awake, Xia-shijie."

Xia Qing looked around. "I… you…"

Lei Jun explained, "I stumbled upon some Yellow Heaven Sect cultivators who had you captive. I ambushed them and rescued you, but the Soul-Suppressing Talisman was strong. It took several Tranquility Talismans to wake you."

Xia Qing thanked Lei Jun, though she remained tense. "Where's that traitor Zhong Yunfei?"

"Zhong-zhanglao? I didn't see him. Just you and some Yellow Heaven Sect thugs."

Lei Jun feigned surprise. "You called Zhong-zhanglao… a traitor?"

Xia Qing nodded. "He sabotaged the Eight Extremes Mountain Guarding Formation and ambushed me!"

Lei Jun leaned back. "That's… shocking. Zhong Yunfei?"

"We must stay alert," Xia Qing warned.

"Right, right—"

Boom!

A thunderous explosion erupted behind them!

From Qiántiān Peak, a column of air shot skyward, summoning a massive lightning bolt to strike the mountain.