Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 87: Two evils, get rid of them

From a distance, Luo Haoran's expression was conflicted and pained, torn between two difficult choices.

At first, he might not have noticed, but now he realized that his fellow disciples were trapped within the formation. With his current cultivation level, he wasn’t strong enough to rescue Xia Qing and the others directly. What’s more, if he left the crack in the rock layers, the blood water would surge to the surface.

But if he didn't release the blood water, Xia Qing and the others wouldn't last much longer.

Fang Lu watched calmly. "What Tenth Brother said isn't wrong. The elders in the family have considered the Tianshi Mansion and the Li Family of Xinzou thoroughly. Unless absolutely necessary, we shouldn't make any big moves. Isn't the current situation just fine? Your revenge is taken care of, and we have no trouble."

Fang Mingyuan snorted, "Tenth Brother only cares about being Daoist Zhongjian now and has forgotten his own surname! He should remember, if he weren’t born a Fang, how could he have entered Mount Longhu and become a Tianshi True Disciple?"

"You said it yourself. Tenth Brother gave up being the tenth young master of the Fang family to become a Daoist. That wasn't easy for him." Fang Lu shook her head gently and smiled. "Besides, Tenth Brother isn’t wrong. Right now is a critical time for managing Tianshi Mansion. Even though Tenth Brother's foundation is still shallow, it’s best to proceed step-by-step, starting by securing the position of Young Tianshi Li Zhengxuan and the faction of Elder Ziyang, who are friendly with our family."

She asked Fang Mingyuan, "With Tianshi Qingfeng gone, who do you think has the best chance to compete for the new Tianshi position?"

Fang Mingyuan mused, "The Supreme Elder Li Song has the seniority, qualifications, and strength, but he’s getting on in years, and his younger generation is too weak. So it’s likely to be Young Tianshi Li Zhengxuan. But his aunt, Elder Hongyu, is said to be very ambitious for the Tianshi position. Coincidentally, the Tianshi Sword and Tianshi Robe are in their hands. However, with Tianshi Qingfeng's sudden death, the external disciples of the Mansion might start making their own moves."

"Then Li Song, Li Hongyu, Li Ziyang, and Li Zhengxuan will immediately unite, and with the Tianshi Robe and Tianshi Sword in their possession, another internal fight within Tianshi Mansion between the Li family and external disciples would be acceptable to our family," Fang Lu smiled.

Fang Mingyuan snorted, "Tianshi Qingfeng was too soft-hearted. Otherwise, would Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang have ever gotten the chance to rise?"

Fang Lu said, "Perhaps Tianshi Qingfeng had his own considerations. In another sense, the Li family has been taking gradual steps. During the internal conflict back then, many external elders of the Mansion perished, giving the Li family the chance to establish that the Heavenly Book of Thunder Spells from the Three Caves and Three Realms Canon would never again be taught outside the Li family. That was a good start.

"As for Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang, their talents are exceptional. Unless they were eliminated early, they would still rise somewhere else even if they weren't in the Mansion. No point dwelling on what’s done. Better to focus on the present."

She pointed into the distance. "Regarding the struggle between Li Zhengxuan and Li Hongyu, though Li Hongyu is strong, she’s unpopular. See, Luo Haoran's master, while not a High-Power Elder of Mount Longhu, is well-regarded among the external elders. Because of Luo Haoran, if Li Hongyu's favored Xia Qing dies, it will only add fuel to the fire between her and the external disciples of the Mansion."

She smiled at Fang Mingyuan. "Some people are more useful alive than dead; others, dead, are more useful than alive."

Fang Mingyuan sighed, "It still feels like we’re letting him off too easily."

Fang Lu replied, "I've looked into Luo Haoran's character. Think about it—being trapped between morality and loyalty to his fellow disciples, forced to sacrifice one to save another. For him, that's probably worse than death."

Fang Mingyuan pondered and smiled. "You’re right."

He set aside his personal grudge and focused on other matters, looking at Fang Lu. "But if we want to spark conflict between Li Hongyu and the external disciples, Luo Haoran and his master alone might not be enough."

Fang Lu nodded. "This has to look coincidental, and we can't implicate ourselves. Killing two birds with one stone is ideal. For stirring things up, Yuan Mobai, Yao Yuan, and Shangguan Ning carry more weight than Luo Haoran’s master."

Fang Mingyuan said, "Let’s wait for another chance. I remember seeing Yuan Mobai's disciple Lei Jun, Yao Yuan's disciple Chen Yi, and Shangguan Ning's nephew Shangguan Hong coming down the mountain."

The siblings continued their discussion.

Behind them, Lei Jun listened quietly.

Hmm. Confirmed: two troublemakers.

Well then...

Lei Jun didn’t reveal himself. Instead, he silently retreated a few steps, observing the terrain.

The Blood Sea Tide had receded slightly, and the blood river’s flow toward the Eight Desolation Blood River Formation was less intense than before. The path to the Eight Desolation Blood Cavern remained eerily still.

Lei Jun entered the riverbed from another direction, nearing the formation. He plastered the walls with Flame Talismans and Chain Flame Talismans. Then, he activated the Five Thunder Talisman, transforming it into Fire Vault Thunder.

"Boom!"

"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!"

The chain explosions collapsed a section of the underground rock layers! The already unstable Eight Desolation Blood River Formation tilted and crumbled.

Lei Jun hid quietly, using the Breath-Taking Flag to support part of the collapsing cave, preventing a total cave-in.

Meanwhile, the blood water from the formation found an outlet through the gap Lei Jun created, surging out and counteracting the blood river.

In the riverbed, the boiling blood water eased Luo Haoran's pressure. He looked on in shock.

Xia Qing and the others, on the verge of collapse, suddenly felt a burst of energy, though they couldn’t understand why.

The Fang siblings were dumbfounded.

"Someone else is here, on the other side," Fang Lu murmured. "Luo Haoran and Xia Qing’s lives are spared."

Fang Mingyuan frowned. "They got away again?!"

Fang Lu pulled him back. "Patience. We’ll get another chance. Let’s leave now and stay hidden."

They retreated cautiously.

The blood river was turbulent, and the siblings didn’t dare cross it. Fortunately, another path looked less dangerous. They quickly took it.

As the cave shook, Lei Jun emerged, watching the siblings disappear into the shadows.

… Miss, Young Master, safe travels.

Killing without dirtying one’s hands? Of course… No, that’s wrong.

Killing is bad.

As a good person, I’m just busy saving my fellow disciples. Wherever the Fang siblings end up, that’s their choice. I didn’t even speak to them.

But when it comes to trolley problems and moral dilemmas, if possible, the best result is…

Whoever asks the question, let the trolley hit them. Lei Jun turned away calmly.