Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 9: Senior Sister, Second Heavenly Master

Reading his fortune, Lei Jun was curious.

Going outside the mountain to help with disaster relief was marked as a Supreme Good Omen.

On the contrary, choosing to work at the Ink-Making Workshop was considered an ill-fated path, possibly leading to misfortune if the “disaster at the city gate spreads to the innocent.”

To avoid such bad luck, he could either take a day off and rest at his small residence, avoiding any assignments or training, or choose to go outside the mountain for disaster relief.

"Lei-shidi, you haven't taken an assignment yet?" Zhang Yuan entered the Steward's Hall at that moment.

In fact, he'd been there for a while but hadn't decided on an assignment, waiting instead for Lei Jun. After waiting for so long, he watched as all the good tasks were taken, leaving only two undesirable ones. Finally, Lei Jun showed up.

Upon seeing him, Zhang Yuan perked up immediately.

During Elder Du’s lecture, Zhang Yuan was the most eager, but he ended up being the most injured among the Sixth Academy apprentices and later needed Lei Jun’s help to recover.

When the bandit capture happened, he decided to be more cautious rather than reckless, while Lei Jun bravely led the charge and earned the highest commendation.

Reflecting on these events, Zhang Yuan felt a mix of regret and admiration.

They got along well, and Lei Jun had helped him before, so he didn’t feel the same jealousy he had toward Chen Yi. Instead, he felt Lei Jun was simply very fortunate.

“Lei-shidi, which one are you choosing? Should we go together?” Zhang Yuan had made up his mind: this time, he would stick with Lei Jun, holding onto his coattails tightly.

"I haven't been down the mountain since joining. I'll take this one."

Lei Jun chose the disaster relief mission at Qingyun River Beach.

Zhang Yuan hesitated, took a deep breath, and finally said, "I'll take it too!"

The two of them received their assignment at the Steward’s Hall, made some preparations, and headed to the mountain gate.

There, other apprentices destined for Qingyun River Beach gathered; there were around a dozen of them.

At the gate, a yellow-robed True Disciple of the Mansion gave the apprentices some instructions, and the group set out.

Once at Qingyun Beach, their role wasn’t to do the laborious work—local officials and merchants managed the workforce, handling food distribution, medicine, and quarantine efforts.

For the Daoists from the Mansion, including Lei Jun, their role was more symbolic: they were there to bless, supervise, and command.

Seeing a group of Daoists and apprentices, looking refined and ethereal, brought a sense of calm to the people, who felt more grateful and reassured.

For Lei Jun and his peers, although they didn’t have to exert themselves much, being close to the suffering civilians allowed them to witness a wide range of human emotions—a rare and unique training in the “worldly red dust.”

They saw the brightness of humanity and its darker side.

Some apprentices weren’t thrilled about the mission due to the harsh and noisy environment.

After a few days, they missed both morning and evening lectures, and it was hard to find the time and space for personal cultivation.

Lei Jun, however, wasn’t bothered. He remained calm, observing his surroundings while carrying out his assigned tasks.

He noticed that the workers, porters, and healers were all regular folk. But the officials and managers overseeing the effort seemed to have some degree of Qi Refining cultivation.

“They, too, once attended lectures at the Daoist Children’s Academy.”

A young Daoist in a yellow robe standing beside Lei Jun spoke in a low voice:

“Only those with destiny are brought to Mount Longhu. Those who enter the Daoist Children’s Academy usually have some remarkable qualities.

But life is unpredictable, and as time passes, many lose their path in cultivation. Some eventually leave the mountain, and the Mansion assigns them positions outside.”

This yellow-robed Daoist was the True Disciple leading the group from the Mansion.

Lei Jun knew him. During the last mountain sweep and search, Lei Jun’s team had been led by this Daoist, Luo-daozhang, and another young Daoist, now deceased.

Back then, Luo-daozhang advocated for holding their positions, while the young Daoist surnamed Gao led his team into the search.

Although Lei Jun had joined Gao-daozhang’s team in the end, Luo-daozhang didn’t hold any grudge.

On the contrary, Luo-daozhang admired Lei Jun for his righteous spirit and courage when he saw Lei Jun volunteering for disaster relief.

Looking at Lei Jun, tall and upright among his peers, Luo-daozhang encouraged him gently:

“Though you started cultivating late, you’ve made quick progress. Don’t worry about it. The Initiation Ceremony occurs every three years. If not next year, you’ll still have future chances. Just focus on your cultivation.”

Lei Jun bowed slightly. “Thank you, Daozhang, for your guidance.”

Two days later, another True Disciple arrived at Qingyun River Beach with a few apprentices to deliver unexpected news:

The Daoist Children’s Academy had seen yet another incident.

There had been a brawl among apprentices at the Ink-Making Workshop.

Zhang Yuan sighed, “This year is full of trouble!”

Lei Jun asked, “What exactly happened?”

The new apprentice explained, “It started with apprentices from the First and Eighth Academies, but then others joined in, including two from the Sixth Academy.”

Zhang Yuan was confused. “The First Academy? They never take assignments at the Ink-Making Workshop.”

After a pause, he added, “Wait, the Eighth Academy—could it be...”

Lei Jun quietly watched the gossiping apprentice.

The apprentice nodded vigorously. “Yes, it started with someone from the First Academy fighting Senior Brother Chen Yi from the Eighth, and soon, others were dragged in.

It escalated so much that the Daoist on duty at the workshop was alerted, and everyone involved was sent to the Discipline Hall.”

“All of them?” Lei Jun asked.

He remembered the Daoist on duty at the Ink-Making Workshop was from the Li Family.

“It seems Chen Yi and his group were sent first to the Discipline Hall to reflect, but then the Mansion got involved, and the First Academy apprentices were put into confinement as well,” the apprentice replied.

Lei Jun asked, “Rumor has it the Daoist who needs Pure-Gold Lingzhi for elixir refinement is...?”

Zhang Yuan lowered his voice, glancing around, “Apparently, it’s a Li Family Daoist...”

The title “Li-daozhang” generally referred to any True Disciple from the Li Family at the Mansion.

Lei Jun fell silent, watching as the younger apprentices continued murmuring.

Looking back, he saw how fate branched apart over time.

Much of Chen Yi’s misfortune seemed to stem from the Pure-Gold Lingzhi that had appeared at the Lingzhi Platform.

Or perhaps, it traced back to Lei Jun’s Moderate Omen:

“Avoid the commotion, wait for the right moment. After the upheaval, go to the Lingzhi Platform and secure a Sixth-Grade Opportunity, but be warned, it may attract envy and hidden troubles. Caution.”

Chen Yi had been ambushed during an outside training mission, and now he was harassed by Li Family apprentices, the conflict escalating over time.

It wasn’t solely Chen Yi’s fault.

When the theft at the First Academy happened, the root of the issue had always been the tension between the Li Family disciples and others in the Mansion.

The theft, set by a high-ranking traitor, only intensified these underlying tensions.

The thief was dead, but some Li Family disciples in the First Academy still simmered with anger, having nowhere to direct it.

Now, Chen Yi had beaten several apprentices from the Third Academy connected to the Li Family, inflaming them further.

No wonder his latest fortune spoke of “disaster at the city gate, the innocent suffer.”

Both sides had fought wildly, and even bystanders from other academies had been caught in the crossfire.

This escalated into an all-out brawl, revealing the growing friction between Li Family disciples and outsiders in the Daoist Children’s Academy.

As the fortune had warned:

“Lower-Moderate Omen, journey to the Ink-Making Workshop, disaster spreads to the innocent, temporary loss of freedom, hidden dangers, inauspicious.”

Even if they hadn’t wanted to fight, everyone was ultimately punished, forced into temporary confinement by the elders.

But none of it concerned Lei Jun now.

He had chosen a different path of fate.

While they were embroiled in chaos, he was enjoying a calm life.

The misfortune of the Lower-Moderate Omen had come to pass; now he awaited the blessings of his Supreme Good Omen.

Lei Jun stopped listening to the gossip and resumed his patrol along the riverbank.

Suddenly, a deep rumble echoed above.

Lei Jun looked up to find dark thunderclouds gathering, blocking out the sky.

He recognized them from an earlier encounter shortly after his arrival.

Just like before, the clouds dispersed as quickly as they’d arrived, leaving someone standing in front of Lei Jun.

It was a young woman in a pale purple Daoist robe with a black cloak, her face delicate but ghostly pale. She seemed youthful, yet her presence exuded a chilling coldness as if he were standing naked in the snow.

Yet Lei Jun felt no discomfort and instead smiled, “Senior Sister.”