Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 91: Fighting between dragons and tigers and peaceful times

From Lei Jun's perspective, he didn't believe Chen Yi was a spy planted by the Blood River Sect in the Tianshi Mansion.

He had once witnessed Chen Yi using the Blood River Sword Qi to help fight off a few Yellow Heaven Sect disciples. Based on Chen Yi’s demeanor, it seemed more like he regarded the Blood River secret arts as his hidden trump card—a secret weapon to enhance his strength and achieve victory through surprise during combat. For this reason, Chen Yi kept it under wraps.

On the other hand, sects in this world placed great emphasis on the principle of "One Body, One Method." The Blood River Sect also had a notoriously bad reputation. For Chen Yi, the fewer people who knew he had mastered the Blood River secret arts, the better.

Because of this, when Lei Jun witnessed Chen Yi practicing the Blood River arts, he chose not to report it. Instead, he was more curious about how Chen Yi had mastered these secret arts. After all, the idea of "One Body, One Method" was not just sectarian bias. If a cultivator's foundation and techniques didn’t match, it could weaken their abilities or, in extreme cases, lead to zǒu huǒ rù mó (mental deviation) and death.

It seemed Chen Yi indeed had some unique qualities.

Unfortunately, his luck was just terrible.

As Elder Yao Yuan's direct disciple and one of the top talents in his generation, second only to Lei Jun, Chen Yi had already been recognized by many Tianshi Mansion elders as a promising candidate. Under different circumstances, if his use of the Blood River secret arts had been discovered, the consequences might not have been so severe. At most, he would have been imprisoned, given a chance to explain, and the final decision would have been left to his master, Elder Yao, upon his return.

However, the Blood River Sect had recently stirred up significant trouble near Mount Longhu. Now, Chen Yi couldn't explain his way out of it.

Previously, his careful nature had kept his secret hidden. But when the Young Tianshi Li Zhengxuan left Mount Longhu with the Tianshi Sword, external enemies regrouped and began infiltrating the mountain. In a critical moment, even with witnesses nearby, Chen Yi had no choice but to use his trump card for defense.

"Who would've thought this Junior Brother Chen... well, Chen Yi, had such a secret," Wang Guiyuan remarked with amazement.

Other disciples nearby were equally puzzled. "I heard his strength is impressive. He's already at the Perfection Stage of Foundation Establishment, and none of his peers at the same level are a match for him. He wounded several fellow disciples and escaped through the Jinque Creek waterway. Even if he practiced the Blood River demonic arts, he shouldn't be that strong, right?"

By logic, using techniques from different sects should weaken a cultivator’s abilities.

If the Blood River arts were only Chen Yi's minor secret, he must be hiding an even greater secret... Lei Jun pondered.

For Chen Yi to keep the Blood River arts concealed so well, there must have been some other factor helping him cover it up. The question was, had this big secret been kept from his master, Elder Yao Yuan, as well?

Lei Jun now understood the details of the Moderate Omen fortune he had drawn regarding Jinque Creek. If he had gone to Jinque Creek and witnessed Chen Yi's exposure, or if he had been ordered by a mansion elder to pursue Chen Yi, they might have clashed directly.

In theory, even if Chen Yi had other trump cards besides the Blood River arts, he was still a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Second Heaven. Lei Jun's higher cultivation level would give him the upper hand.

Yet, according to the fortune, Lei Jun might have risked revealing treasures like the Breath-Taking Flag. This suggested that either another expert would assist Chen Yi or his hidden secret was exceptionally powerful, beyond normal artifacts.

As for the Sixth-Grade Opportunity mentioned in the fortune, it seemed Lei Jun would only obtain it if he exerted his full strength; otherwise, it would elude him. This implied that the opportunity was not something random but perhaps something Lei Jun would wrest from Chen Yi during combat.

Based on the grade, it likely wasn't Chen Yi’s greatest secret.

Either way, Lei Jun had chosen the Upper-Moderate Omen path and went to the ancestral tombs behind the mountain. As a result, he and Chen Yi missed each other.

Although the Tianshi Mansion would soon issue an order to hunt down and eliminate Chen Yi, treating him as a traitor like the Yellow Heaven Sect, whether Lei Jun would encounter him again was uncertain.

"Chen Yi... is he a Blood River Sect spy? Or will he defect to the Yellow Heaven Sect?" someone asked.

Everyone exchanged glances, but no one knew the answer.

The Jinque Creek incident, which resulted in the deaths of several Tianshi Mansion disciples, caused quite a stir. But in the grand scheme of things, it was a minor event.

First, the Yellow Heaven Sect had already orchestrated multiple traitor incidents, so people had grown accustomed to such betrayals. Second, with battles raging everywhere and heavy casualties, more pressing matters held their attention.

The possible reemergence of the Tianshi Seal was of far greater concern.

News spread among the younger disciples in the mansion: one of the three great treasures, the Tianshi Seal, was within reach. The latest reports indicated that the mountains around Qing Tian Peak had nearly been flattened. Rumor had it that Young Tianshi Li Zhengxuan and Elder Ziyang were gaining the upper hand against the Grand Elder of the Vajra Monastery, Long Jia.

Li Zhengxuan seemed poised to reclaim the Tianshi Seal. However, the mansion's Supreme Elder Li Song was also battling the Yellow Heaven Sect’s Supreme Elder Yu Qingling nearby. Though the two elders were evenly matched, Yu Qingling’s aggressive stance forced Li Song into a defensive role, giving Yu Qingling a slight edge.

As a result, Li Zhengxuan missed his chance to seize the Tianshi Seal.

The chaotic battlefields made Qing Tian Peak a no-go zone.

Disciples still at Mount Longhu were deeply concerned.

Lei Jun and his peers were an exception.

"War is unpredictable. Who knows how many will fall because of this conflict?" Lei Jun commented calmly.

Wang Guiyuan was even calmer, sighing, "Cultivation is hard enough. Fighting over power only adds to the danger."

Lei Jun nodded. "The Tianshi Seal is important. It's understandable."

Wang Guiyuan nodded, then shook his head. "True. But often, people fight to the death over far less important things. What's the point?"

Lei Jun: "…Yes, you're right."

The battles elsewhere didn’t disturb the tranquility of the ancestral tombs.

Instead, it was Elder Xin who interrupted Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan’s peace.

"The situation is complex. We must guard the tombs carefully," Elder Xin instructed. "I will set up a ritual altar to strengthen the protections. You eight will guard the Eight Gates and light the incense."

The disciples took their tools and stationed themselves at the Du, Jing, Si, Jing, Kai, Xiu, Sheng, and Shang gates.

Lei Jun went to the Du Gate, arranging the ritual sword, lantern, incense burner, and talisman as instructed.

After finishing, he glanced toward Qing Tian Peak.

His fortune spoke of waiting for the right moment. Perhaps that moment was near.

He turned back and saw lights glowing in the valley, like stars twinkling in daylight—brilliant and mysterious.

In the "star river," an elder in a deep red robe walked through the air, each step causing the starlight to swirl. It was the Tianshi Mansion's signature technique: Stepping the Big Dipper.

Like the Golden Barrier Talisman and Thunder Talisman, this was a popular life-bound spell among mid-level disciples.

Elder Xin’s formation combined talismans into a real-world ritual altar—something only cultivators who reached the Fifth Heaven Dao Palace stage could achieve.

Lei Jun finished his duties and meditated like the others. But soon, he sensed his Tianshi Seal imprints reacting.

He checked Elder Xin, who seemed unaware.

Encouraged, Lei Jun carefully activated the connection to the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven.

Once inside, he sensed another person attempting to enter through another channel.

Light flickered, forming a white paper with a Tianshi Seal imprint. The paper trembled, then lost power and fluttered down.

The intrusion had failed.

Lei Jun watched the paper float before him, bewildered.

What had just happened?

Lei Jun stared at the piece of white paper as it floated gently toward him, landing silently in front of his feet. The intricate imprint of the Tianshi Seal was still visible on the paper, though its glow had faded. He picked it up, his brow furrowed, trying to decipher what had just happened.

It was clear someone had attempted to use this paper as a conduit to enter the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven, but for some reason, their attempt had failed at the final moment. Was it a matter of insufficient power, a flawed technique, or something else entirely? He couldn't say for certain.

What puzzled him more was the sudden failure — it seemed deliberate, almost as if the person on the other end had abandoned their attempt halfway through. Whoever they were, they were clearly knowledgeable about the Tianshi Seal and its secrets. Could it be the Chu Family or someone from the Yellow Heaven Sect? He wondered.

Lei Jun closed his eyes, focusing his mind. The residual energy on the paper still pulsed faintly. He attempted to trace it back to its source, but the trail was already dissipating, vanishing like smoke in the wind.

Whoever it was, they are cautious, he thought. They didn’t want to risk full exposure.

After a moment, he carefully stored the paper inside his robe. He would study it later, away from prying eyes.

Looking around the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven, the surroundings were as serene as ever. The expansive, empty space, the faint glow of talismans floating in the air — it was a stark contrast to the storm of conflicts raging outside. But even this place, a sanctuary of Daoist power, was no longer secure. If someone had the means to open a portal here, even temporarily, it was a sign that the boundaries of safety were crumbling.

He took a deep breath and allowed his spirit to return to his body.

Back at the ancestral tomb site, Lei Jun’s eyes snapped open. The cool night air greeted him, carrying with it the faint scent of incense and burning talismans. Elder Xin and the others were still meditating, oblivious to what had just transpired.

Lei Jun’s gaze drifted once more toward Qing Tian Peak. The flickering lights in the distance had intensified. The battle for the Tianshi Seal was still ongoing, and the outcome remained uncertain. His fortune of the Upper-Moderate Omen hinted that his moment would come — but only if he exercised patience.

Wang Guiyuan, seated nearby, glanced over and noticed the seriousness on Lei Jun’s face.

“Something on your mind?” he asked softly.

Lei Jun hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “Nothing important,” he replied. “Just thinking about what’s to come.”

Wang Guiyuan sighed. “Aren’t we all? These are chaotic times.”

Just then, Elder Xin’s voice broke the quiet. “Stay vigilant. We may be far from the front lines, but that doesn’t mean we’re safe. Remember your positions, and remain focused.”

The disciples nodded in unison.

Lei Jun tightened his grip on his talisman brush, his thoughts racing. Whoever had tried to enter the grotto-heaven had failed — this time. But they might try again. The paper with the Tianshi Seal imprint was now a crucial clue, and Lei Jun was determined to uncover the truth.

Whatever happens, I must be ready, he resolved. My path is clear, and when the moment comes, I won’t hesitate.

As the night deepened, the stars above seemed to shimmer more brightly, casting their cold light over the mountains. The calm before the storm lingered, but Lei Jun knew it wouldn't last.

Lei Jun steadied his mind, aware that events were rapidly escalating beyond anyone’s control. He tucked the piece of paper securely into his robe and turned his focus back to the task at hand.