My Style Has Gone Off the Rails

Lei Jun picked out some novel plots he had read on Blue Star before transmigrating and told them to Tang Xiaotang.

She pestered him to keep talking from the afternoon until after dinner.

Not until Lei Jun had to go to Yuan Mobai's place for Evening Lesson did the tall girl reluctantly bid him farewell for the time being, leaving with a heart full of anticipation.

Watching her retreating figure, Lei Jun could not help wondering how this Little Senior Sister of his would strive to become the protagonist of a story.

"Other than Li Ying, whose matter could be big or small and neither here nor there, there was first Shangguan Hong, then Chen Yi..."

Lei Jun shook his head slightly. Several names quickly surfaced in his mind.

They were all surnamed Li.

After sorting them out, two people ultimately rose to the top of the list:

Li Ying's eldest brother, Elder Ziyang's eldest son, Li Xuan.

Li Ying's Second Brother, Elder Ziyang's Second Son, Li Ming.

"At least one of them, right?" Lei Jun pondered. "Could be a real scourge..."

Lost in thought, he headed toward his master's residence.

After Yuan Mobai learned that Tang Xiaotang had given Lei Jun the Night Wind Stone, he did not object either.

That very day, under Yuan Mobai's guidance, Lei Jun refined the Night Wind Stone.

The Night Wind Stone slipped into the night with the wind.

The Wind Riding Talisman of a True Disciple of Celestial Master Mansion controlled the gentle breeze; its winds had never been violent to begin with.

After combining the Night Wind Stone's spiritual power with his own Magic Power, when Lei Jun drew a Wind Riding Talisman again, its wind lost none of its force but became gentler and more concealed, silent and soundless. It even produced a certain effect of hiding shadows and concealing one's form.

This did not fit Tang Xiaotang's usual aesthetic.

Yet invisibly, it aligned with Wang Guiyuan's expectations.

Since Junior Brother Lei did not like pure defense and had chosen swiftness and speed, he might as well maximize evasion and concealment...

With the Wind Riding Talisman infused with the Night Wind Stone's power, Lei Jun's movements became swifter and more covert, perfectly suiting the artistic conception of slipping into the night with the wind.

This style has gone a little off the rails... Lei Jun thought.

The club-shaped Supreme Purity Golden Bamboo.

The Spirit Invocation Talisman, which already enhanced his body's basic agility.

The covert and swift Wind Riding Talisman.

Adding all three together, the most suitable way to fight seemed to be... knocking people out from behind?

In the terms Lei Jun had used when gaming on Blue Star before transmigrating, the fighting style of Dragon Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master Mansion—or rather, the Taoist Talisman School—in this world resembled cultivating both magic and martial arts: balanced warriors who could fight at range or in close quarters with spell enhancements.

Their styles could then be further divided according to the differing effects of the Talismans they chose to study.

Originally, Lei Jun had defined himself as a lightly equipped warrior with high mobility, capable of kiting and launching surprise attacks under the enhancement of the Spirit Invocation Talisman and Wind Riding Talisman.

But now that he had the Night Wind Stone, the most suitable style seemed to be leaning toward assassins and thieves...

Well, this was only the beginning. It would still depend on his future choices.

But speaking of which, the Seventh Grade Opportunity from the Upper Middle Auspicious Sign had now come true. When would the hidden danger concerning the Golden Barrier Talisman from the Lower Middle Auspicious Sign erupt?

Lei Jun shook his head, reined in his wandering thoughts, and focused on his upcoming cultivation.

One never knew the length of days and months in the mountains.

As he cultivated diligently, time flew by.

Spring gradually passed, and summer arrived in the blink of an eye.

This day, after Morning Lesson, his master Yuan Mobai looked at Lei Jun. "Chongyun, prepare yourself over the next couple of days. The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool will soon open. You have been permitted to enter, bathe in its waters, and receive its cleansing for cultivation."

Lei Jun asked curiously, "The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool?"

Yuan Mobai nodded. "With the wonders of your Hidden Dragon Spirit Body, after being cleansed by the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool, you should soon advance to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage."

Lei Jun's Hidden Dragon Spirit Body allowed for extraordinarily rapid advancement in the early stages of cultivation. But as long as one followed the right direction and built a firm foundation, cultivation was always better the faster it went.

Lei Jun was twenty this year. Compared to the golden cultivation windows for Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Second Heaven and Dharma Altar cultivators of the Third Heaven, he had roughly thirty years remaining.

That sounded like a long time, but ahead lay two Heavenly Moats: advancing from the Second Heaven to the Third Heaven, and from the Third Heaven to the Fourth Heaven. Who knew how many people had been stalled by them for half their lives, or even their entire lives?

He would not be able to soar into the sky and rush through them in one burst by relying on his Hidden Dragon Spirit Body as he had when advancing from the First Heaven to the Second Heaven. Naturally, Lei Jun could not take them lightly.

The more time he left himself, the better.

This was where the advantage of Celestial Master Mansion as the sacred ground of the Taoist Talisman School showed itself. It had all manner of cleansing rites, treasures, and trial arrangements for its disciples.

But there were plenty of radishes and few holes; opportunities like this were also contested among Celestial Master Mansion's younger disciples.

Lei Jun said, "This disciple will certainly give it his all."

"The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool is ethereal and easily affected by the outside world, so the flow of its spiritual energy often changes."

Yuan Mobai continued, "Besides nourishing people, its spiritual energy may also be so blazing that excess becomes harmful and injures people. The specific conditions change with time and are difficult to predict. After you enter, cultivate diligently, but also keep an eye on this matter and mind your safety."

As he spoke, he took out a Spirit Talisman and handed it to Lei Jun.

It was a Golden Barrier Talisman. Lei Jun also knew how to draw one, but the moment Yuan Mobai's talisman entered his hand, Lei Jun sensed the myriad mysteries contained within it, far beyond what he could currently compare to.

"This is a Golden Barrier Talisman I drew in my spare time. Take it with you," Yuan Mobai said. "Though the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool is chaotic, under normal circumstances there should not be any major disturbance. This talisman is merely for any eventuality."

This was one major advantage of the Taoist Talisman School: elders of the sect could prepare in advance and bestow Talismans upon their juniors for protection.

However, how much power a junior could draw out from an elder's Spirit Talisman depended more crucially on the depth of that junior's own cultivation and Magic Power.

Just as Yuan Mobai did possess stronger Talismans, but considering Lei Jun's current realm, this Golden Barrier Talisman was the most suitable.

Besides, Lei Jun was not leaving the mountain for a trial. The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool was right on Dragon Tiger Mountain itself.

After class, Lei Jun spoke with Wang Guiyuan some more.

Like the Spirit Mushroom Platform in earlier years, the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool was a spiritual vein that had existed since Dragon Tiger Mountain first founded its sect.

The Immortal Pool itself was not on the mountain. Rather, it was a Minor Cave Heaven formed after Dragon Tiger Mountain's spiritual energy intertwined with the void—something akin to another dimension, existing in dependence upon Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Just as Yuan Mobai had said earlier, the Immortal Pool's spiritual energy was rather unstable and easily influenced by external forces. Thus, when the Cave Heaven opened, it generally only admitted True Disciples of Celestial Master Mansion with lower cultivation.

Within the Cave Heaven lay an exquisite Immortal Pool, from which vast clouds of mist billowed, rich with spiritual power.

But that blazing spiritual power could also burn low-realm cultivators; there had been precedents in the past.

"So you must not take the risks Master mentioned lightly, Junior Brother Lei."

Wang Guiyuan sighed. "It is a pity that the environment in the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool changes so often. It must be different now from when I entered back then. If it did not shift so frequently, I could have asked around in advance about its current environment for you."

Lei Jun said, "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I will remember Master's words and adapt to circumstances."

Seven days later, the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool opened once more. Celestial Master Mansion selected young True Disciples to enter and receive its cleansing.

When Lei Jun arrived at the gathering place and swept his gaze around, he saw mostly familiar faces. They were basically the standouts among the newly made Transmission Disciples this year.

However, his gaze finally settled on a Young Adult Daoist who looked to be between twenty and thirty.

Elder Ziyang's Second Son and also his Personal Disciple, Li Ming.

He had entered the sect early, and his Magic Power was more condensed than that of the new disciples.

"The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool will soon open. This is everyone's first time entering. To guard against unforeseen circumstances, the sect has arranged for an experienced disciple to lead the group. This year, I am responsible."

Li Ming's tone was mild and unhurried. "The cleansing of the Immortal Pool's waters only works the first time, and it lasts for three days. This opportunity is rare. Make good use of it and cultivate diligently."

He led Lei Jun and the others through the mountains until they finally arrived beneath a cliff.

Li Ming took out a Talisman Edict and affixed it to the rock face. The rock did not open; instead, light shone from the cliffside and illuminated the air, forming an illusory gate in midair.

As the gate opened, the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool officially opened its doors to Lei Jun and the others.

Lifted by his own Magic Power, Li Ming walked through the air and entered first. The others followed in turn, passing through the illusory gate in midair.

Just as Lei Jun took a step forward, the Light Sphere in his mind suddenly flickered again, words appearing:

Cloud Sea Immortal Pool, a wondrous realm of blessed land, yet its changes are unpredictable. Adapt to circumstances; avoid carving a mark on a boat to seek a lost sword.

Upper Middle Auspicious Sign: Above the clouds, a treasure arises from change, accompanied by dangers and obstacles. Handle them well, and misfortune turns to fortune. Obtain one Sixth Grade Opportunity. Auspicious.

Middle Middle Auspicious Sign: No changes in the Middle Immortal Pool. Enter the water to nourish body and mind. No waves, no disturbances; no additional gains, no additional risks. Neutral.

Lower Middle Auspicious Sign: Enter the Upper Immortal Pool. A treasure arises from change, and one may obtain one Eighth Grade Opportunity, but great danger lies hidden within. Inauspicious.

Lowest Auspicious Sign: Enter the Lower Immortal Pool. Change brings both treasure and danger. One may obtain one Eighth Grade Opportunity, but will fall into a death trap, with no path to survival. Greatly inauspicious!