Opportunity in Hand, and a Trap Along the Way

Li Ming's movements were subtle, with nothing particularly unusual at first glance.

If anyone questioned him because of it, he would most likely put on a bewildered face and say he had done nothing.

Unless one deliberately kept an eye on him, one might not even notice the minute changes in his expression.

But if one did notice, merely judging from Li Ming's manner, Lei Jun gleaned this:

Though he verbally warned everyone that the Upper Immortal Pool was dangerous, he was secretly signaling his younger sister, Li Ying.

It was as though he was hinting that regardless of what he said openly, choosing the Upper Immortal Pool was actually the best option.

As for why he had not privately warned his sister before they entered, considering the ever-changing and unpredictable nature of the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool, it was hard to say he was overacting. It could simply be that he had looked up at the Upper Immortal Pool and made a new discovery on the spot.

That depended on how others filled in the blanks.

In any case, Li Ming had said nothing else. He had merely given everyone a proper warning not to go to the Upper Immortal Pool.

But Lei Jun had read the Sign Fortune, so he naturally knew that the Upper Immortal Pool corresponding to the Lower Middle Auspicious Sign was no good place.

Still, Li Ming had not laid a trap around the Lower Immortal Pool corresponding to the Lowest Auspicious Sign.

That was the most dangerous place.

Lei Jun carried the Dragon Horse Scale and the Golden Barrier Talisman personally drawn by Yuan Mobai, yet even the Lowest Auspicious Sign showed an omen of Certain Death and extreme misfortune.

Had Li Ming still retained some bottom line?

Not necessarily...

One should adapt to circumstances, and avoid carving a mark on a boat to seek a lost sword.

Even experience that had been the latest only recently might no longer be correct today.

Fortune and misfortune, blessings and disasters—ever-changing and manifold.

The experience Li Ming possessed likely had not been updated in time either...

Lei Jun said nothing for the moment.

Once Li Ming had finished explaining the precautions, everyone dispersed.

Even the Middle Immortal Pool was a great lake formed from several smaller lakes joined together.

Everyone could easily claim a spot for themselves. Though men and women were separate, they did not mind entering the water at the same time.

With clouds and mist swirling about, even though Lei Jun and the others had achieved some success in cultivation and their eyesight far surpassed that of ordinary people, their view was still obstructed. They could only see a short distance ahead.

But unlike the several new Transmission Disciples who had only recently established their foundations, Li Ming, who was leading the group, had already reached the Third Layer Altar Realm.

Fang Jian, the Celestial Master's direct disciple, was no weaker than him.

So after Lei Jun wandered around twice, he took out his Wind Riding Talisman under the cover of the clouds.

The Natal Wind Riding Talisman, infused with the spiritual power of the Night Wind Stone, adhered to Lei Jun's body. Not only did it make him light and swift, it made him seem to meld into and vanish within the clouds.

Only after moving far away from the Immortal Pool did he begin flying straight upward.

His target was the sea of clouds at the very top mentioned by the Upper Middle Auspicious Sign.

As Lei Jun continued to rise, he gradually began to feel unwell.

The surrounding clouds looked ethereal, but they were scorching hot like fire, continuously assailing Lei Jun's body.

Lei Jun did not take out the Dragon Horse Scale right away.

This treasure had formidable defenses, but it also rapidly drained his Magic Power.

Lei Jun first took out his Golden Barrier Talisman. Though it was not a Natal Talisman Art, the Golden Barrier Talisman still provided solid protection, and there was no chance of encountering an attack from a Golden Breaking Talisman here.

Under the Golden Barrier Talisman's enhancement, a layer of golden light shrouded Lei Jun's body, seemingly forming a shield that blocked the clouds.

However, as Lei Jun continued upward, the shield was rapidly scorched and dissolved by invisible heat.

Lei Jun's heart suddenly stirred slightly, and he looked into the distance to one side.

There, the hem of another apricot yellow Taoist robe flashed between the white clouds.

Lei Jun's Natal Wind Riding Talisman, combined with the Night Wind Stone's power, concealed him soundlessly within the clouds. The other person had not noticed him.

As they drew a little closer, Lei Jun saw the other person's face clearly. It was Chen Yi.

Could he sense that an auspicious opportunity lay within the upper sea of clouds as well?

Lei Jun became interested.

Chen Yi was likewise enveloped in golden light, but the radiance around him was more condensed and substantial than Lei Jun's.

The Golden Barrier Talisman was most likely one of Chen Yi's Natal Talisman Arts.

Before Li Ming and the others, when he heard about the Golden Breaking Talisman, Chen Yi had remained impassive.

But now that he had to rise through the sea of clouds, he had no choice but to reveal his true skills.

Yet as the clouds assailed his body and grew ever more blazing, even though Chen Yi had refined a Natal Golden Barrier Talisman, he gradually could no longer withstand them.

After consecutively using up three Natal Golden Barrier Talismans, Chen Yi still had not found what he sought.

After considering it, he finally descended while maintaining a fourth Golden Barrier Talisman, leaving the sea of clouds at the very top.

What a pity. The spiritual item at the very top should have been the best, but my cultivation is still too low and I lack a Protective Treasure. I can only wait and see whether I have another chance to come here in the future... Chen Yi looked back at the clouds above and shook his head repeatedly.

A sudden sense of loss arose in his heart, as though he had missed something forever.

Fortunately, there are treasures in both the Upper Immortal Pool and the Lower Immortal Pool. At least I won't return empty-handed after entering a mountain of treasures today... Chen Yi let out a breath and continued descending.

I'll go take a look at the Upper Immortal Pool first. Li Ming openly warned everyone that the Upper Immortal Pool is dangerous, yet he secretly hinted to his sister Li Ying. There must be an opportunity in the Upper Immortal Pool.

That madwoman surnamed Tang is arrogant, overbearing, and unbearable, but the Li Family people who enjoy pulling little tricks behind the scenes are no better. You used Tang Xiaotang and me to win prestige for Li Zhengxuan, and now you want me to be grateful to your Li Family? Dream on.

Chen Yi looked around, saw no one, then descended into the Upper Immortal Pool.

While Chen Yi's Golden Barrier Talismans could no longer endure the blazing clouds, Lei Jun was also under immense pressure.

Yuan Mobai's Golden Barrier Talisman was ultimately a consumable, so Lei Jun chose to bring out the Dragon Horse Scale first.

Magic Power flowed into it, and the Dragon Horse Scale flashed with light. Centered on it, a huge shield of light immediately formed.

At a thought from Lei Jun, the light shield, which had originally guarded only one direction, instantly expanded into a light barrier that protected him from all sides.

The scorching sensation vanished at once.

But Lei Jun could also feel his Magic Power rapidly draining away.

He steadied his mind and searched carefully.

After rising a little farther, Lei Jun suddenly felt the clouds' flow slow down, as though they had congealed.

It was like entering water from the air.

A flash of inspiration came to Lei Jun, and he temporarily withdrew the Dragon Horse Scale's protection.

Apart from the scorching clouds pressing close once more, a cool, moist sensation now surrounded his body as well.

...The Sixth Grade Opportunity mentioned by the Upper Middle Auspicious Sign.

Lei Jun immediately took out a Spirit Gathering Talisman exclusive to True Disciples of Celestial Master Mansion.

The Spirit Gathering Talisman flashed with light, gathering the spiritual energy around it. It could even temporarily contain and seal certain spiritual items.

Streams of clear liquid immediately gathered into the Spirit Gathering Talisman.

A layer of frost-like mist seemed to condense across the surface of the yellow paper and vermilion talisman.

But as the frost mist formed, the cool sensation around Lei Jun immediately vanished as well, and he was once again surrounded by extreme heat.

He promptly put away the Talisman Paper, brought out the Dragon Horse Scale again, and rapidly descended out of the sea of clouds beneath the treasure's protection.

After falling from above, Lei Jun hurriedly put away the Dragon Horse Scale. He felt as if his Magic Power had nearly been drained dry.

Fortunately, he had come prepared. He directly swallowed all three Qi Spirit Pills he carried and a small bottle of Nurturing Essence Paste.

Then Lei Jun drifted safely down into a small lake within the Middle Immortal Pool.

Once he entered the pool water, nourished inside and out, Lei Jun immediately felt his Magic Power and all his essence, qi, and spirit rapidly recover.

He silently breathed and circulated qi, using Inner Vision of One's Body. The spiritual power in the pool water seemed to turn back into liquid Immortal Pool water within his body, irrigating and nurturing his Dao Foundation.

Watered by the Immortal Pool water, his Dao Foundation became even more stable.

"No wonder it is the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool."

Lei Jun nodded repeatedly. His master Yuan Mobai had not lied. Even without counting the frost mist obtained from the upper sea of clouds, merely bathing in the Immortal Pool water and undergoing its cleansing had smoothed the road ahead toward Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

Hm?

Lei Jun's heart stirred again.

Frequently refining the Night Wind Stone's spiritual power had not only granted him the light, secretive quality of slipping into the night with the wind, but had also made him more sensitive to similarly subtle disturbances, surpassing his current realm.

He vaguely sensed someone stopping in the distance and observing him in secret.

The newcomer was Li Ming.

The Immortal Pool was vast, and clouds obscured the area, so it was not easy for him to find people.

He had first searched the Upper Immortal Pool, but found no trace of Chen Yi or the others.

After returning to the Middle Immortal Pool, he had first found Shangguan Hong.

Now that he discovered Lei Jun was also in the Middle Immortal Pool, Li Ming could not help feeling even more disappointed.

This really is a disaster... Lei Jun remained expressionless.

Then...

He sat for a while longer, then rose from the water as though he had suddenly discovered something.

At first, Li Ming thought he had been discovered, but when he saw that Lei Jun was heading in the wrong direction, he relaxed.

Lei Jun came to the edge of the Middle Immortal Pool and looked down.

"Junior Brother Chen? Is that you, Junior Brother Chen?"

Standing by the lake, Lei Jun looked toward the Lower Immortal Pool below, seeing only boundless clouds and mist.

He turned around and returned to the waters of the Middle Immortal Pool, his expression hesitant as he muttered to himself, "Did I see wrong?"

After that, he continued remaining in the Middle Immortal Pool, quietly breathing and circulating qi.

In the distance, Li Ming quietly made his way to the edge of the Middle Immortal Pool and looked down, frowning in thought.