Supreme Good Fortune Sign

Supreme Good Fortune Sign

After hearing Lei Jun's words, Wang Guiyuan sighed with feeling:

"Yes. Since nothing can be foreseen, we must be cautious at every turn. The less we do, the fewer mistakes we make. If Junior Brother Gao and the others had not acted rashly, they would not have brought this calamity upon themselves."

As he spoke, he glanced at Lei Jun. "Still, you few were lucky enough to avoid this disaster."

Lei Jun said, "It really was luck."

As Wang Guiyuan strolled along, he roughly described the events of the previous night to Lei Jun:

"There were not two traitors yesterday, but three..."

Lei Jun immediately understood.

The first had been the little Dao child who stole the Pill Furnace.

The second had set fire to the First Courtyard of the Dao Child Courtyard.

But those first two were likely cannon fodder meant to create chaos and draw attention.

After the High Daoist surnamed Gao had led people back to the Dao Child Courtyard at the foot of the mountain the previous night, an even greater commotion had erupted on the mountain. That was when the third person had made his move.

"One of this sect's Martial Uncles stole a treasure from the mountain. While fleeing down the mountain, he happened to run into Junior Brother Gao and several others."

Wang Guiyuan said, "Although that Elder was ultimately captured afterward, Junior Brother Gao and the others were killed. The two incidents at the Dao Child Courtyard had both been secretly ordered by that Elder as well."

Lei Jun said, "I truly never imagined something like this could happen right here on Dragon Tiger Mountain."

Wang Guiyuan seemed to abruptly change the subject. "Some time ago, Martial Uncle Du brought back a Magical Artifact from outside. It ultimately caused the Dharma Altar to explode, resulting in casualties among the Dao children.

"That truly was an accident. But it was not some evil object—it was a Magical Artifact that had originally belonged to this sect."

He stopped and turned to look at Lei Jun. "You still remember Spirit Mushroom Platform, don't you?"

Lei Jun nodded.

Wang Guiyuan said, "This sect once suffered internal strife in the past. The person who damaged Spirit Mushroom Platform fled, taking his personal Magical Artifact with him. Martial Uncle Du only recently recovered it.

"So when Martial Uncle Du's Dharma Altar had its accident earlier and stirred Spirit Mushroom Platform's spiritual energy back to life, it was likely because of that Magical Artifact. The one who tied the bell must untie it, after all."

Lei Jun asked, "Was the Magical Artifact that Elder stole from the mountain this same one?"

Wang Guiyuan said, "That's right."

Lei Jun understood.

After the Celestial Master Mansion's internal strife back then had been put down, those who had failed in the conflict had been driven down the mountain—or rather, had fled down the mountain.

Yet they had still left agents behind on the mountain, or newly cultivated supporters.

Thus came this theft and murder.

Compared to the earth-shattering internal strife of those days, this was merely a small ripple.

But when High Daoist Gao and the others ran into it, it became the certain death foretold by their sign fortune.

As for the cause of that internal strife years ago, Wang Guiyuan had not stated it plainly. But comparing it with last night's disturbance, it was not difficult to guess that it had stemmed from the Li Clan's bloodline monopolizing the position of Celestial Master.

One could imagine that the conflict between those surnamed Li and those of other surnames would only intensify.

Their wariness and hostility toward one another would grow even heavier.

I count as someone of another surname too... Lei Jun shook his head.

But just as he had told that thief, a little Dao child at the First Heaven Qi Refining realm could only serve as cannon fodder in matters like these.

Whether he intended to get involved or not, he first needed to raise his own cultivation.

As Lei Jun expected, the official result announced by the sect afterward was rather vague.

Yet the deaths of the Young Daoist and the others still caused a stir throughout the Celestial Master Mansion.

After all, unlike Elder Du's Dharma Altar explosion, which had been an accident.

This time, a Direct Lineage Disciple had been murdered on Dragon Tiger Mountain, the sacred ancestral home of the Taoist Talisman School.

The disturbance would take longer to settle.

Lei Jun calmed himself faster than the other little Dao children.

During the day, he attended lessons and listened to lectures as usual. At night, he devoted himself to his own cultivation.

Since the start of the year, however, the Dao Child Courtyard had seemed to be passing through troubled times.

The effects of the earlier traitor incident had only just gradually subsided.

At least, they had gradually subsided on the surface.

But before one wave had settled, another rose.

One day, Lei Jun had just finished the Morning Lesson in the hall of the Sixth Courtyard when he heard the other little Dao children gather again, chattering away:

"Senior Brother Lei, have you heard? This time, something happened at the neighboring Eighth Courtyard!"

Lei Jun asked, "What happened?"

Senior Brother Zhang, the thin Dao child whose full name was Zhang Yuan, lowered his voice mysteriously.

"That Junior Brother Chen Yi from the Eighth Courtyard—the Chen Yi who got the Pure Gold Spirit Mushroom from Spirit Mushroom Platform before—had previously accepted an assignment to train down the mountain. Outside the mountain, he injured three Senior Brothers from the Third Courtyard. One dead, two injured!"

The other little Dao children erupted into discussion:

"One against three? That's incredible!"

"He has the Pure Gold Spirit Mushroom!"

"But I heard Senior Brother Chen's cultivation has improved rapidly since the start of this year. It seems he will certainly take part in next year's Ordination Ceremony."

"Let's see if he can get past today first. Fellow disciples killing one another and causing a death is no small matter..."

Zhang Yuan nodded. "I heard that as soon as he returned to the mountain last night, he was locked up in the Discipline Office of the Eighth Courtyard. Both the Third Courtyard and Eighth Courtyard arranged people to guard him."

Some little Dao children took pleasure in Chen Yi's misfortune. It gave them a certain satisfaction—fortune's wheel had turned; he had been lucky before, but now he was the unlucky one.

Others admired Chen Yi's strength and envied his rapid rise. Over the past year, among the Dao Child Courtyard at the foot of Celestial Master Mansion, he had practically been unrivaled in prominence.

A few days later, accurate news finally returned:

Chen Yi had not received a severe punishment.

The two Dao children he had injured had received harsher disciplinary penalties from the sect than he had.

In the Sixth Courtyard, Zhang Yuan and the others were astonished. "They struck first? And even ambushed and plotted against him?"

The little Dao child who had gathered the news nodded repeatedly. "The evidence in Chen Yi's hands was irrefutable—clear as day, plain for all to see. Those three could not deny it."

Lei Jun asked, "They besieged and ambushed Chen Yi to curry favor with the Taoist Priests of the Main Mansion up the mountain?"

The Dao child said, "That's what I heard. Fortunately, Senior Brother Chen's cultivation realm has advanced rapidly lately, far beyond what they expected. Even joining forces, the three of them ended up kicking an iron plate."

Everyone sighed, each with different thoughts.

Lei Jun continued living and cultivating according to his own rhythm.

Summer passed, and autumn arrived.

As time went by, Lei Jun's cultivation deepened.

He successfully opened his ninth Qi Sea, marking his attainment of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

One noon in September, Lei Jun had some questions about cultivation after lunch. He first went to seek Wang Guiyuan's guidance, then headed to the Hall of Affairs to receive a training assignment.

Because he had arrived late, most of the better assignments had already been taken.

Only two openings remained.

The first was making ink at the Talisman Ink Workshop.

When Celestial Master Mansion Daoists made talismans, they needed not only Talisman Brushes and Talisman Paper, but also Talisman Ink.

Besides cinnabar, there were various other materials used to create higher-quality Talisman Ink.

Yet some Talisman Ink gave off rather strange auras. Thus, little Dao children rarely chose this assignment voluntarily; many times, the Instructors had to simply seize able-bodied youths and assign it by force.

Talisman Ink was often needed, so this assignment was often available.

The other assignment had only arisen recently.

The Xinzhou region where Dragon Tiger Mountain stood was thick with rivers and marshes. Every summer brought heavy rains, and floods were common.

Fortunately, experts from the Celestial Master Mansion descended the mountain to help control the waters, so the disasters were not too severe.

Still, some common people were displaced. By autumn, major epidemics arose among the refugees. Thus, upon receiving the news, the Celestial Master Mansion organized disaster relief and epidemic removal.

Most related matters were led by Taoist Priests from the mountain, while stewards and shopkeepers responsible for the Celestial Master Mansion's various industries and businesses below the mountain organized manpower to handle the practical work.

The Dao Child Courtyard also often sent Dao children to take part as a training assignment.

Slightly unlike other assignments, going out for disaster relief did not mean leaving and returning on the same day. A trip could last as few as three to five days, or as long as half a month or a full month.

Some people were more warmhearted and volunteered to join.

Others saw it as a miserable assignment and avoided it as though it were a snake or scorpion.

A short trip was one thing.

But if it lasted too long, it would inevitably affect one's cultivation. How could the conditions outside the mountain compare with Dragon Tiger Mountain's spiritually blessed land?

Since Lei Jun had come late today, only ink-making and disaster relief remained among the training assignments at the Hall of Affairs.

Of course, he could simply take no assignment today and return to his small courtyard to cultivate by himself.

He had already accepted many assignments in ordinary times, and he had also earned merit by helping capture the thief who stole the Pill Furnace. His accumulated merits were quite abundant; missing a day or two made no difference.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, the Light Sphere in Lei Jun's mind flashed again, and words emerged:

When the city gate caught fire, an eagle might strike the vast sky and find a turn in the road, or a fish might swim the shallow depths and hide deep to escape danger.

Lei Jun had already grown accustomed to the Light Sphere suddenly popping out at some unknown moment.

He immediately focused his mind and read the three new sign fortunes that flew forth from the Light Sphere:

Supreme Good Fortune Sign: Go to Green Cloud Ripple River Beach for disaster relief. Obtain one Third Grade Opportunity. A hidden dragon in the abyss, soaring into the heavens in a single flight. Great fortune!

Middle Middle Auspicious Sign: Do not accept a training assignment. Return to your residence and cultivate quietly alone. Do nothing, make no mistakes; gain nothing, lose nothing. Ordinary.

Lower Middle Auspicious Sign: Go to the Talisman Ink Workshop to make ink. When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer; temporarily lose freedom, with hidden danger buried away. Misfortune.

Supreme Good Fortune Sign... Lei Jun let out a long breath.

After drawing so many times, this was the first time he had seen a Supreme Good Fortune Sign.

A Third Grade Opportunity, even above the Fifth Grade Opportunity of Purple-Gold Spirit Mushroom Essence and the Sixth Grade Opportunity of Dragon Horse Scale—could it help him recover some of the disadvantage from his late start in cultivation?

However, the fate foretold by the sign fortune was urging him to participate in disaster relief and epidemic removal outside the mountain.