Cultivation: Fortune by Lots

"Ye Dongming of Mount Shu, I apologize for this abrupt visit, Lei, please do not mind me," the middle-aged Taoist said with a gentle smile, his demeanor quite polite.

Lei Jun's expression remained calm as he greeted him, "You are being too courteous, senior."

Upon hearing Ye Dongming's self-introduction and taking a clear look at the other's face, Lei Jun then thoroughly understood in his heart.

Among the Mount Shu Elders of the same generation as He Dongxing and Ji Dongquan, there was one surnamed Ye, hailing from the Jinzhou Ye Clan.

It was precisely the man before him, Ye Dongming.

By comparison, Lin Xinran of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan was far younger than this man.

However, when Yuan Mobai mentioned Ye Dongming, his assessment of the man was rather positive, with an air of long-standing camaraderie.

Ye Dongming said, "During this New Year's season, forgive my impertinent visit, there is a matter I wish to invite you to discuss."

Lei Jun replied, "I am a mere junior and lack both ability and talent, I fear I am undeserving of such a task."

Ye Dongming said, "Lei, you are too modest, I have heard news of your sect's Celestial Master's Sword, and since I dare not interfere without cause, I thought to inform you so you might investigate."

Lei Jun raised his head, glancing at the Mount Shu Elder of the Jinzhou Ye Clan, countless thoughts flashing through his mind in an instant.

On the surface, however, he appeared slightly excited, bowing with a Taoist salute to Ye Dongming, "Thank you, senior, for such a vital message. This is truly important to our sect, I hardly know how to put my gratitude into words."

Ye Dongming smiled and shook his head, "Although our two sects are separate, we are after all branches of the same Taoist Sect, it is only natural that we watch over and help each other."

With that, he took out a jade slip and handed it to Lei Jun.

After exchanging a few more polite words, Elder Ye of Mount Shu then took his leave.

The Yushan Temple Master had, from beginning to end, not avoided the situation, as if entirely lacking in discernment, simply standing quietly by and watching Lei Jun's conversation with Ye Dongming, without uttering a word.

After Ye Dongming departed, the old Temple Master finally moved again, seeing the Elder of the Ancestral Court off.

Once Elder Ye had been sent away, the Yushan Temple Master quickly returned to Lei Jun's cottage.

Lei Jun had been waiting for him.

"Though I cannot tell whether the news Elder Ye received is true, since it concerns the Celestial Master's Sword, which is the treasure of our sect, I truly dare not treat it lightly."

Lei Jun lifted the jade slip in his hand, "Senior, is there anything you wish to instruct this humble Taoist?"

The old Taoist sighed, "What advice do I possibly have for you, Lei?

Only that Elder Ye's visit at New Year's unsettled me greatly."

He shook his head gently and turned to leave.

Lei Jun watched silently as the man's figure faded, *his mind recalling certain matters Yuan Mobai had told him before setting out this time.*

*To use the terms from Lei Jun's previous life on Blue Star, the current Head of Mount Shu belonged to the camp of reformers seeking innovation and change, actively recruiting outside talent and strengthening Bashu's ties with other forces from the outside world.*

*But within Mount Shu, the conservative faction still held great power.*

*The reformist faction, led by the current Head of Mount Shu, was still far from holding unchallenged authority.*

*Of course, to be precise, most within Mount Shu at present were actually relatively neutral, like He Dongxing and Ji Dongquan.*

*That formed the largest group in Mount Shu.*

*The chief feature of this group, aside from its size, was that individuals' attitudes could continually shift and be courted by both sides.*

*Both reformers and conservatives vied to win over more supporters.*

*Under this constant tug-of-war, the turmoil inside Mount Shu only intensified, the struggles growing ever fiercer.*

*More and more of the neutral group began to take sides.*

*The tension between reformists and conservatives became ever sharper, the atmosphere ever more combustible.*

*Judging by Ji Chuan's worries, it was clear that over this past year the situation had not improved, but instead showed increasing signs of spiraling out of control.*

*At such a time, for Ye Dongming to meet Lei Jun and toss him the news of the Celestial Master's Sword, inviting him to Ba Dong, the meaning was truly puzzling.*

*It wasn't simply a question of whether the sword's news was true or not.*

*What was Ye Dongming really after in doing so?*

*If he meant to pull Lei Jun and the Celestial Master Mansion into Mount Shu's whirlpool, he ought to have lured him to the Mount Shu Sect Summit at Qingcheng Peak for the best chance.*

*Or was there some secret hidden in Ba Dong?*

Lei Jun furrowed his brow.

He patiently waited for some time.

*But the sphere of light in his mind did not react.*

*This only made Lei Jun more curious.*

*Did it mean that even if he traveled to Ba Dong, there was no danger?*

*Or, in other words, did it make no difference whether he went to Ba Dong or not?*

*Then what was Ye Dongming trying to gain by coaxing him to go?*

After pondering for a while, Lei Jun did not immediately set out for Ba Dong but remained at Yushan.

Yet, after this, Ye Dongming made no further moves.

It was as if his previous visit really had been nothing but kindness, providing Lei Jun a clue just to try his luck.

Seeing this, Lei Jun did not dwell on it, and instead carried on with his cultivation and life at his own pace.

A period of time passed without any special incidents.

*Gradually, he started to sense the underlying intent of it all.*

*Ye Dongming perhaps did not care where he went.*

*What the other hoped was simply that Lei Jun would not go to a certain place.*

*On this basis, whether he stayed at Yushan or traveled to Ba Dong, it mattered little.*

*So, which place did Ye Dongming not want him to visit?*

*The Mount Shu Sect Summit, Qingcheng Cloud Peak?*

Although Lei Jun speculated in his heart, he did not insist on trying it for himself.

*If it was no business of his, he would keep his distance.*

His goal in coming to Shu this time was mainly the Southern Shu Bamboo Sea.

*Anything else, so long as it did not affect that basic objective, was secondary.*

Thus, Lei Jun continued to focus on cultivation atop Yushan.

As time passed, he achieved new results.

With the confluence of the Qingxiao Divine Thunder Evil and the Nine Earth Yin Wind Evil, Lei Jun's cultivation advanced rapidly.

The third Original Talisman clearly coalesced.

The same nine feet tall and four feet wide, side by side with his previous two Original Talismans.

Three Original Talismans marked Lei Jun's cultivation progressing to the advanced level of the Original Talisman realm.

After this, as long as he refined a fourth Original Talisman, he could reach perfection in the Original Talisman stage.

However, before that, he needed to resolve another matter…

The cause was simple,

A disciple of Mount Shu, representing his master, invited Lei Jun to the Mount Shu Sect Summit as a guest.

However, in Lei Jun's mind, the sphere of light that had not reacted when Ye Dongming mentioned Ba Dong earlier now began to flicker at the thought of the Mount Shu Summit, and characters appeared:

[Disasters arise within, the winds and waves are fierce, stay far from the mountain clouds, do not stand under a precarious wall.]

After that, four lots of fortune appeared consecutively in Lei Jun's awareness:

[Moderately good lot, remain at Yushan, in three days, there will be an opportunity for a Fourth Rank boon, all will be calm and smooth, no danger, no hidden troubles, auspicious.]

[Perfectly neutral lot, leave Yushan, travel through the lands of Shu, dangers with no harm, nothing gained, nothing lost, ordinary.]

[The worst lot, leave Yushan heading north, travel to Mount Huanglong, uncover hidden matters, become entangled in calamity, crisis descends, no way to escape, most inauspicious!]

[The worst lot, leave Yushan heading west to the Summit, acquire a Seventh Rank opportunity, yet step straight into doom, no life to enjoy it, certain death, most inauspicious!]