Cultivation: Fortune by Lots

At last, the three-day term arrived as promised.

Lei Jun removed his Ji Earth Yin Thunder.

The accumulated stream water roared and flooded down instantly.

Lei Jun leaped onto the giant Gungun's broad back. Man and bear surged downstream together with the torrent.

The raging Jade Belt Stream flowed once more past Little Leaf Peak, swept around its northern ridge, and continued downstream.

Lei Jun then returned to the True Yin Land north of Little Leaf Peak.

He dispelled the Breathing Soil Banner's cover and saw that swath of white bamboo forest, now looking absolutely devastated.

*In just three short days, the white bamboo seemed on the verge of dying.*

Such a heart-wrenching sight, but Lei Jun did not panic.

The spirit bamboo born of this True Yin Land was especially unique.

With such strange changes, it only proved that, in the depths of fate, some mystery must be at work.

Sure enough, as soon as the Jade Belt Stream recovered, those seemingly withered white bamboos suddenly began to shake all at once.

Down below, Spiritual Energy surged throughout the True Yin Land.

Under Lei Jun's watchful gaze, the white bamboo regained its vitality.

Then, those spirit bamboos blossomed.

Tiny, pristine white flowers crowded together, pleasing to behold.

Though they bloomed, the white bamboo itself did not immediately wilt.

Instead, the Spiritual Energy of the True Yin Land below began to dissipate rapidly.

Lei Jun could clearly sense, deep within his soul, subtle breezes stirring from the Celestial Master Seal and the True One Altar, passing through his spirit, reaching the shell of his body.

Once the True Yin Land dissipated, its influence finally shifted to the white bamboo itself.

No, it was no longer white bamboo.

On the surface of each stalk, a faint violet glow shone forth.

The purple light flashed and vanished in an instant.

It slid from bottom to top, like a fleeting reflection.

As the violet light winked over them, the white bamboos quickly withered.

This time, it was a complete silence, utter death.

As if their lifespan had ended, reaching the last moment of life.

Yet atop the now-withered bamboo, clustered flowers scattered in all directions, their color changing from white to purple, like tiny stars spread out in the cosmos.

White bamboo, blossomed with purple stamens.

Lei Jun quietly watched this scene unfold before him.

The giant Gungun, who had drooled over the white bamboo's pale stamens, now stared blankly at their purple counterparts in mild astonishment.

Lei Jun's mind was immersed deep within the True One Altar, born from the Celestial Master Seal in his spiritual soul.

Upon the altar, the Forty-Nine Lamps flickered together, the Daoist Banner hanging above, ceaselessly fluttering.

He took out his Vermilion Sun Blossom.

The pure white petals gleamed with radiant light, swaying gently though there was no wind.

No need to approach—the purple stamen bamboo flowers atop the wilted white bamboo seemed to echo the Vermilion Sun Blossom, trembling in resonance.

*No more words were needed. Everything was clear.*

This was precisely what he had been searching for.

Lei Jun exhaled deeply, then stepped forward and plucked the purple stamen bamboo blossoms.

[True Yin Bamboo Stamen]

This name sprang to mind.

Lei Jun carefully stored these violet True Yin Bamboo Stamens, then looked again at the now-withered white bamboo.

The white bamboo rapidly weathered, crumbled to dust, and scattered upon the earth and forest below.

Soon, the whiteness faded away.

All had seemingly returned to nature itself.

Lei Jun could no longer sense any True Yin Spiritual Power here.

The spiritual nature of this True Yin Land had completely dispersed.

*It seemed all things had converged for that fleeting moment of supreme sublimation, to birth those gorgeous violet stamens.*

...But all this was not necessarily guaranteed.

Compared to the three lots, Lei Jun's heart was clear as crystal.

If he had done nothing, simply stayed by the True Yin Land north of Little Leaf Peak, the white bamboo would still have bloomed, but most likely only pale bamboo stamens would have come forth.

That matched the moderately good lot mentioning the Fifth Grade Opportunity.

Good stuff, for sure, but probably not the True Yin Spiritual Object Lei Jun truly sought.

And by the tokens, the True Yin Land here likely could not be reused to cultivate more white bamboo.

After yielding white stamens, the Spiritual Energy of the True Yin Land would likely still disperse.

*In a sense, part of its potential would be wasted.*

Only by breaking the flow of the Jade Belt Stream for three days and letting its return bring a forceful shock could the full Spiritual Energy of the True Yin Land be awakened, with not a drop wasted, all given to the white bamboo.

In this way, the white stamens could ascend a level higher, producing purple stamens.

That's the genuine True Yin Bamboo Stamen, a Fourth Rank Opportunity.

If the Jade Belt Stream had been cut off and not restored within three days...

"Congratulations, you get the perfectly neutral lot—white bamboo directly dies."

No purple stamens, no white stamens.

True, you risk nothing and lose nothing, but you also gain nothing. All those efforts wasted.

"Frankly, I think that should count as a moderately unlucky lot, because all that time and energy spent are a cost too," Lei Jun remarked.

Thankfully, he didn't return empty-handed.

Forget the rest—just getting these True Yin Bamboo Stamens made the Bashu trip worthwhile... Well, plus you.

Lei Jun laughed and patted the massive fuzzball by his side.

He reached over and rubbed that round head for good measure.

The Gungun turned its head away in a sulk.

*All this fuss and it hadn't gotten a bite of anything tasty.*

Plus Lei Jun had used it as a projectile to blast the Blood River Array.

Its fur had been stained by foul blood, and took ages to wash clean.

Still, the big guy quickly turned to face him again, its beady eyes spinning, gazing up at Lei Jun pitifully.

"These True Yin Bamboo Stamens, you definitely can't eat,"

Lei Jun now held a Supreme Pure Golden Bamboo looking like a bamboo shoot. He waved it at the giant Gungun, "But, we can go home now. Once we're back, I'll try to find something to let you stuff your face for real."

The big furball hunched down, eyes shifting again.

Lei Jun even saw a touch of very human-like expression in those eyes.

*Was it doubting him...*?

Still, the giant Gungun bobbed its head and, still driven by appetite, followed closely at Lei Jun's side.

Lei Jun chuckled, then turned to look toward Little Leaf Peak and the Southern Shu Bamboo Sea, and cleared his expression.

He had felt anew today the subtle wonders of nature.

Just as the lots had foretold,

Divine craftsmanship, fate bestowed.

*While he had played the part of finishing touch, in truth, it was nature's own magic at the core.*

A slightest difference could lead to drastically different ends.

Lei Jun took out his Taoist Miniature Bag.

This bag's miniaturization technique was akin to the Buddhist Sumi Mustard Seed and the Confucian Spatial Thread, all methods for opening up a pocket dimension—folding space into a square inch to carry things conveniently.

Lei Jun brought out his incense table, incense burner, Daoist Banner, mirror, token, magical sword, Dharma Ruler, and other items from the bag.

Then, he performed the Constellation Step Array and set up a proper altar for the ritual sacrifice, burned incense, and paid homage to heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers.

At his gesturing, the giant Gungun mimicked him, offering up a bundle of incense as well.

Blue smoke curled up, streaming into the clouds.

After finishing, Lei Jun then packed away the altars and magic tools.

He vaulted onto the giant Gungun's back,

"Alright, we can officially return to the mountain now!"

Lei Jun was in no hurry to refine the Vermilion Sun Blossom and True Yin Bamboo Stamen just yet.

He was, after all, still out on the road.

Before, he hadn't had a choice.

Now, with options, he decided to return first to his sect gate.

Once he was back and everything was ready, with secure surroundings, he would officially begin the ceremony to upgrade his Root Bone a second time.

Before leaving, Lei Jun visited Yushan Temple to leave a letter, asking the old Temple Master to pass it on to Ji Chuan of Mount Shu and company, thanking them for their hospitality and inviting them to visit Dragon Tiger Mountain when time allowed.

Then, he formally left the Shu region and set out on his homeward journey.

Compared to arriving under his own two legs, this time, Master Lei had upgraded to four-legged travel.

The giant Gungun bounded with its four paws, climbing over mountains as if strolling on flat ground, racing along swiftly.

Though now and then it tripped and rolled a few times.

Never hurt Master Lei, but added some fun to the long journey home.

Man and bear ambled their way, hiking rivers and peaks, back to Dragon Tiger Mountain.

In the distance, that majestic immortal mountain stood tall as ever.

At its base, the marketplace bustled with the life of the mortal world.

Over the summit, clouds of thunder tangled, lightning flickered—like a glimpse of the Immortal Realm.

Lei Jun entered the sect gate, made his way to the halfway Celestial Master Mansion, and there met his own junior brother, Chu Kun.

Chu Kun saw Lei Jun and could not hide his delight, "Lei, you're back?"

Lei Jun gave him a once-over,

"Junior brother, you've gotten taller."