Cultivation: Fortune by Lots

The current Celestial Master and the Jiangzhou Lin Clan Chief, both gone?

The news spread, and a strange silence fell.

Half shock, half doubt.

Soon after, the world was in turmoil!

On one hand, this marked the third Celestial Master to have fallen in over a hundred years.

On the other hand, it was the death of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan Chief—one of the elite Five Clans and Seven Families.

The power structure of the Great Tang cultivation world collapsed in two places at once.

The resulting vacuum attracted uncountable eyes from all sides.

Factions that had checked each other, silently waiting for an outcome, now moved as one.

The whole world, shaken by storms.

Mount Tianxu, for the moment, still stood at the edge of the tempest.

After hearing the news of the Celestial Master's death, the Tianxu Sect erupted in brief but enormous chaos.

But strangely, calm soon returned.

It wasn't that everyone could accept the event with equanimity, but rather that, though the Tianxu Sect was on the outskirts of the storm, it was still within its blast radius.

With the Jiangzhou Lin Clan Chief dead and the allegiances of powerful external forces uncertain, the Lin Clan had to lay low for now.

But just as the Celestial Master fell, the Yellow Sky Sect began a full-on counterattack.

Taoist Taiping, Sect Leader of the Yellow Sky Sect, led the forces they had accumulated for years in an assault on their archenemies, the Celestial Master Mansion.

After the Celestial Master Mansion emerged from the initial chaos of their leader's demise, it immediately gathered its strength to fight the Yellow Sky Sect anew.

Xu Yuanzhen now set her sights on the mysterious master who had ambushed the Celestial Master.

On one hand, that opponent was directly responsible for the Celestial Master's fall; on the other, the rest of the high-level masters of Dragon Tiger Mountain could not risk being ambushed again by a hidden enemy while also contending with the Yellow Sky Sect's experts.

Luckily, for now, no other adversaries intervened.

But the Yellow Sky Sect was unleashing all its pent-up strength at once—forcing a full-scale counterattack, sparking turmoil everywhere.

Not only did Taoist Taiping lead his sect back to Dragon Tiger Mountain to settle scores with the Celestial Master Mansion once again,

The Purple Cloud Sect, the Tianxu Sect, and other branches of the Dragon Tiger Mountain lineage also suffered attacks.

Patrolling disciples of the Tianxu Sect reported that, just recently, traces of Yellow Sky Sect demon persons had been found within Mount Tianxu.

The wind filled the halls, and the mountain seemed to wait for the coming storm!

Taoist Tu Guangyu, Sect Leader of the Tianxu Sect, calmed his mind, reassured his disciples, and gave steady commands.

The whole sect came alive, making ready to stand against the approaching enemy.

"I shall activate the Eight Extremes Mountain Defense Array. All disciples of the Tianxu Sect, focus your minds, keep calm, avoid panic and chaos, look out for one another, and unite as one—we will weather this storm together," Tu Guangyu intoned slowly.

The gathered Tianxu Sect members in the great hall responded in unison, "We obey the Sect Leader's teachings!"

Lei Jun and Xia Qing, though true inheritors of the Celestial Master Mansion, since they were temporarily stationed at the Tianxu Sect, naturally obeyed Tu Guangyu's deployment, working alongside the Tianxu Sect disciples to guard the mountain.

The situation over at Dragon Tiger Mountain remained complicated—news changed three times in a single day. Even if extra help was needed, with their Lower Three Heavens cultivation, Lei Jun and Xia Qing could not play a decisive role. Staying at Mount Tianxu for now and helping resolve the crisis here would serve them better.

The Eight Extremes Mountain Defense Array of the Tianxu Sect consumed the Earth Vein Spiritual Qi at a tremendous rate, so it was only activated at the most critical juncture.

Apart from setting the main gate on the primary peak, eight other peaks were chosen from the surrounding ranges to serve as sub-altars, each corresponding to the trigrams Heaven, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Water, Fire, Mountain, and Marsh.

With one central and eight subsidiary points, once the great formation was activated, the protective wards joined as one, forming a seamless defense—casual enemies could not breach it.

Although the Yellow Sky Sect launched a full-scale counterattack, their core strength was likewise focused on Dragon Tiger Mountain for the moment.

No matter if enemies did come to Mount Tianxu, it would be difficult for them to break the Eight Extremes Mountain Defense Array.

However, the eight sub-altars, scattered around the main peak, each required personnel to be stationed as guardians.

Compared with the main peak, the eight sub-altars were on the front lines—in the paths of the enemy's advance. Though protected by the formation, they were still riskier positions.

As Tu Guangyu and the Tianxu Sect higher-ups arranged their forces, they opted to keep true inheritors like Lei Jun and Xia Qing safely on the main peak.

But then, the light orb in Lei Jun's mind flashed once more, words appearing:

[Eight Extremes divided, calamity arises in the center, earth veins shift, a deadly change at midnight.]

Next, the light orb revealed three lots:

[Moderately good lot: After an upheaval on the main peak, if you enter Qiantian Peak's belly before midnight, you receive a Fourth Rank Opportunity. Afterward, future events may entangle you with karmic consequences—act with caution. Auspicious.]

[Moderately unlucky lot: Stay on the main peak, survive upheaval, and obtain an Eighth Rank Opportunity. But under disaster, you are trapped in danger; casualties likely—inauspicious.]

[Worst lot: After the main peak's upheaval, enter Qiantian Peak's belly after midnight—earth veins in flux, disaster strikes again, certain death, no way out—greatly inauspicious!]

Lei Jun read the fortunes, swiftly distilling three key points:

Calamity arises in the center.

Qiantian Peak.

Around midnight.

*Could it be that the Eight Extremes Mountain Defense Array of the Tianxu Sect might be broken by enemies, not at the eight sub-altars, but instead in the seemingly safe main peak?*

*Qiantian Peak's sub-altar, among the eight, was particularly unique.*

*The critical time was just before or just after midnight—a dividing line between moderate good fortune and utter ruin.*

*Before midnight, there was a chance to obtain a Fourth Rank Opportunity within the belly of the mountain.*

*But tarry past midnight, or enter after midnight, and it was like stepping into hell itself…*

*Countless thoughts flickered through Lei Jun's mind, but his face remained calm as he stepped up to stand before Sect Leader Tu Guangyu, and said solemnly,*

"Master Tu, I respectfully request to stand guard at one of the sub-altars."

The Tianxu Sect higher-ups, including Tu Guangyu, were startled.

Xia Qing, off in the distance, turned at the sound.

"These days, while lodging at Mount Tianxu, I have enjoyed the care and respect of the elders and brothers alike, and I am truly grateful,"

Lei Jun spoke with feeling, "Now, as crisis looms, I am willing to give my utmost to help Mount Tianxu through its hour of need."

He paused, then lowered his voice a touch, "With the Yellow Sky Sect's demon persons attacking, the entire mountain must unite without division and stand together. I dare not shrink from my duty."

The Tianxu Sect higher-ups, including Tu Guangyu, listened in silence.

The Yellow Sky Sect was a special adversary for all of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Lineage, both branch and main sect alike.

Tracing it back to its roots, the split of the Yellow Sky Sect all those years ago stemmed from the rivalry between the Li clan and outsiders.

Now, with chaos in the Celestial Master Mansion and fear in the Tianxu Sect, to play favorites would only harm unity and resolve.

"Master Tu, I am ashamed," Xia Qing now stepped forward as well. "In these perilous times, we must unite without distinction—I too do not wish to shrink from my duty."

She glanced at Lei Jun, showing no sign of annoyance that his grand speech had roped her in as well.

Instead, there was an added glimmer of admiration in her eyes.

"In that case, Lei, you shall go to the Qiantian Peak sub-altar, and Xia, you to the Kundi Peak sub-altar," Tu Guangyu said, deeply moved. "You both have shown your hearts this day—be careful."

Though he arranged it so, Tu Guangyu still left room for maneuver. He did not send Lei Jun and Xia Qing where they would be doomed.

Qiantian and Kundi were the key nodes among the outer eight sub-altars—after all, they were the most vital and thus the most secure.

To be posted directly to the Qiantian Peak sub-altar, without needing to plead or maneuver further—Lei Jun felt a surge of joy.

Yet, after the crowd dispersed, he sought Tu Guangyu privately for a one-on-one meeting.

"Master Tu, though I am young and lack experience, I have confronted Yellow Sky Sect demon persons twice before,"

Lei Jun said steadily, "One particular occasion left a deep impression on me—back when I was still in the Tao Boy Court.

A certain Elder of the Mansion secretly colluded with Yellow Sky Sect demon persons, inciting the Tao Boys to stir up trouble and divert attention, while secretly stealing a magic artifact from the Mansion's vault…"