Cultivation: Fortune by Lots

The moderately unlucky lot suggested that the Tianxu Sect would be infiltrated from its very center by their enemies.

*Most likely, it was not an attack by spatial breach and aerial drop; after all, if the attackers had that kind of power, they could have smashed through the mountain defense array outright.*

*Ruling out those possibilities, if Lei Jun had to guess again, his first reaction was that a traitor inside the Tianxu Sect had turned to the Yellow Sky Sect.*

During the days he spent cultivating as a guest at the Tianxu Sect, he had gotten along well with everyone, and the Sect Leader Tu Guangyu happened to be acquainted with Yuan Mobai. So, after some thought, Lei Jun decided to meet with Tu Guangyu alone.

*If anyone in the Tianxu Sect were to side with the Yellow Sky Sect, Tu Guangyu's chances were almost nil—the lowest of all.*

*Otherwise, the mountain defense array would have collapsed long ago, and everyone could just go back to their rooms and sleep.*

*No need to beat a drum with a heavy hammer.*

Lei Jun brought up the matter in passing, and Tu Guangyu understood instantly, his expression growing grave, "Lei."

"I haven't made any special discoveries," Lei Jun said, "I just recalled some things from before, and felt a bit uneasy. I hope Master Tu will forgive me."

Tu Guangyu said slowly, "I trust my fellow sect members, none of them would commit such a mistake."

Lei Jun said, "I was reckless, Master. Please forgive me."

*He had sounded the warning; from here on, it was up to Tu Guangyu himself.*

After taking his leave of Tu Guangyu, Lei Jun, along with several disciples of the Tianxu Sect, descended from the Tianxu Mountain's main peak, heading toward Qiantian Peak to the south.

With the ritual instrument in operation, a three-tiered altar opened atop Qiantian Peak.

Lei Jun and the others proceeded according to the ceremonial protocol, entering in batches, raising the Daoist banners, lighting incense burners, hanging bright mirrors, and offering portraits of their ancestral masters.

After preparations were complete, the disciples each took their places on the three-layered altar, and began reciting Taoist Scriptures.

At this branch altar on Qiantian Peak, Lei Jun, as a Three-layered Heaven Dharma Platform Realm cultivator, led the proceedings. So, he sat directly on the highest tier of the round altar and chanted.

The Tianxu Sect disciples with Foundation Establishment cultivation at the Second Heavenly Layer sat on the second-tier octagonal altar.

Unlike the main residence of Dragon Tiger Mountain, where all the Qi-Refining disciples attended classes in the Tao Boy Court, here in the Tianxu Sect some formal disciples were still at the Qi-Refining Realm. Having not yet crossed the tribulation to Foundation Establishment, they sat on the lowest, square altar.

On the Qiantian Peak altar, light gradually began to appear, and at the altar's summit, a massive talisman took shape.

From afar, the branch altars on the other seven peaks appeared much the same.

Eight enormous talismans shimmered with light, shooting up to the clouds, then converging midair precisely over the main peak of Tianxu Mountain.

Above the main peak, eight talismans lit up simultaneously, forming a small talisman array that channeled the light from above.

Under that radiance, more and more spirit talismans appeared, swirling about the main peak, spreading outward in every direction from the small array at the center.

Eventually, these multiplied into a vast array built of countless spirit talismans that covered Tianxu Mountain and the neighboring peaks.

Once the formation was complete, all the disciples of the Tianxu Sect breathed a collective sigh of relief.

On the Qiantian Peak altar, Lei Jun and the others no longer needed to stand watch together at all times; they only needed to take turns on duty.

Lei Jun calmed his mind, waiting stoically for nightfall.

He turned his focus elsewhere for the time being.

Ever since Lei Jun had attained the Three-layered Heaven Dharma Platform Realm, the runes of his lifebound Divine Strike and Wind Riding talismans had also been inscribed on his altar.

Now, Lei Jun began carving the third one.

Structurally, it was more complicated than the Divine Strike and Wind Riding talismans.

The runes looked like thunderclouds, drifting and morphing unpredictably.

Yet they contained a hidden, fierce power, concealed and subdued, condensed but unreleased.

This was the lifebound third charm technique Lei Jun had chosen for himself.

After his comprehension broke through to the Clear Insight level, he continuously improved upon the sect's direct transmission, the Thunderclap Talisman.

Initially, he started with the Blazing Flame Talisman, experimenting endlessly, but eventually he went so off-script that—

Blazing Flame Talisman combined with Blazing Flame Talisman.

Blazing Flame Talisman combined with other spirit talismans.

Other spirit talismans combined with other spirit talismans.

*After all that back and forth, Lei Jun still felt that the Thunderclap Talisman was his best blueprint.*

*Fine, perhaps it was time to stop calling it Thunderclap Talisman.*

*Because this talisman had basically morphed as follows,*

Thunderclap Talisman combined with Golden Barrier Talisman, producing Golden Barrier Thunder Talisman,

Thunderclap Talisman combined with Supreme Pure Golden Bamboo spiritual power, producing Wooden Void Thunder Talisman,

Thunderclap Talisman combined with Dark River Energy, producing Dark Water Thunder Talisman,

Thunderclap Talisman combined with Blazing Flame Talisman, producing Fire Storehouse Thunder Talisman,

Thunderclap Talisman combined with Breathing Soil Banner spiritual power, producing Earth Seal Thunder Talisman.

He then mixed and matched them, cycling through the five elements.

When he was done, Lei Jun named it the Five Thunder Talisman.

*After joining the Celestial Master Mansion, I mean, my surname is Lei—Lightning—and having a bit of ceremony doesn't hurt ...* *Lei Jun scoffed at himself.*

With that, his three lifebound talisman arts for the Lower Three Heavens stage were decided.

Having finished, Lei Jun got up, stepped out of the altar, and took in the fresh air.

Night had already fallen outside.

Beneath the night sky, the Eight Extremes Mountain Defense Array of the Tianxu Sect glimmered softly, peaceful and harmonious.

Unfortunately, that harmony was soon shattered.

Like a signal arrow, a streak of fire pierced the night first, striking the talisman array's radiance.

"Whoosh!"

Instantly, flames exploded, rippling across the array and sending shockwaves everywhere.

Before the fiery currents dispersed, more streaks of light tore through the night sky, interweaving and pouring down onto the array like a torrential rain!

Lei Jun and the other disciples of the Taoist Talisman Sect had seen this sight far too many times.

All those lights were spirit talismans shining with spirit light, transforming into thunderbolts and blazing fire, launching a ceaseless assault upon Tianxu Mountain.

The Yellow Sky Sect, finally, had arrived.

The two sides knew each other's strengths and workings well.

No need for excessive probing; the attack on the mountain began immediately.

Aside from long-range bombardments with talismans, some Yellow Sky Dao people began to approach the eight outer peaks.

But for now, they were held at bay by the array's glow.

Though their techniques shared the same lineage, each sect had its own strengths, and now everyone unveiled their best skills in a fierce offense and defense.

Lei Jun stayed seated at the altar, scanning the scene. Among the Yellow Sky disciples he saw, many appeared to have reached the Middle Three Heavens cultivation realm.

Still, he saw no truly outrageous experts.

This was, after all, just a local battlefield; the fiercest fighting would happen at Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Yet, for the Tianxu Sect, there was no time to think about that; all attention was focused right here.

With the defense array shielding them, the sect held firm for now, the Yellow Sky Sect's fierce assault failing to break through.

*Just as many people were breathing a sigh of relief ...*

"Boom!"

Suddenly, the main peak of Tianxu Mountain shook violently!

Lei Jun turned to look, and saw a brilliant cable of light explode in the skies above the main peak.

As the explosion faded, at the very heart of the array—the eight talismans atop the main peak—two were destroyed immediately.

With the Yellow Sky Sect pressing their advantage, a third and fourth were shattered at the core.

Luckily, the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth talismans kept glowing, barely holding the line.

But the Eight Extremes Mountain Defense Array now had a huge gap torn open at the very center, which kept expanding—the array's integrity had been breached.

A good number of Yellow Sky disciples rode the clouds, soaring into the air. Circling past the remnants of the array's glow around the mountains, they entered through the gap above.

The Tianxu Sect disciples guarding the eight outer altars either held their positions or rushed to reinforce the main peak.

Standing atop the branch altar on Qiantian Peak, Lei Jun gazed toward the main peak.

He saw, clear as day, the mountain slopes on the main peak buckling as though in an earthquake.

With the array broken and the earth vein spiritual energy shifting, the two effects combined as if a land dragon rolled beneath the surface—the tremors spread to the neighboring peaks.

Qiantian Peak shook violently, tumbling with rocks everywhere, and its summit altar crumbled as well!

The mountainside split open, as if revealing a new cave heaven.

Yet from deep underground, a massive stream of astral wind spewed forth, slashing like steel blades!

Lei Jun saw this and checked the time.

Midnight was still yet to come.