Cultivation: Fortune by Lots

From a distance, Luo Haoran looked pained and conflicted, caught in a dilemma.

At first, he might not have realized it, but now he was aware that his fellow sect members were trapped within the array.

With his level of power and cultivation, he was not strong enough to rescue Xia Qing and the others from the array directly.

Moreover, should he leave the fissures in the rock layer, the blood water would surge out onto the ground.

But if he did not vent the blood water, he feared Xia Qing and his fellow sect members couldn't hold on much longer.

Fang Lu observed calmly, "Tenth Brother's words aren't without reason. The elders in our clan have comprehensive considerations for both the Celestial Master Mansion and the Li Clan of Xinzhou. Unless absolutely necessary, we should avoid making any major moves. Isn't it good how things are now? You've had your revenge, and we haven't had any trouble."

Fang Mingyuan hummed lightly, "Tenth Brother is now wholeheartedly playing his role as Taoist Chongjian and has long forgotten his own surname! Has he not considered that if it weren't for his Fang surname, even if he could enter Dragon Tiger Mountain, how could he possibly receive the True Inheritance of the Celestial Master?"

"You've said it yourself," Fang Lu said, shaking her head slightly. "Tenth Brother had the chance to be the esteemed Tenth Young Master of the Fang Family, but he chose to ascend the mountain to become a Taoist. It wasn't easy for him."

She smiled faintly. "Moreover, Tenth Brother is not wrong. Now indeed is a crucial time for managing the Longhu Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion. Even though Tenth Brother's foundation is still shallow, he needs to progress gradually, starting by securing the positions of Young Celestial Master Li and Elder Ziyang, who are on friendly terms with our clan."

She asked Fang Mingyuan, "After the passing of Celestial Master Qingfeng, who do you think in the Li Clan has the best chance to compete for the position of the new Celestial Master?"

Fang Mingyuan pondered, "Supreme Elder Li Song has the seniority, generation, and strength, but he's getting on in years, and his younger generation is too weak. This branch is old at one end and young at the other. So, it has to be Young Celestial Master Li Zhengxuan. However, I've heard his aunt, Li Hongyu, has always been very ambitious about the position of Celestial Master. Coincidentally, the Celestial Master's Sword and the Celestial Master Robe are each in their possession. But Celestial Master Qingfeng's death was so sudden, I fear the external inheritors within the Celestial Master Mansion will start having ideas."

"Then Li Song, Li Hongyu, Li Ziyang, and Li Zhengxuan would immediately unite," Fang Lu said with a smile. "And with the Celestial Master Robe and Celestial Master's Sword in their hands, if the Celestial Master Mansion were to experience another struggle like that with Li Wai, it would also be acceptable for our clan."

Fang Mingyuan hummed softly, "Celestial Master Qingfeng was too soft-hearted, or how could Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang have had the chance to emerge?"

Fang Lu spoke, "Celestial Master Qingfeng might have had his own considerations. On the other hand, the Li Clan has always been making gradual moves. During the internal strife years ago, many external Elders of the Celestial Master Mansion perished. The Li Clan took advantage of this to decree that from then on, the Thunder Law Heavenly Scripture Talismans—ranked first in the Three Caverns and Three Realms Scripture—would only be passed down to those with the Li surname. That was a good beginning. As for Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang, they are both of exceptional talent. Unless removed early on, they would rise elsewhere, even if not within the Celestial Master Mansion. There's no use dwelling on what has already happened; we should focus on the present."

She pointed into the distance. "Regarding the conflict between Li Zhengxuan and Li Hongyu, although Li Hongyu is powerful, she has never been popular. Look, Luo Haoran's master might not be a High Merit Elder of Longhu Mountain, but he is nonetheless well-regarded among the external Elders of Longhu Mountain. Now, because of Luo Haoran, Xia Qing, whom Li Hongyu values, is dead. This gives us an opportunity to fuel the fire between her and the external inheritors in the Celestial Master Mansion."

She looked at Fang Mingyuan with a teasing smile. "Some people are more useful alive than dead, whereas others are more useful dead than alive."

Fang Mingyuan said, "I still feel like it's letting him off too easily."

Fang Lu responded, "I've roughly inquired about this Luo Haoran's character. Think about it: being stuck between righteousness and brotherhood, forced to sacrifice one to save another—for him, it's probably more painful than death itself."

Fang Mingyuan thought for a moment, then smiled broadly. "You're right."

He stopped dwelling on personal grudges and began to ponder other matters. Looking at Fang Lu, he said, "Speaking of adding fuel to the fire between Li Hongyu and the external members of the Celestial Master Mansion, I'm afraid Luo Haoran and his master might not carry enough weight."

Fang Lu nodded. "In such matters, should we choose to act, we must first ensure we don't get entangled ourselves. Right now, achieving two objectives with a single stroke would be ideal. If we are talking about adding fuel, the influence of Yuan Mobai, Yao Yuan, and Shangguan Ning is certainly greater than that of Luo Haoran's master."

Fang Mingyuan replied, "We'll find another opportunity then. I recall seeing Yuan Mobai's disciple Lei Jun, and Yao Yuan's disciple Chen Yi also came down from the mountain, along with Shangguan Ning's nephew, Shangguan Hong."

The siblings were eagerly discussing.

Lei Jun listened silently from his hiding spot.

Hmm, it's certain they're both troublemakers.

So...

Lei Jun didn't reveal himself directly. He silently retreated a few more steps and observed the surrounding terrain.

The tide of the Blood Sea surged in reverse, gradually diminishing somewhat, with the Blood River's movement toward the Eight Desolates Blood River Array losing its previous momentum.

Toward the Eight Desolates Blood Cavity, it still appeared quiet and deep.

Lei Jun then descended to the riverbed and approached the Eight Desolates Blood River Array from another angle, pasting a large number of Blazing Flame Talismans and Chain Blazing Flame Talismans on the rock wall.

Next, the Five Thunder Talisman became Fire Storehouse Thunder.

BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The chain explosions directly collapsed a layer of rock in the underground palace!

The already unstable Eight Desolates Blood River Array immediately tilted and toppled.

Lei Jun quietly hid to one side. Using the Breathing Soil Banner, he conjured an earthen and stone support in a corner, preventing the entire cave from collapsing completely.

On the other side, the blood within the Eight Desolates Blood River Array was released. It did not flood the surface but flowed out from the breach Lei Jun had blasted open, rushing toward the Blood River.

Inside the river channel, the blood water instantly boiled.

On the other side, Luo Haoran, who was blocking the fissure, felt the pressure ease and was surprised to see the development.

Xia Qing and the others, who were in the Blood River and close to exhaustion and fainting, were suddenly invigorated, yet they were also puzzled.

The Fang siblings were even more dumbfounded.

"Someone else has come, from another side," Fang Lu came to her senses. "Neither Luo Haoran nor Xia Qing are fated to die yet."

Fang Mingyuan frowned. "They actually managed to escape this disaster?!"

Fang Lu pulled him. "There will be other days; we'll find another opportunity. Let's leave for now and not reveal ourselves rashly."

The two retreated.

But right at that moment, the Blood River was in turmoil due to the collision of the waters from both sides, and the Fang siblings did not dare to approach carelessly.

Luckily, there was another river channel on the other side where the Blood River was relatively calm and looked less dangerous.

Fang Lu and Fang Mingyuan quickly rushed into it.

In the shaking and quaking underground palace, Lei Jun reappeared, watching the siblings' figures disappear into the quiet and deep cave.

...Miss and Young Master, have a safe journey.

Killing someone without dirtying one's own hands?

Of course... that's wrong.

Killing is not good.

As for me, being a good person, I'm busy doing good deeds, saving my fellow sect members.

Where the two members of the Fang Family want to go is their own choice; I didn't even exchange a word with Young Master Fang or Miss Fang.

However, the trolley problem and moral choices... if they occur naturally, so be it. But the most annoying thing is when some people like to artificially interrogate others' humanity.

In such a situation, if there is an opportunity, the best outcome is...

Whoever poses the problem, let the trolley hit them... Lei Jun calmly turned around.