Chapter 188: A Fourth-Rank Opportunity Related to the Celestial Tome

Chapter 188: A Fourth-Rank Opportunity Related to the Celestial Tome

A new fortunate draw?

Lei Jun's heart leaped with joy.

However, he was slightly surprised to see that this destiny led to the position of an attendant elder at the Steward Hall.

After all, the Steward Hall didn't guard a treasure trove like the Treasury, with various resources flowing through it.

Where would a fourth-rank opportunity come from?

Speaking of the attendant elder of the Steward Hall, this job was indeed a bit tricky.

The problem was straightforward—the work was tedious and complex, and the Steward Hall was undoubtedly the busiest place in the sect when it came to daily affairs.

The authority was not insignificant, but if one didn't consider taking advantage of it for personal gain, it was more of a burden.

Especially for Lei Jun, a cultivator who valued his personal cultivation, taking up this position at the Steward Hall would undoubtedly occupy a lot of his time.

As for the benefits, aside from the previously mentioned power-related perks, be they explicit or implicit, this position was the best place in the sect for a cultivator to hone their skills in managing secular affairs and to broaden their network.

Thus, it was the place in the Mansion where key disciples were specifically groomed.

Any elder or disciple who performed well at the Steward Hall would generally become a pillar of the Mansion in the future.

Sometimes, even high-achieving elders would take up this responsibility concurrently.

Throughout the generations, almost every Celestial Master, before their ascension, had spent some time serving in the Steward Hall as part of their grooming process.

The Steward Hall was like a miniature replica of the cultivation world.

Successfully completing a term of service there would naturally make one more adept at managing the entire Celestial Master's Mansion in the future.

As for the fourth-rank opportunity, Lei Jun felt that it was more likely to be related to people rather than objects...

The specific description of this fortunate draw also caught Lei Jun's attention.

The opportunity could be expanded, and there would be no risks or hidden dangers before the expansion.

Lei Jun had encountered similar opportunities in the past.

In other words, this opportunity could be seized without any hesitation, and it was extremely auspicious. There were no immediate dangers, and no hidden problems would surface afterward.

However, there might be another choice to make in the future.

At that time, that choice might change this opportunity, and whether there would be any dangers or hidden problems would depend on the specific situation then.

Of course, one could also choose to forgo the subsequent changes and retain only the original gains from this fourth-rank opportunity, continuing on as usual.

For now, one could rest assured and pocket the gains.

As for the middling-to-poor draw that mentioned the Patrol Elder, that position had, to some extent, similarities with the Attendant Elder of the Steward Hall.

The so-called Patrol Elder was responsible for inspecting the various branch offices and sub-sects of the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Main Mansion, and they frequently traveled to the various branches of the Talisman-Seal Sect as well.

Strictly speaking, this was a lucrative position.

Not that one would embezzle funds for personal gain, but having a wide network of connections made it easier to accumulate influence and reputation.

Therefore, this position and that of the Attendant Elder of the Steward Hall, one external and one internal, were basically the two positions in the Mansion where one could establish the broadest network of connections among the third-rank elders.

Throughout the generations, every Celestial Master, as part of their grooming process before ascending the throne, would have served in these two positions consecutively.

However, compared to the Attendant Elder of the Steward Hall, Lei Jun had less interest in the position of Patrol Elder.

He was indeed interested in traveling far and wide to admire the landscapes, but not at this moment.

At the very least, he wanted to stabilize the construction of his fifth Dao Palace and break through to the Sixth Heaven of the Golden Core realm before considering such matters.

As for the danger indicated by the middling-to-poor draw, Lei Jun could also guess what it might be.

He was already on the watch lists of numerous factions in the outside world.

Among them were those who were hostile toward the Celestial Master's Mansion.

If Lei Jun acted on his own accord, keeping a low profile and moving covertly, it would be difficult for outsiders to grasp his whereabouts and target him.

However, if he took up the position of Patrol Elder and swaggered from one branch to another, he might just be presenting an opportunity to his enemies.

This was unlike the situation at Immortal Stream Mountain's Immortal Stream Palace.

Back then, Lei Jun and his master, Yuan Mobai, had schemed against the Lin Clan experts. Yuan Mobai had actually accompanied Lei Jun out of seclusion and waited near Xianliu Mountain, like a mantis lying in wait for a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

But now, the Celestial Master's Mansion was short-staffed, and whether it was the new Celestial Master Tang Xiaotang or the high-achieving elders like Yuan Mobai, they wouldn't leave the mountain easily.

If Elder Lei swaggered out at this time, it would be like shouting, "Come and get me!"

"Master, I intend to gain some experience at the Steward Hall," Lei Jun said, reining in his wandering thoughts and replying to Yuan Mobai with his usual tone.

If it weren't for this fortunate draw that guided him toward auspiciousness and away from danger, he had originally planned to serve as the chief instructor at the Dao Child Court for a period.

Now, he might as well go to the Steward Hall first. Lei Jun was also quite curious about what this expandable fourth-rank opportunity was.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Mobai smiled and nodded. "I'll discuss it with the Sect Master and Elders Yao and Shangguan later."

Tang Xiaotang was too young.

Unless she abdicated, this Celestial Master position would probably be hers until her peers all grew old.

If they wanted to groom a successor, they would have to look at the younger generation.

Therefore, Lei Jun and the others couldn't be considered as successors-in-training.

While the position of Attendant Elder of the Steward Hall did come with considerable authority, the responsibilities were also heavy, so it wasn't a popular position.

Since Lei Jun had taken the initiative to shoulder this burden, naturally, no one would compete with him for it.

And so, Lei Jun became the new Attendant Elder of the Steward Hall.

Unless there were major changes, he would serve in this position for three years.

The new chief instructor of the Dao Child Court was Lin Shan.

As for the new Patrol Elder, it was Ke Sicheng, a disciple of Elder Yao.

Rumor had it that Elder Yao had helped to secure this position for his disciple.

Only the master and disciple knew their specific considerations.

Lei Jun gave a reminder, not worried that others would suspect him, as the risks of the Patrol Elder position under the current circumstances were clear to everyone.

Yuan Mobai, Yao Yuan, Shangguan Ning, and the others also advised Ke Sicheng to be careful.

For now, they could only wish for Elder Ke, who had just recovered from his serious injuries, to turn the tide and usher in a new chapter.

Objectively speaking, he wasn't as conspicuous as Lei Jun.

Those who had their eyes on Lei Jun might not necessarily pay attention to Ke Sicheng.

As for the other newly appointed elder, Zhang Jingzhen, her position was the Attendant Elder of the Edict Palace.

The so-called Edict Palace was akin to a library or archive in Lei Jun's previous life on Earth.

Although the most essential scriptures, such as the Orthodox Unity Scripture, and talismans were stored elsewhere, the Edict Palace still boasted an extensive collection of texts.

Lei Jun would frequently visit to browse through the myriad of books it housed.

Many of these were not just Taoist scriptures and techniques but also historical records and anecdotes.

As the holy land of the Taoist Talisman Sect, the Heavenly Master's Mansion was not only ancient but also boasted a vast collection of books, including rare and unique manuscripts.

It was here, in the Edict Palace, that Lei Jun perused records about the cultivation world beyond, learning about the public information of other famous sects and holy lands, as well as various legendary accounts.

Compared to other positions, the attendant of the Edict Palace was relatively relaxed and leisurely.

However, this position had already been promised to Zhang Jingzhen, so Lei Jun and the others didn't covet it.

The reason for this was that Zhang Jingzhen's cultivation had reached a critical juncture.

Currently, among the mid-tier cultivators in the Mansion, Zhang Jingzhen was the most likely to break through to the Seventh Heaven realm in a short period, becoming the Mansion's newest high-achieving elder with Upper Realm cultivation.

In recent years, Lei Jun's rise had been exceptionally rapid, and he had gained a lot of attention from the outside world, second only to Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang among his peers.

However, his current objective was to reach the Sixth Heaven of the Golden Core realm.

As for Zhang Jingzhen, she had always been the top candidate expected to break through to the Upper Realm.

Now that the Heavenly Master's Mansion was short-staffed after the recent internal strife, everyone naturally hoped that Zhang Jingzhen could take that step sooner rather than later.

Thus, Lei Jun, Lin Shan, and Ke Sicheng were seen as the new pillars of the Mansion's mid-tier cultivators.

In addition to their daily cultivation, they also assumed managerial responsibilities.

Zhang Jingzhen, on the other hand, was given more time to focus on her cultivation, preparing for the breakthrough from the Sixth to the Seventh Heaven realm, at least for the time being.

Lei Jun didn't mind this arrangement at all.

As the attendant elder of the Steward Hall, he had initially felt overwhelmed by the myriad of tasks and their complexity.

However, after a short adjustment period, he gradually got the hang of it.

Lei Jun maintained a relaxed mindset.

To some extent, he saw this position as a way to temper and refine himself.

This experience polished his mental state, making it increasingly serene and calm.

In terms of cultivation, while it seemed to occupy a portion of his time, he found that when he had free time to cultivate, he entered a state of tranquility more easily, his mind unburdened by distractions, allowing him to concentrate better.

It was somewhat akin to sharpening an axe without neglecting to chop wood.

Yuan Mobai couldn't help but nod in approval when he saw this.

Lei Jun's cultivation journey over the past decade had taught him to make the most of his time.

After overcoming the initial period of adjustment, he became increasingly adept at managing the Steward Hall, freeing up time for him to focus on his personal matters.

Aside from his daily cultivation and striving to build his fifth Dao Palace, Lei Jun's remaining time was spent refining his artifacts.

The Antarctic Cold Iron and Coiling Dragon Hemp were gradually depleted.

Combining them with other materials like the Broad Law Clouds and the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans, Lei Jun successfully refined one Spirit Entwining Dragon Flag after another.

In the end, he had a total of twelve.

Lei Jun's next research direction was to utilize these twelve Spirit Entwining Dragon Flags to form an array, thus broadening their potential.

"Speaking of which, without suitable materials, I should also work on improving the Divine Eye Stones," Lei Jun mused, contemplating improvements in another direction amidst his busy schedule of artifact refinement and array formation.

The flag array had a diverse range of applications and wasn't limited to just complementing the Primordial Magnetic Sword Pellets.

However, when used with the sword pellets, it did feel somewhat passive.

Its primary usage leaned more towards ambushing, making it less convenient for proactive assaults or sudden encounters.

If he could further enhance the Divine Eye Stones, increasing their detection range and observational capabilities, they would undoubtedly be a perfect complement to the Primordial Magnetic Sword Pellets, providing a more proactive approach.

"It all depends on my luck and opportunities from now on," Lei Jun remarked without any haste.

He had many ideas and plans.

Now that he had started to gradually realize them, he felt content and didn't crave immediate success.

As for the fourth-rank opportunity mentioned in the auspicious draw, there was still no sign of it at the Steward Hall.

Lei Jun continued with his daily routine, living and cultivating as usual.

Unexpectedly, before his fourth-rank opportunity presented itself, the new Patrol Elder, Ke Sicheng, arrived.

Well, Ke Elder had been injured.

He was carried back to the mountain.

His injuries were severe, but fortunately, they weren't life-threatening.

"..." Ke Sicheng felt like crying but had no tears left.

His master, Yao Elder, sighed and consoled his disciple before personally tending to his recovery.

"It wasn't the Yellow Sky Path, nor was it the Jiangzhou Lin Clan, or... the Li Family."

Ke Elder hadn't been injured by someone; instead, he had encountered a powerful demon beast by sheer bad luck.

Fortunately, the two demon beasts were fighting each other, and their attention wasn't primarily focused on Ke Sicheng.

That was why Ke Elder managed to escape with his life.

Filled with lofty ambitions, he had set out on his journey only to be caught in the crossfire. Once again, he returned injured.

Compared to his physical wounds, Ke Sicheng felt a deeper sense of mental exhaustion.

Upon receiving this news, Lei Jun couldn't help but sigh as well.

If he had been the one serving as the Patrol Elder, the tribulations he would have faced might not have been the same as Ke Sicheng's.

And if Ke Sicheng had encountered those tribulations meant for Lei Jun, the consequences would have been even more unpredictable.

The Mansion was already short-staffed, and it wasn't easy to find a temporary replacement for Ke Sicheng on short notice.

Thus, the position of Patrol Elder had to be left vacant for the time being.

Fortunately, as time passed, summer turned to autumn, and the weather grew colder. A few months later, winter arrived once more.

And so, time flew by.

The new year was approaching.

The Dragon and Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master's Mansion was about to hold its new annual ordination ceremony.

Originally, it should have been held earlier this year, as it was held once every three years. However, due to the post-war chaos and the new Heavenly Master's ascension, this ceremony was postponed until next year.

In the six months since Tang Xiaotang officially became the Heavenly Master on the fifteenth day of July, the Dragon and Tiger Mountain hadn't fully recovered its vitality, but the mountain gate and the ancestral hall had finally stabilized and settled into a peaceful rhythm.

And so, the time for the new ordination ceremony was drawing near.

Taking this opportunity, the masters of the various branch offices and sub-sects outside the mountain would arrive at Dragon and Tiger Mountain one after another.

For now, the position of the Patrol Elder could remain vacant.

With the approaching ceremony, countless guests from outside the mountain would arrive, and the Steward Hall, presided over by Lei Jun, naturally became even busier than before.

Fortunately, Lei Jun was now fully capable of handling the workload.

Until...

One day in December, as Lei Jun was working in the Steward Hall, he suddenly felt a slight stir in his heart.

It originated from the depths of his soul, from within the True One Law Altar Cave Heaven.

Lei Jun was slightly surprised to see that the page of the Celestial Tome floating above the True One Law Altar in the Cave Heaven was moving on its own, despite the absence of wind.

Upon seeing this, Lei Jun suddenly had a realization.

Could it be that the fourth-rank opportunity was finally arriving?

What kind of situation would require the presence of the Steward Hall's attending elder, while others might miss it? Lei Jun was curious as he slowly walked out of his warm pavilion and into the main hall of the Steward Hall.

In the hall, several groups of three or two Tian Shi Fu disciples could be seen standing around.

Lei Jun's gaze swept across them.

Suddenly, his eyes paused on a young Taoist priest.

As he took a closer look, Lei Jun's expression turned slightly strange.

It was someone he knew.

Zhang Yuan.

They had met when they were both trainees at the Taoist academy, and Zhang Yuan entered the Tian Shi Fu one ceremony later than him.

Now, counting the years, Zhang Yuan had officially entered the Fu and paid respects to his master for a decade.

In Lei Jun's recent memory, the now-thirty-year-old Zhang Yuan had become much more steady and competent compared to his younger days.

However, today, he seemed to be regressing, acting more and more muddle-headed.

His entire person was dazed and listless, his eyes vacant, and his speech incoherent.

Naturally, this state of his attracted the attention of the Tian Shi Fu disciples.

Immediately, someone went to inform the attending elder of the Steward Hall.

Lei Jun, without changing his expression, returned to his warm pavilion.

After hearing the report from the Tian Shi Fu disciple, Lei Jun naturally went to the main hall to check on Zhang Yuan's condition.

He instructed the others to go about their business and not to gather around, then took Zhang Yuan with him back to his pavilion.

Lei Jun examined Zhang Yuan's condition.

Not only was his soul abnormal, but his physical qi and blood were also in a state of chaos.

Lei Jun derived yin wood yin lightning from his own magical powers.

This lightning had the effect of nourishing the human body and healing injuries, embodying the mystery of spring thunder awakening all things.

Zhang Yuan's physical condition temporarily stabilized.

Dazed and confused, he fell into a deep sleep.

However, in his sleep, his soul and physical body were nourished, and his thoughts and qi blood no longer felt like a tangled mess.

But when Lei Jun stimulated him with his thunder technique, a strange shadow appeared on Zhang Yuan's body.

The shadow had originally been attached to Zhang Yuan, and now it moved along the verdant green lightning of the yin wood, approaching Lei Jun.

Lei Jun remained calm and collected, carefully observing the shadow.

First, it was not the work of any evil cult.

Then, it was not an external enemy using dark magic to attach itself to Zhang Yuan, intending to infiltrate Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

Next, it was not a result of any abnormal change in Zhang Yuan himself.

Finally, the shadow attached to Zhang Yuan's body seemed to lack consciousness and did not have any apparent purpose.

No wonder the Myriad Laws Sect Altar and the Mountain Guarding Array hadn't reacted at all.

Lei Jun carefully examined the shadow and couldn't detect any trace of evil, malevolent qi, or demonic aura.

The shadow itself was neither righteous nor evil, neither biased nor impartial, neither good nor bad.

However, when influenced by this shadow, a person would become confused from the inside out, from their soul to their physical body.

Zhang Yuan was a perfect example of this.

Lei Jun used his own magic power to make contact with the shadow, initially feeling nothing. But as time passed, he, too, began to exhibit similar symptoms.

His qi and blood became chaotic and disordered.

His thoughts became erratic and unsteady.

Lei Jun immediately noticed this and silently channeled his profound energy to suppress his heart and qi.

The Heavenly Master Seal in the depths of his soul also reacted, clearing his mind.

However, compared to the Heavenly Master Seal and the True One Law Altar Cave Heaven, the reaction of the page of the Celestial Tome in the Cave Heaven was even more pronounced.

It did not show any hostility.

Instead, it seemed to have a sense of intimacy.

Influenced by the Celestial Tome, the shadow also underwent a significant transformation, forming a black line that seemed both illusory and solid. It was then drawn into Lei Jun's soul and entered the True One Law Altar Cave Heaven.

Lei Jun did not stop it but calmly observed.

Once inside the Cave Heaven, the black line transformed back into a shadow and then merged with the Celestial Tome.

The shadow did not fuse with the Celestial Tome but remained closely connected to it.

It was as if it had become a part of the Celestial Tome.

Lei Jun was amazed by this sight.

After the shadow merged with the Celestial Tome, the strange influence on the human body and soul disappeared, and Lei Jun no longer needed to focus his energy to resist it.

Lei Jun observed for a while longer and confirmed that the shadow remained dormant, quietly resting alongside the Celestial Tome.

At this moment, Zhang Yuan finally regained consciousness.

"After my examination, your body doesn't seem to have any issues. How are you feeling?" Lei Jun asked from the side.

He was almost certain that the shadow was the fourth-rank opportunity mentioned in the auspicious draw.

However, while it was a fourth-rank opportunity for him, it could have been a calamity for Zhang Yuan.

To be precise, for cultivators with insufficient cultivation and without the Celestial Tome, it would have been a calamity.

Zhang Yuan rubbed his head and looked around with a dazed expression. It took him a while before he came back to his senses. "...I greeted Elder Lei, I seem to be fine now, but just now, it felt like a nightmare, as if something had restrained my soul."

Lei Jun intended to examine the shadow in detail later and, for now, comforted Zhang Yuan with a few words before asking, "Do you remember where you encountered this?"

PS: Here's another 5k chapter.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end