https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-32-100-Talisman-Making-Success-Rate/12586154/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-34-34-Building-a-Higher-Foundation/12586156/
Chapter 33: What Exactly is a Second-Rank Opportunity?
Chapter 33: What Exactly is a Second-Rank Opportunity?
Lei Jun found himself amidst a range of mountains, with a mighty river before him. His options, as presented by the luminous sphere in his mind, were as follows:
[Upper-Middle Sign: Cross the river to the north, enter the mountain, traverse the peaks, and exit the forest. Gain a second-rank opportunity, but be cautious as you may become entangled in karmic complications. Auspicious.]
[Middle Sign: Turn south, venture into the barren mountains, face water scarcity and survival challenges, encounter twists and turns, be rescued by people but lose your freedom. May entail karmic complications, proceed with caution. Neutral.]
[Lower-Middle Sign: Follow the river west, go against the current, obtain a fifth-rank opportunity, but become a target for all sides and be fraught with dangers. Inauspicious.]
[Lower Sign: Follow the river east, go with the flow, court death, with little chance of survival. Highly inauspicious!]
Lei Jun would later realize that he had, unknowingly, stumbled into an encirclement.
Heading south would have led him to encounter a grand clan's caravan.
Going west along the river against the current would bring him face to face with the sinister Nanhuang Gu Master from the Southern Wilderness.
Traveling east with the river's flow would result in a fateful meeting with a righteous disciple of the TianShi Fu sect, who was in pursuit of the Gu Master, on a mission of justice.
Had Lei Jun chosen any of these paths, his fate would have aligned with the predictions of the middle sign, lower-middle sign, or lower sign.
The lower sign would have meant certain death, as his physical body's unique circumstances made him appear as an extremely toxic being to those in this world. Encountering the disciple of TianShi Fu, who was already on a mission to eradicate the Gu Master, would likely have resulted in Lei Jun's demise as a convenient solution.
The lower-middle sign would have led him to cross paths with the Nanhuang Gu Master from the Southern Wilderness. While Lei Jun was considered a source of calamity by the Red Robed Taoist, the Gu Master might have viewed him as a precious treasure. However, this very same Gu Master was being hunted by the TianShi Fu disciple due to his heinous acts of village massacres and merciless killings. Falling into his hands, Lei Jun's treatment as a rare treasure was uncertain. Even if the Gu Master chose to treat him well, his best course of action would likely be to immediately take Lei Jun back to the Southern Wilderness headquarters. This journey would have exposed them to countless righteous cultivators seeking to eliminate evils and protect the people, or perhaps attracted other sinister cultivators vying for Lei Jun, believing him to be a valuable prize. Thus, the path of the lower-middle sign would have made Lei Jun a target from all sides, fraught with dangers and constantly risking his life.
The middle sign would have brought him to a powerful clan. They might not have viewed him with the same greed as the Nanhuang Gu Master, nor with the same righteous indignation as the TianShi Fu disciple. However, they could have seen value in Lei Jun's unique "poisonous" constitution and chosen to restrict his freedom temporarily, awaiting the opportune moment to utilize him as a biological weapon. This path would have ensured Lei Jun's temporary safety but at the cost of his freedom, with an uncertain future ahead.
And so, Lei Jun chose the path of the upper-middle sign...
He ventured into the green mountain.
While in the mountain, Lei Jun didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Only upon reaching the peak did he feel a gentle breeze wash over him, as if he were undergoing an invisible baptism, cleansing his body and mind. He felt as if he had been reborn, though he couldn't pinpoint any specific changes.
Lei Jun searched the mountain further but found nothing else of note, and so he descended.
After crossing the green mountain, he encountered Xu Yuanzhen, a fellow disciple of TianShi Fu. Interestingly, she did not attempt to slay Lei Jun, the toxic man who had crossed over from the Blue Star.
This time, it wasn't due to her unusual character, but because the toxins that had permeated Lei Jun's body were no more after he had passed through the green mountain. Even when he later met the TianShi Fu disciple who had been pursuing the Gu Master, the disciple didn't sense anything amiss.
It was only then that Lei Jun realized something profound had truly occurred on the mountain peak. The wind at the summit had purified the deadly toxins within him.
This pivotal event paved the way for Lei Jun to accompany Xu Yuanzhen back to Longhu Mountain and eventually join the TianShi Fu sect.
As Lei Jun reminisced, he often wondered about the second-rank opportunity mentioned in the upper-middle sign during his first encounter with fate. What exactly was it?
The second-rank opportunity was the highest-grade opportunity Lei Jun had come across since he started drawing signs to navigate his fortunes. Yet, it remained shrouded in mystery.
Lei Jun's thoughts drifted to the time he met Xu Yuanzhen, which led to him becoming a disciple of the Taoist holy land, the TianShi Fu sect. Or perhaps it was that gust of wind on Qing Mountain? It was rare for Xu Yuanzhen to take a liking to someone, yet she ended up bringing Lei Jun back to the mountain. Was this special connection also due to that wind? Lei Jun intended to return to that green mountain and investigate further once his cultivation improved. Although Xu Yuanzhen had seemingly already checked the mountain once without finding anything, he wanted to be thorough.
Lei Jun snapped back to the present, focusing his attention on Tang Xiaotang before him. "That Gu master had been slaughtering villages and towns, leaving nothing but scorched earth in his wake."
The tall girl said, "I heard from Senior Sister that your hometown was also affected by that disaster."
Lei Jun nodded. "I hadn't started my cultivation practice back then and didn't understand much. But thinking back, it must have been that Gu master who caused it. Fortunately, Senior Sister Xu killed him on the spot."
In this world, he was an undocumented resident. His origins and background were all fabricated by Senior Sister Xu on a whim. Fortunately, there was a convenient scapegoat in the form of the Gu master, and with his death, there was no one left to verify the truth.
Tang Xiaotang continued, "Yes, Senior Sister dealt with the direct culprit, but during my trip, I also managed to find a few Gu masters from the Nanhuang Witchcraft lineage."
She waved her hand. "It's quite a coincidence, just like in the story you told. At first, I only found two juniors at the Fourth Level of the Heaven Realm, and I took care of them easily. Then, after dealing with the small fries, a Sixth Level of the Heaven Realm old ghost appeared, so I took care of him too. Unfortunately, there weren't any older and more powerful Gu masters around, but I searched the area and didn't find anything else of note."
Lei Jun gave Tang Xiaotang a surprised glance, not because he doubted her abilities, but because he hadn't expected her to specifically target Gu masters.
Misinterpreting his gaze, Tang Xiaotang waved her hands defensively. "Don't worry, first, those bug-controlling guys had committed countless atrocities and murders, so they got what they deserved. Second, I didn't even need to lift a finger—those two Fourth Level Gu masters tried to cause trouble for me first..."
Lei Jun maintained a serious expression as he said, "Junior Sister, I want to express my gratitude. Thank you for your thoughtfulness."
It had all started with a casual remark, but Tang Xiaotang had taken it to heart and acted on it. Lei Jun wouldn't ridicule her for that; instead, he truly appreciated her gesture.
"It's the first time you're talking to me like this." Tang Xiaotang was also a little surprised. "Even during the Night Wind Stone incident, you didn't..."
She was sensitive not only to malicious intent but also to genuine kindness.
Lei Jun remained calm. "The Night Wind Stone was something you already had, and it just so happened that I could use it. Your generosity in giving it to me naturally made me grateful. But this time, you specifically remembered my situation and took action, so I'm even more grateful."
There was a difference between a favor and a heartfelt gesture.
Tang Xiaotang was taken aback for a moment, stumbling over her words. "Oh, don't mention it. Just like with the Night Wind Stone, in the future... if I ever need help..."
She regained her composure and continued proudly, "No, what am I saying? I won't need any help! I can handle everything myself!"
Although she spoke confidently, her smile was radiant and captivating.
Lei Jun smiled faintly, choosing not to continue the previous topic. Instead, he steered the conversation in a different direction, saying, "I've always admired your abilities, Junior Sister."
Suddenly, he recalled something. "Right, Junior Sister, your root bone is the legendary fairy body. What about your comprehension?"
Tang Xiaotang giggled. "Are you looking for reassurance here? The reason I didn't mention it earlier was that I didn't want to completely crush your morale."
Lei Jun raised his eyebrows. "So?"
At that moment, he imagined a translucent little tail behind Tang Xiaotang, swaying proudly.
"Of course, I have a calm mind!"
Comprehension was classified into five levels: lower-grade, lower-middle, middle, upper-middle, and upper-grade.
Above the upper-grade were the legendary geniuses with exceptional talent.
Superb.
Enlightened.
Calm.
Having both a fairy body root bone and a calm mind comprehension was considered the highest level of talent, and it was no wonder that the TianShi Fu sect had made exceptions for Tang Xiaotang.
Lei Jun's thoughts in that moment were a mix of "as expected" and a sense of calm. He wondered if there might be some opportunity to enhance one's comprehension, just as there was a chance to improve one's root bone.
(End of Chapter)
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