Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Celestial Master's Mansion
Chapter 1: Celestial Master's Mansion
In the Celestial Master's Mansion at Dragon and Tiger Mountain, at the foot of the mountain in the Daoist Academy's six branch institutes, Lei Jun sat in the grand hall, swaying his head and chanting scriptures along with other gray-robed apprentices.
As a time-traveler, Lei Jun found himself in a world vastly different from Blue Star.
It was a realm where immortals and demons coexisted, and mythical creatures roamed. Cultivators in this world could fly through the skies and move mountains and seas with their power.
Lei Jun considered himself lucky.
Soon after his arrival, he had become a disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion, one of the three holiest sites of the Daoist faith. It was the ancestral home of the Fu Lu branch of Daoism, and the current Celestial Master was one of the foremost powerful Daoists of the time, leading the sect with prowess and wisdom.
But this was just the beginning.
Currently, Lei Jun was still a novice apprentice who had recently joined and had not yet undergone the initiation rituals or received the sacred talismans. Thus, he could not be considered a true disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion.
In this world, the Celestial Master's Mansion had eight external branch institutes at the foot of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, where new disciples like Lei Jun spent most of their time.
For now, their daily routine consisted of morning and evening group practices.
The morning session involved collectively reciting scriptures and various rules and regulations.
In the morning, instructors guided them in basic cultivation practices.
The afternoon was left for self-directed activities, and most chose to take on tasks from the Executive Hall to accumulate merit.
During the evening session, they studied fundamental Daoist texts together.
Fortunately, even though Lei Jun and the others were only considered apprentices and not yet full-fledged Daoists, the Celestial Master's Mansion was one of the few renowned cultivation sites in the world. The Daoist Academy within the mansion already taught them preliminary Daoist techniques, laying the foundation for their future cultivation.
One day, after finishing their morning practice and having lunch, Lei Jun and several other apprentices went to the Talisman Paper Tower on the east side.
Their task for the day, assigned by the Executive Hall, was to help cut talisman papers.
In the Daoist Fu Lu sect, the effectiveness of talismans depended not only on the cultivator's own prowess and adherence to talisman scriptures but also on the materials used, such as talisman brushes, ink, and paper.
Even the most basic yellow paper used by the disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion was specially customized.
Not only were the preparatory processes of material preparation and papermaking done in specialized workshops, but even the cutting and trimming were done by apprentices like Lei Jun and not left to ordinary people.
"It's a pity that we can't use the talisman papers we cut ourselves," someone sighed.
Lei Jun remained silent, focusing on his task, skillfully cutting the yellow paper with precision.
Another apprentice chimed in, "Let's focus on cultivating diligently and accumulating merit. Once we participate in the initiation and formally take on a master, we'll be able to create our own talismans."
The Daoist Fu Lu sect emphasized the dual cultivation of body and spirit, with greater emphasis on the body. In a general sense, the body referred to physical health and vitality, while the spirit encompassed the soul and mental fortitude. Thus, the Celestial Master's Mansion's training began with strengthening the physical body.
Although Lei Jun was a recent addition to the sect, his body was already filled with vibrant qi, his flesh and blood robust, and his skill in Daoist martial arts formidable. Ordinary people and demonic creatures would find it difficult to get close to him.
He could even activate and use talismans passed down by senior members of the sect.
However, without undergoing the initiation and receiving the true teachings of the talisman scriptures, Lei Jun and the others were unable to create their own talismans or comprehend the more advanced divine abilities of the Daoist path.
Was this similar to being a temporary apprentice?
Even after traveling to a world of cultivation and joining the ancestral home of a sect, one still had to strive to pass the exams and become an official cultivator... Lei Jun shook his head as he neatly stacked the talisman papers he had cut.
Drawing from his past life's experience of reading novels, he knew that he could only be considered an outer disciple or a peripheral branch disciple at best.
The distinction between an apprentice and a Daoist lay between the Daoist Academy at the mountain's foot and the main mansion located halfway up the main peak of Dragon and Tiger Mountain.
One day, when he entered the main mansion on the mountain to undergo the initiation, received his own lineage, Daoist name, and generation name, then he would officially become a Daoist and a true disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion.
That was what Lei Jun used to refer to as inner disciples or personal disciples in the novels he read back on Blue Star.
As for advancing further and receiving the sacred talismans, it wasn't something these young apprentices needed to worry about just yet.
As everyone was busy at work, a thin gray-robed youth rushed into the Talisman Paper Tower, full of vigor.
The others curiously asked, "Brother Zhang, didn't you receive an assignment to go down the mountain for training and merit accumulation? Why are you back so soon...?"
The thin apprentice began cutting the talisman paper as he replied, "Don't mention it. I had the worst luck!"
Although he said not to bring it up, he couldn't help but continue, "I went to Qingxi, about fifty miles from the mountain, and heard that a monster was causing trouble. I rushed over, hoping to subdue the demon and remove the scourge for the people!"
He could also earn some incense and candle money, and perhaps even receive a reward from the Daoist Academy upon his return.
However...
"Right under the noses of our Heavenly Master's Mansion, what kind of monster would be so bold?" Lei Jun asked casually as he continued cutting the paper.
"Indeed!"
The thin apprentice paused in his movements, "It wasn't a monster at all, but rather a few scoundrels pretending to be demons, scaring and looting people!"
His face was filled with righteous indignation, "I can't believe I wasted the Exorcism Talisman I obtained with so much difficulty!"
Everyone stopped their work, empathizing with the thin apprentice's sorrow:
"What a shame!"
For these young apprentices who couldn't make talismans themselves, they could obtain spiritual talismans from the Executive Hall, but they had to exchange them for the "blood and sweat money" they earned through merit accumulation.
Aside from that, there were occasionally more lucrative and rewarding tasks.
Although the senior members of the sect had their own personal disciples to dispatch, they would sometimes temporarily select apprentices from the Daoist Academy, such as Lei Jun and the others.
If they performed well and satisfied their superiors, they might be directly rewarded with spiritual talismans or pellets.
Additionally, if they impressed these senior members and formed a favorable connection, it could bring future benefits and support for the young apprentices.
Such opportunities were scarce and highly competitive, a rare stroke of luck.
As they were chatting, a commotion suddenly erupted downstairs.
Voices drifted in through the windows:
"Elder Du is conducting a ceremony to make talismans and is selecting apprentices? Is it true or not?"
"Keep your voice down! Do you want the whole Dragon Tiger Mountain to hear?"
"Yes, yes, it's first come, first served. Let's hurry!"
"I wonder if Elder Du will take notice of us..."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the tower froze, their eyes wide with surprise.
They had just been discussing this, and now such an opportunity had presented itself?
"Could this be fake news?"
Next to Lei Jun, someone unconsciously licked their lips, their face filled with longing.
Brother Zhang clapped his hands, "Let's go and see for ourselves!"
The others also put down their work.
At that moment, a glowing sphere suddenly appeared in Lei Jun's mind.
Then, words began to form in his consciousness:
【An elder opens the altar, selecting apprentices, causing everyone to rejoice and rush forward. However, disaster lurks in fortune, and fortune lurks in disaster. A shocking change is about to occur.】
No one noticed the sudden change in Lei Jun.
The group of youths eagerly rushed out, their faces full of anticipation.
After the glowing sphere appeared in Lei Jun's mind, three strange divination sticks flew out. On them were the following words:
【Upper-Middle Sign: Avoid the crowd and maintain a quiet mind while completing your own tasks. After the shocking change, go to the elder's cave abode to help treat the injured. Gain a fifth-grade opportunity, act in secrecy, and be free from worries. Auspicious.】
【Middle Sign: Avoid the crowd and bide your time. After the change, go to Lingzhi Terrace to obtain a sixth-grade opportunity, but be wary of attracting jealousy and hidden dangers. Neutral.】
【Lower-Middle Sign: Participate in the selection, with a chance of being chosen, but before any gains, a great calamity strikes, leading to peril and unpredictable injuries or death. Inauspicious.】
(End of Chapter)
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