Cultivation: Fortune by Lots-Chapter 419 - 234. Yuan Mobai Emerges from Seclusion_2
Although, according to Lei Jun’s current contemplation on the Dark Side of the Celestial Book, the possibility of someone using its dispersed fragments to trace back to him as the source was incredibly slim, he still preferred to wait until his foundation was more solid before putting such plans into practice, not rushing it for the time being. That way, if the target didn’t meet his expectations, it would also be convenient to make adjustments.
"Speaking of which, it has been about twenty years since I arrived in this world," Lei Jun said one night, gazing up at the starry sky. He had experienced quite a bit, yet there were still times when he felt as if time was fleeting, passing by in the blink of an eye.
Lei Jun withdrew his gaze and continued to sit cross-legged, regulating his breath, quietly meditating and visualizing.
Time slipped by quietly as Lei Jun focused on his cultivation. After further integrating and refining the Star-stepping Spell into his own Tao Seal, his next focus was the Dual Polarity Yuan Magnetism Spell, his life-bound Second Law. Following that was his life-bound Third Law: the Heaven’s Sight Earth’s Hearing Talisman.
Both of these methods were Lei Jun’s own creations, not part of the Celestial Master Mansion’s inherited traditions. They both had great potential, which also meant there was significant room for adjustment and improvement. During his cultivation, Lei Jun had new ideas for these two creations nearly every day, constantly experimenting, refining, and altering them. Consequently, the time required to formally finalize and infuse these two methods into his Tao Seal was relatively long.
But as summer gave way to autumn and winter turned to spring, ushering in a new year, Lei Jun officially infused both the Dual Polarity Yuan Magnetism Spell and the Heaven’s Sight Earth’s Hearing Talisman into his Tao Seal. Neither method was perfect, nor was Lei Jun’s inspiration depleted. However, he didn’t obsess over it, simply continuing step by step, unhurried and without hesitation. He believed that with further advancement in his cultivation and vision, he would gain deeper insights and inspiration, eliminating the need to seek perfection at that current stage.
With the Taoist Heritage foundation and the main framework of my Life-Bound Magic Art established, it’s just a matter of adding layers to the structure, Lei Jun reflected, reviewing the progression of his Taoist Laws. For other methods that were not life-bound, infusing a single one into the Tao Seal was actually quicker. Compared to the main framework, these served more as accumulation and references.
However, due to his personal interests and his induction of the Dragon-Tiger Talisman from the Celestial Master Robe, Lei Jun was almost fully versed in all the numerous talisman skills and methods directly passed down from the Celestial Master Mansion. He still needed to methodically infuse them into his Tao Seal one by one. Of course, the existence of the Dragon-Tiger Talisman meant that infusing such a vast array of talisman skills and methods into his Tao Seal was an unimpeded process that could continue without interruption.
Lei Jun’s three-year term in the Edict Hall would be complete by the end of this year. This time, however, he would not change his duties and would continue in his role as the Supervising Elder of the Edict Hall. Apart from Zhang Jingzhen, who had been in seclusion for almost three years, Elder Lei was currently the most favored within the Celestial Master Mansion to break through from the Sixth Heavenly Layer to the Upper Three Heavens in a short time. In this regard, he was even expected to surpass Lin Shan from the Capital City Academy and other Sixth Heavenly Layer Elders.
Saying one’s fate in this life is settled at the age of three is an exaggeration. However, the younger one is, often the more vigorous their momentum of ascent, making it crucial to seize the Golden Opportunity Period. Hence, even though it had only been four years since Lei Jun had formed his Tao Seal and reached the Sixth Heavenly Realm, everyone on Dragon Tiger Mountain, from the highest to the lowest echelons, was very optimistic about his future.
In past years of peace, promising cultivators like Lei Jun or Zhang Jingzhen, even upon becoming Elders, would generally not be assigned specific duties. Instead, they would be allowed to continue their focused cultivation or travel to accumulate experience, with the hope that they could advance to the Seventh Layer of Heaven Realm sooner. However, with Dragon Tiger Mountain currently facing consecutive tribulations and being relatively short-staffed, individuals like Lei Jun had to take on responsibilities ahead of time.
Nevertheless, as long as circumstances allowed, they would still be granted as much convenience as possible. For instance, Zhang Jingzhen had served as the Supervising Elder of the Edict Hall before her seclusion—a relatively leisurely position—and Lei Jun took her place after she entered seclusion. Now, even though his three-year term was over, Lei Jun had no intention of moving and would continue in his current post.
Lei Jun didn’t shirk his responsibilities. Except for the times he left the mountain, he was mostly present, overseeing the Edict Hall. Of course, it was indeed quiet there. Elder Lei had even wondered if he might encounter scenarios like thieves breaking into a repository of books at night, prompting him to make numerous secret preparations. But over the years, no such incidents had occurred. This was possibly because, despite suffering one tribulation after another in recent years, the Celestial Master Mansion had thoroughly purged many scheming individuals from both within and without on several occasions.
"Well, in any case, it’s best when nothing happens," Elder Lei remarked.
Elder Lei sat alone in an elegant room within the Edict Hall, polishing a hollow, tubular metal rail in his hand. Compared to the previous one, this current metal guide rail had undergone quite a few improvements. After a thorough inspection, Lei Jun placed it aside. On the table beside him, three identical metal guide rails lay side by side in a row. He then took out a fourth rail, slightly different in size and material from the other three on the table. This was another model Lei Jun had specially crafted to adapt to various combat situations and environments. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
Hmm, I should also prepare some spares for this model, Lei Jun mused, nodding slightly after checking it over.
Correspondingly, he also refined a new batch of Fine Gold Sword Pellets, using even finer materials and refining techniques. Besides these, there was a third model of metal guide rail. However, that one was still in the design phase, not yet fully realized, with only some simple prototypes made for reference. For one thing, the third model would use even finer materials, and he was currently waiting for them to arrive. For another, this model was being prepared for when his cultivation realm advanced to the Seventh Heavenly Layer; crafting it then would be much more seamless.
Lei Jun’s twenty-first year in this world slowly progressed from spring to summer, then from summer to autumn.
One day, after finishing his duties in the Edict Hall, he was preparing to return to his residence. Just as he stepped out, he happened to see his junior brother, Chu Kun, approaching. Noticing the joyous expression on Chu Kun’s face, Lei Jun wondered, Has Master finished his retreat, or has Eldest Martial Sister returned to the mountain?
Chu Kun smiled and said, "Master has successfully achieved Perfection and emerged from seclusion! I came to inform you, Senior Brother."
Lei Jun also smiled immediately. "Let’s go! We’ll greet Master together."
The two went to Yuan Mobai’s residence and entered the main hall. There, they saw a purple-robed Taoist with a youthful appearance and a smile as refreshing as a spring breeze, seated in the main position. Who else could it be but Yuan Mobai? He smiled, watching his two disciples enter together.
Lei Jun and Chu Kun immediately stepped forward in unison. "Boundless fortune and longevity! Congratulations, Master, on achieving Perfection!"
Also present were two others: Wang Guiyuan, his Eldest Martial Brother, and the Current Celestial Master, Tang Xiaotang, who had come in person.
Yuan Mobai had been in secluded cultivation for nearly two years since returning from the Southern Wilderness. For a cultivator facing an important threshold, this period was not considered particularly long; Yuan Mobai himself had previously spent even longer in seclusion. However, this particular retreat held extraordinary significance: the Longhu Mountain Celestial Master’s Mansion had finally gained another High Merit Elder of the Eighth Heavenly Realm.
Tang Xiaotang was all smiles, clearly in a very good mood. "Master, your retreat this time truly had the grace of natural progression, silently attaining Perfection! It seems you didn’t encounter much difficulty with the Heavenly Moat Tribulation between the Seventh and Eighth Heavenly Layers."
Yuan Mobai smiled. "It’s incomparable to the Sect Leader’s advancement."
Tang Xiaotang shook her head repeatedly. "Master, don’t be so humble. There have been some changes in your mana and Divine Skills. If not for these, you would likely have emerged from seclusion much earlier."
The Current Celestial Master might seem unreliable in other affairs, but when it came to cultivation, her insight was precise. She had been presiding over the Altar of Wanfa Sect to act as protector for Yuan Mobai during this time and had thus noticed some clues.
Hearing this, Lei Jun recalled what Yuan Mobai had mentioned after returning from the Jiuli secret realm. His master’s trip to the Southern Wilderness had likewise yielded significant gains—gains that were, moreover, outside the Celestial Master Mansion’s established legacy.
During his cultivation retreat, Yuan Mobai had not asked Lei Jun to review the Thunder Law Heavenly Scripture Talismans, just as he had stated earlier. Spells most suited to oneself are indeed the best spells. His Second Divine Faculty might very well have been his own original creation. That was likely why this retreat had taken a bit longer. Otherwise, judging by his demeanor immediately after exiting the Jiuli secret realm, he should have emerged sooner, exactly as Tang Xiaotang had suggested.
"Master, would you tell us about it?" Tang Xiaotang’s eyes sparkled, showing even more interest than when she had hosted the current Great Tang Emperor and Crown Prince.
