Chapter 9: Senior Sister, Second Celestial Master

Lei Jun was curious as he read the fortune.

Participating in disaster relief and epidemic control outside the mountain was an excellent fortune.

In contrast, choosing to make ink at the Ink Workshop was a middle-lower fortune, possibly leading to being caught in the crossfire due to a fire at the city gate.

To avoid this calamity, he could either take a day off and return to his courtyard to lie low, avoiding any missions or trials.

Or he could participate in disaster relief outside the mountain.

"Junior Brother Lei, you haven't chosen a mission yet?" Zhang Yuan entered the Hall of Affairs at this moment.

He had actually arrived earlier but hadn't decided on a mission, waiting for Lei Jun.

Unexpectedly, as he waited, others had taken the good missions, leaving only two arduous tasks by the time Lei Jun arrived.

But seeing Lei Jun, Zhang Yuan immediately perked up.

During the Elder Du's ceremony, he had been the most enthusiastic, but ended up being the most injured among the Sixth Division Daoists, later relying on Lei Jun for treatment.

During the bandit hunt, he had learned from his mistake and didn't act rashly, while Lei Jun took the lead, resulting in Lei Jun and his group receiving the top commendation.

Reflecting on the past, Zhang Yuan felt both regret and envy.

They usually had a good relationship, and Lei Jun had helped him, so he didn't hate Lei Jun like he did Chen Yi. He just thought Lei Jun had really good luck.

"Junior Brother Lei, which mission are you choosing? Shall we go together?" Zhang Yuan decided to follow Lei Jun's lead this time, clinging to his leg.

Whatever Lei Jun did, he would follow!

"Since coming to the mountain, I haven't gone down yet. I'll choose this one."

Lei Jun picked the mission to participate in disaster relief at Qingyun Beach outside the mountain.

Zhang Yuan paused, then took a deep breath: "I'll choose this one too!"

After receiving their missions in the Hall of Affairs, the two made preparations and headed to the outer mountain gate.

At the mountain gate, the Daoist children going to Qingyun Beach gathered. There weren't many, but there were about a dozen.

A yellow-robed True Transmission Daoist from the mountain came down to lead the group, gave a speech, and then set off.

Upon arriving at Qingyun Beach, they didn't need to act as laborers. The local officials and innkeepers organized the disaster relief, distributing porridge and medicine, and isolating and controlling the epidemic.

The Daoists from the Celestial Master's Mansion, including Lei Jun and the other Daoist children, mainly served as mascots, commanders, and supervisors.

These Daoists, with their ethereal and refined appearance, comforted the people, making them more stable and grateful for the benevolence of the Daoist masters.

For Lei Jun and the others, although they didn't need to exert much effort, they still had to face the various aspects of human nature, making it a unique journey of tempering their hearts in the secular world.

Here, they could see the light of human nature, as well as its ugliness.

Many Daoist children were unwilling to come, mainly due to the harsh and noisy environment.

Staying for several days, besides the morning and evening classes at the Daoist children's courtyard being neglected, they also lacked the time and environment for their own cultivation.

Lei Jun didn't mind the environment. He was calm and, besides the assigned tasks, observed more.

He noticed that the hired workers, porters, and doctors at Qingyun Beach were ordinary people.

But the officials and innkeepers seemed to have some cultivation.

"They have also attended lectures at the Daoist children's courtyard."

A young Daoist in a light yellow robe stood beside Lei Jun and spoke softly:

"Those with a connection are guided to Longhu Mountain. The Daoist children who reach the courtyard at the foot of the mountain often have their merits.

But with the world's distractions and the changing hearts of people, various accidents may occur over time.

Thus, some, as they grow older and see no hope in the Dao, leave the mountain and are assigned to manage the mansion's properties outside."

The yellow-robed Daoist was the True Transmission leading this mission.

Lei Jun recognized him. During the previous mountain search and bandit hunt, the team he was in was led by the now-deceased young Daoist and this Luo Daoist.

Luo Daoist had advocated sticking to their original duties, while the young Daoist with the surname Gao had led people to actively search and capture.

Although Lei Jun had chosen to go with Gao Daoist, Luo Daoist was not displeased.

On the contrary, seeing Lei Jun participate in the disaster relief, he admired Lei Jun, thinking he was a young man with integrity and courage.

Therefore, Luo Daoist, looking at Lei Jun, who stood tall and was clearly taller than the other Daoist children, encouraged him warmly:

"Although you started your Dao cultivation late, you have progressed quickly. There's no need to worry. The Ordination Ceremony is held every three years. If you miss next year, there will still be opportunities. Just focus on your cultivation."

Lei Jun: "Thank you, Daoist."

After two days, another True Transmission from the Celestial Master's Mansion, along with several Daoist children, came to Qingyun Beach with a mission.

They brought a surprising piece of news:

Yesterday afternoon, something happened at the Daoist children's courtyard.

Zhang Yuan sighed: "Truly an unlucky year. So many troubles this year?"

Lei Jun: "What exactly happened?"

The new young Daoist said: "First, the First Division and the Eighth Division got into a fight, and then more people joined in. Other divisions in the Ink Workshop also got involved. Two from our Sixth Division were involved..."

"The First Division? They never take missions at the Ink Workshop."

Zhang Yuan was puzzled, then remembered something: "Wait, the Eighth Division, could it be..."

Lei Jun listened quietly, looking at the young Daoist.

The young Daoist nodded vigorously: "It was the First Division's people and Senior Brother Chen Yi from the Eighth Division who started the fight, and then more and more people got involved.

In the end, the on-duty Daoist at the Ink Workshop was alarmed, and the incident became serious. All those involved in the fight were sent to the Discipline Hall."

Lei Jun: "All of them?"

He remembered that the on-duty Daoist at the Ink Workshop was a Li family member.

"It seems Chen Yi and others were sent to the Discipline Hall first, but later, people from the mountain came, and the First Division's people were also punished with solitary confinement," the young Daoist recalled.

Lei Jun: "Which Daoist, according to the rumors, needs the pure gold lingzhi from the Lingzhi Terrace for alchemy?"

Zhang Yuan looked around and lowered his voice: "It seems to be Daoist Li..."

There were many Daoists and elders surnamed Li on Longhu Mountain.

Generally, "Daoist Li" referred to any Li family member who had officially become a True Transmission of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

Hearing Zhang Yuan, Lei Jun remained silent, watching the young Daoists still whispering.

Looking back now, the paths of fate had diverged.

Chen Yi's current troubles stemmed from the pure gold lingzhi that sprouted on the Lingzhi Terrace when it revived.

Or rather, Lei Jun's middle-lower fortune:

"Stay out of the commotion, wait for the right moment, and after the shock, go to the Lingzhi Terrace. You can obtain a sixth-grade opportunity, but great trees attract the wind, inviting jealousy and hidden dangers. Neutral."

The hidden dangers continued to this day.

Chen Yi was ambushed and killed during his external training, and now he was being troubled by the Li family members of the First Division. The conflict between them deepened.

However, it wasn't entirely Chen Yi's fault.

The theft at the First Division, though instigated by a higher-level elder, was rooted in the long-standing conflict between the Li family and non-Li family members within the Celestial Master's Mansion.

After the theft and arson at the First Division, the conflict was further intensified.

The thief was dead, and some Li family members of the First Division were seething with anger.

At this time, Chen Yi, a non-Li family Daoist, who had killed and injured Daoists from the Third Division who were close to the Li family, became a target for the Li family members.

No wonder the latest fortune mentioned, "A fire at the city gate affects the fish in the pond."

When the conflict escalated, the non-Li family Daoists at the Ink Workshop might also be affected.

In the end, it turned into a large-scale brawl, essentially a爆发 of the conflict between the Li family and non-Li family members in the Daoist children's courtyard.

As the fortune said:

"Middle-lower fortune, go to the Ink Workshop to make ink. A fire at the city gate affects the fish in the pond. Temporary loss of freedom, hidden dangers, inauspicious."

Even if they didn't want to fight, the people present would likely be punished by the elders, facing solitary confinement.

However, these matters were no longer Lei Jun's concern.

He was already on a different path of fate.

The chaos on the other side didn't affect his peaceful life here.

The middle-lower fortune had already come true, and now he awaited his excellent fortune.

Lei Jun stopped listening to the gossip and went to patrol the beach.

"Boom!"

The sky suddenly darkened.

Lei Jun looked up, and a black thundercloud had appeared overhead, blocking the sky.

This black thundercloud was familiar; he had seen it once shortly after he arrived in this world.

Indeed, like before, the thundercloud came and went quickly, disappearing in an instant.

Suddenly, a person appeared in front of Lei Jun.

It was a woman, wearing a light purple Daoist robe and a black cloak, with a pale, bloodless face and youthful appearance.

But when Lei Jun saw her, his first feeling was a chill, as if standing naked in a snowy night.

However, he felt no discomfort and smiled: "Senior Sister."