Thunder rolled endlessly, as if a dragon and tiger were roaring together.
The entirety of Dragon Tiger Mountain seemed to tremble with each reverberation.
Above the Celestial Master Mansion, a bolt of thunder suddenly rose, shaking the four directions, echoing the storm clouds gathering in the heavens.
Within the mansion, the Young Celestial Master, Li Zhengxuan, stood shoulder to shoulder with the High Merit Elder, Li Ziyang—uncle and nephew together.
Before them, a magical sword floated in midair.
This was none other than the Celestial Master’s Sword, one of the mansion’s three supreme treasures.
Purple thunder surged atop the Celestial Master’s Sword, transforming into magnificent light that pierced the sky, as though resonating with powers beyond.
"The matter of the Celestial Master Seal is weighty, we can’t afford any mistakes," the Young Celestial Master said, "Over in Yu Qingling’s direction, Granduncle will be keeping a close watch on him this time."
Li Ziyang replied gravely, "Third Uncle’s strength is certainly beyond doubt, but we still need to guard against Yu Qingling’s unpredictable tactics."
The Young Celestial Master spoke with resolve, "Today the Celestial Master Seal must return to the mountain! I’ll bring the Celestial Master’s Sword out as support, to ensure nothing goes wrong."
Li Ziyang nodded, "There’s good cause for all this, it’s something that simply must be done.
With you wielding the Celestial Master’s Sword as backup, I can act freely."
"Thank you for your efforts, Third Uncle," the Young Celestial Master said,
He lifted his palm slightly.
The sword light around the floating Celestial Master’s Sword grew even more grand and luminous, slowly rising higher into the air.
Dragon Tiger Mountain shook harder, while thunder thundered louder still in the skies above.
The figures of Li Zhengxuan and Li Ziyang also rose along with the Celestial Master’s Sword.
Outside the mountain.
Chu Yu and several Chu Clan youths gazed from afar at the awe-inspiring spectacle on Dragon Tiger Mountain.
One young man turned to Chu Yu to seek her opinion, "Auntie, seeing this commotion, could it be...?"
Chu Yu, now dressed in hunting attire, stood atop the hill with her hands behind her back, "The Celestial Master’s Sword has come forth, it seems Li Zhengxuan finally couldn’t sit still—but he’s still being cautious."
Although the Young Celestial Master, Li Zhengxuan, brought out the Celestial Master’s Sword, he did not stray far from Dragon Tiger Mountain.
That dazzling lightning hovered just above the mountain’s skies, not too far away.
Li Zhengxuan and the Celestial Master’s Sword were primarily playing support from the center, serving as deterrence, prepared for whatever may arise.
Thus he was attending to several matters at once, and, for now, stayed close to the ancestral courtyard.
Another bank of purple thunderclouds then sped off into the distance.
Supreme Elder Li Song was responsible for containing Yu Qingling, the old master of Yellow Sky Sect, so the real burden of bringing the Celestial Master Seal back to the mountain fell to Li Ziyang’s shoulders.
Word was that earlier, Li Ziyang’s eldest son, Li Xuan, had tried to retrieve the Celestial Master Seal but failed, ending up seriously wounded by Yu Qingling.
This time, his father, Li Ziyang, went himself—perhaps to finish the mission his son left incomplete... Chu Yu watched the deep purple thundercloud drifting off into the distance, wavering between laughter and tears.
The deep purple thundercloud swept over where the Chu Clan group stood.
Chu Yu could feel Li Ziyang’s scrutinizing gaze upon her.
She returned his look with a smile.
The purple thundercloud did not linger, vanishing in an instant.
The young Chu Clan man beside Chu Yu asked for instructions, "Auntie, what about us?"
"Stay calm, we’re just hoping for some luck anyway. There’s no harm in setting out a bit later," Chu Yu replied,
Lei Jun raised his head, quietly gazing at the massed thunderclouds and darting lightning serpents above.
*After Li Xuan’s previous blunder, the top brass were bound to step in with full force.*
*Even deploying the Celestial Master’s Sword signaled how determined Li Zhengxuan and the rest were to win this time.*
*Of course, on Yu Qingling’s side, their experts wouldn’t give up easily either.*
*Even with two Celestial Master Seal traces and the Breathing Soil Banner, these high-level skirmishes were out of Lei Jun’s league for now.*
So he stayed calmly within the mountain.
*Was the Celestial Master Seal worth it?*
*But even the best fortune needed the fate to enjoy it, or else it would all come to nothing.*
*If I get it, I’m lucky; if I don’t, it’s just fate.*
*Right now, Lei Jun pondered whether he should seize the chance to go explore the Tao containment in the True One Altar Cave Heaven again?*
*Who knew if the crazed scramble for treasures would leave that place still peaceful and safe?*
Just as he was thinking, the glowing orb in Lei Jun’s mind suddenly sparked with brilliance, words appearing upon its surface,
[Supreme treasure reappears, dragon and tiger clash, roads stretch distant, watch the storm from afar.]
This time, four lots emerged from the orb,
[Moderately good lot, guard the forbidden grounds in the rear mountain ancestral tomb of the Celestial Master Mansion, wait alone for the moment, can obtain a Second Rank Opportunity, yet karma entanglements already run deep, hidden dangers lie buried. In the future, be exceedingly careful. Auspicious.]
[Perfectly neutral lot, go to the Golden Palace Creek ferry at the foot of Dragon Tiger Mountain in the afternoon, can gain a Sixth-Rank Opportunity, but must reveal all your treasured powers and methods, plus hidden dangers linger. Neutral.]
[Perfectly neutral lot, find shelter outside the rear mountain ancestral tomb, Golden Palace Creek ferry, and Qingtian Peak, destroy both Celestial Master Seal traces, act low-key, avoid danger, suffer some loss but avert future risk. Neutral.]
[Moderately unlucky lot, go in the daytime to Qingtian Peak beyond Dragon Tiger Mountain, gain nothing, face great danger, risking death with only the slightest chance of survival, endless future troubles abound. Unlucky.]
Lei Jun read the lots, genuinely surprised.
He looked to where the deep purple thundercloud—Elder Ziyang—had disappeared.
That was the direction of Qingtian Peak.
Qingtian Peak was a towering summit outside Dragon Tiger Mountain, considered part of the mountain range, sitting less than a hundred li away.
With two Celestial Master Seal traces in hand, Lei Jun felt a mild, indistinct sense in his heart.
The place where the Celestial Master Seal would reappear this time was in the direction of Qingtian Peak.
From this angle, the Young Celestial Master and Elder Ziyang truly held some solid clues, having found the right orientation.
As for the path marked by the moderately unlucky lot, it might spell disaster for Lei Jun, but not necessarily for Elder Ziyang.
After all, the cultivation strength of this High Merit Elder of Dragon Tiger Mountain was incomparable to his son, Li Xuan.
*Who knows, if Lei Jun actually went to Qingtian Peak, maybe Elder Ziyang himself would be one of the reasons for that unlucky ending.*