Within the Chu Clan, waves of discord and division had arisen.

There had even been fierce arguments between Chu Yu and her father, Elder Chu?

Lei Jun heard the news and became pensive.

The Suzhou Chu Clan was one of the present-day Five Clans and Seven Families, and the old clan chief, long respected throughout the South, had once served as prime minister, a high minister of the Great Tang.

Back then, it had been during the reign of the previous emperor's father—the era of Emperor Zhang Qilong and Empress Zhang Wantong's generation.

Though the old Chu Clan chief had since retired and returned home, people still habitually referred to him as Elder Chu.

Chu Yu was his youngest daughter, born in his old age, and he had always treasured her as the apple of his eye. Thus, though she was not old, her status and seniority within the clan were quite high.

Of course, Chu Yu herself was outstanding too—a Great Scholar of the Seventh Heavenly Layer while still young, renowned across the land as the South's foremost talented woman, and she had entered the clan's core leadership early on, becoming a pillar of strength.

*But now, if the rumors were true, there had been a complete falling out between Chu Yu and her father—that was indeed a matter worthy of attention.*

*Surely the dispute wasn't just because Chu Yu had hit some rebellious phase or was swept up in youthful angst.*

As a master from the Upper Three Heavens eligible to participate in clan decisions, such an intense argument must have been tied to some side of the Chu Clan's policymaking.

*Was it connected to Prince Wu's recent maneuvers, or was there another reason?* Lei Jun speculated inwardly.

Within such great families, the Suzhou Chu Clan had always been among the friendlier ones toward the Celestial Master Mansion on Dragon Tiger Mountain.

If the Chu Clan changed in any way, it could also affect the Celestial Master Mansion, who were still locked in fierce battle with the Jiangzhou Lin Clan.

*As these thoughts circled in his mind, Lei Jun kept his face expressionless, and merely replied in a calm tone,* "The Moon Chamber Master and the Chu Clan Chief are at odds? I hadn't heard of such a thing until now. I appreciate your information."

YueYao said, "Don't mention it, we all just take what we need."

The four remained wary of each other.

After the transaction, YueYao made some small talk, but the other three stayed silent. They each wished one another well, then "logged off" separately.

In the days that followed, Lei Jun continued his usual patrols of Xianliu Palace and pressed on with his own cultivation.

Refining the Great Five Elements Creation Qi was a long process.

Still, this wouldn't hinder Lei Jun's improvement of his own cultivation base.

On the contrary, as he refined the Great Five Elements Creation Qi, its corresponding effect accelerated the process of nourishing his five organs and cultivating the five elements, resulting in faster progress.

One day, Lei Jun finished his training and went out once more to patrol Xianliu Mountain.

Soon, a group arrived from the east.

The newcomers were all disciples of the Celestial Master Mansion.

They were tasked with delivering a new batch of Xianliu Ink, Five Qi Stones, and various other supplies back to the Dragon Tiger Mountain Ancestral Court.

Though the Lin Clan had rarely assaulted Xianliu Mountain lately, the war between both sides had grown even more intense.

Both were investing ever-greater strength at the primary battlefield of Poyang Lake, and even near their respective ancestral strongholds—Dragon Tiger Mountain Ancestral Court for one side and the Jiangzhou homeland for the other—fierce battles were erupting ever more often.

The Cloud Cars, though swift, were large targets and easily attacked.

Even if not directly attacked, if the Lin Clan disrupted the spiritual energy veins of the air, the Cloud Cars could lose control.

Thus, the Celestial Master Mansion no longer transported goods to its various branch mansions with direct Cloud Cars as before, but instead dispatched elite disciples in small teams to make the deliveries by hand.

This team had also come to replenish the enormous quantity of materials previously expended by Lei Jun and the others defending Xianliu Palace.

Lei Jun then ordered Yun Zhan and the other left-behind disciples of Xianliu Palace to immediately tally up the spiritual objects and resources here and send them back with the fellow disciples from Ancestral Courtyard.

But that day, a light orb suddenly flashed in his mind, and writing appeared:

[Duties diverging, fortune and misfortune are hidden, Buddha and Tao interpret them separately, blessing and disaster are determined by yourself.]

Lei Jun was a little surprised. Then he saw three lots fly from the orb, appearing one after another in his consciousness:

[Moderately good lot: Escort the supply convoy partway to the northern foothills of Great Qing Peak, obtain one Fifth Grade Opportunity, no danger, karmic entanglements, blessings and misfortunes may shift—follow circumstances, a few minor aftereffects may arise or may be resolved. Lucky.]

[Perfectly neutral lot: Do not escort, remain at Xianliu Palace. No error, no reward, no loss, no gain. Neutral.]

[Moderately unlucky lot: Escort the supply convoy to the area near Jiuyuan Lake. No reward, encounter danger, and sow hidden seeds of future trouble. Unlucky.]

The northern foothills of Great Qing Peak...

Jiuyuan Lake...

Both were routes from Xianliu Mountain back to Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Due to the ongoing war, many places had become unsettled.

Thus, though the world was vast, the paths from Xianliu Mountain to Dragon Tiger Mountain that were truly viable were now much fewer than before.

The areas around the northern foothills of Great Qing Peak and Jiuyuan Lake were among the most usable routes at present.

As far as Lei Jun knew, when the supply convoy had come from Dragon Tiger Mountain to Xianliu Mountain, they'd chosen the route by Great Qing Peak.

*Buddha and Tao interpret them separately, blessings and disasters are determined by yourself...*

*No danger...*

*But there could be aftereffects, which might dissipate depending on developments...*

*Lei Jun quickly distilled the points of the moderately good lot.*

After a moment's thought, he asked the Celestial Master Mansion disciple leading the group, "Which route are you taking back this time?"

No other left-behind disciples were around, and Lei Jun's unique identity meant there was no risk of leaks. So that disciple answered frankly,

"We came by way of Great Qing Peak, but on the return trip, we're planning to go through Jiuyuan Lake."

*That's the moderately unlucky route...* Lei Jun thought.

*Danger ahead, hidden trouble left behind, and not even any gain for it.*

*Short of being an absolute death sentence, that was as bad a fate as you could draw.*

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