Chapter 754 - 538: Closed-door Disciple (Part 2)

Chapter 754: Chapter 538: Closed-door Disciple (Part 2)

"Minor matters are fine, but if it’s something major, I will bear the immense karma of disrupting fate, and things will change drastically. It’s not always guaranteed to go as planned; often, it turns out worse instead. Some costs I can endure, but others I simply cannot."

"There’s also the scenario where, no matter how much divination is done, the foreseen result remains unchanged."

He sighed deeply, his back bending even more: "This time, with Si Chen’s tribulation, I have exhausted my strength to foresee the outcomes of thirty-two different choices, yet without exception, all lead to a dead end."

"Which means, regardless of the choice made, Si Chen cannot possibly survive the Celestial Tribulation."

"Such a fate that cannot be altered, no matter the choice, is called the Celestial Mandate."

"The Celestial Mandate cannot be defied!"

Lu Qian took a deep breath: "Then why have you become like this?"

"That’s what I want to tell you all, about the second power that can alter fate," Master Kan Yuan smiled faintly, "’Fate’ cannot change, but there’s also ’Luck.’"

"Call it Celestial Fate or Fortune, it is the marvelous force beyond the threads of fate, capable of influencing fate."

"An individual’s Celestial Fate can affect their own fate, and massive changes in Celestial Fate can alter the fates of many people."

"For example, if a region suddenly experiences a drought, how many people would be displaced? In many widely told tales, there are always stories of times of sudden warfare and chaos, where ordinary vendors and butchers transform into heroes—this is Celestial Fate."

"So-called ’the times produce heroes,’ and conversely, heroes will again influence the times."

"I’ve already suffered backlash, no one understands better than I that the Celestial Mandate cannot be changed," Master Kan Yuan said solemnly, "but I am not resigned to my nephew Si Chen having such an end. Long ago, I’ve seen many things, yet I am still not resigned."

"I am already old and frail, just setting aside this remnant life, using a Secret Technique to borrow a wisp of Celestial Fate, challenging the Celestial Mandate once more! I want to carve out a different future for Si Chen and Jiyang Manor!"

Master Kan Yuan said nothing more, his eyes shimmering with tears, while Lu Qian sighed gently.

The story’s ending is that Master Kan Yuan fails once again, and Si Chen falls in the Celestial Tribulation.

Can the Celestial Mandate truly not be changed? Not even the Celestial Fate capable of influencing fate could alter this end.

"Senior..." Lu Qian wanted to say something comforting, but felt that in front of this elder cultivator, any words seemed weak and powerless.

Master Kan Yuan wiped his eyes and instead smiled: "No need to worry. Though I am old, I am not so weak. Besides, a cultivator’s fate is far more complex than a mortal’s, and Celestial Fate’s influence on cultivators is even more pronounced."

"Furthermore, the higher a cultivator’s cultivation, the more profound and unpredictable their fate becomes. This is known as ’Life Concealment.’

Lu Qian’s heart was moved: "But the senior just said, I am—"

"Life Chaos," Master Kan Yuan said softly, "Life Concealment is merely difficult to fathom, yet still that one strand of fate. But Life Chaos means changes occur at every moment, at any time, new choices might emerge."

"Human power is finite, but the Celestial Dao is endless. What choice will you make, what path will you take, is not something others can predict."

"Sect Leader Lu, your Celestial Mandate is already chaotic. The opportunity to change the future of Jiyang Manor comes only from you, because of you."

"This move on the chessboard, I began setting twenty years ago, always praying it would not be needed, yet where the Celestial Mandate lies, there’s no resisting."

"So an old man like me can only shamelessly ask the Sect Leader Lu to return the Life Decree Golden Scroll."

At this point, Lu Qian already understood.

He turned to Wei Zhaixing, who was also looking at him.

Suddenly, Lu Qian recalled Master Kan Yuan’s annotations on Wei Zhaixing in his letter.

"Rise in Minglong, flourish in Amber."

"Yushan Disciple, Jiyang Sect Leader!"

...

Half an hour later, Lu Qian walked out the gates of Jiyang Manor. Wei Zhaixing closely followed his steps, eyes reddened, wanting to accompany him further.

"Go back, Zhaixing," Lu Qian said with a smile, "There’s no need for this, Jiyang Manor isn’t far from Minglong Mountain. When you feel homesick, return for a visit."

"Master Kan Yuan is an esteemed elder of Cangzhou, his skills are worth my admiration. Now that you’ve become his closed-door disciple, it’s certainly your great fortune. You must cherish it, work hard, and not disappoint our expectations."

Wei Zhaixing knelt to the ground, bowed deeply, and choked out, "Rest assured, Sect Leader, I am forever a disciple of Yun Mountain!"

Lu Qian merely smiled faintly.

Master Kan Yuan’s annotations, he did not share with Wei Zhaixing; this was a tacit understanding between him and Master Kan Yuan. Furthermore, after hearing Master Kan Yuan’s theory of fate, Lu Qian had gained more insight into the Dao of destiny, realizing that revealing things prematurely can be more harm than good.

"It’s enough that you have this intention; future matters, we’ll discuss them in the future."

He paused, looking at Wei Zhaixing, who held back tears, and said somberly, "Zhaixing, I have one word to give you upon parting."

Wei Zhaixing hastily wiped away the tears and nodded firmly: "Please instruct, Sect Leader."

Lu Qian, draped in five colors, flew away into the sky, leaving only a message echoing over Amber Lake.

"Perhaps man cannot surpass the heavens, but he can definitely surpass himself! Endeavor, endeavor!"

...

Upon returning to Minglong Mountain, night had already fallen deeply. But the peaks were brightly lit, disciples working tirelessly, engaging in night battles, all preparing thoroughly for the Pill Formation Ceremony on the first of June.

Lu Qian could not afford to rest and headed to the infirmary, where injured Feathered Scholars and disciples from the recent battle were healing and recovering.

There Wu Yan had just finished a round of Secret Technique treatment, and upon seeing Lu Qian, she quickly greeted him.

"Master, you’ve come."

Lu Qian nodded, hearing Wu Yan’s report, knowing everyone’s wounds had stabilized, and now it was just a matter of routine healing and recovery, he felt slightly relieved. He asked: "How are Elder Guh and Fellow Daoist Dong?"

Wu Yan’s elegant face was filled with fatigue: "They haven’t woken yet."

She guided Lu Qian to their courtyards to visit them separately. Guh Niqiang and Dong Chengjun had suffered extremely severe injuries, with many broken bones, severely damaged internal organs, and considerable damage to their meridians.

However, their recovery conditions were different. According to Wu Yan, Dong Chengjun would wake soon in a few days while Guh Niqiang would take much longer.

It’s not that Dong Chengjun’s recovery ability was stronger than Guh Niqiang’s; quite the contrary, Dong Chengjun was akin to an ordinary person, waking up once the danger had passed and the injuries stabilized, continuing to heal while conscious.

Meanwhile, Guh Niqiang had unique body veins. Though she remained unconscious, she was rapidly absorbing external Spiritual Qi to nourish her body, consuming Wu Yan’s Healing Spiritual Spring several times. Her sleep was the best healing method, allowing her to recover quickly in slumber until her injuries healed substantially before waking.

Lu Qian had witnessed this several times and understood well.

Since neither had awakened, and there was no way to contact Danxia Sect, only the intelligence group elites were dispatched to rent small fast Wind-Controlling Beasts to explore Ningzhou Haidong County and see if the siege around Liuxia Mountain Range had lifted, and whether Danxia Sect was safe.

But speaking of which, the Three Sects Alliance’s matter of besieging Qiming Spirit Monarch had already spread throughout Cangzhou after a day’s fermentation, returning to Ningzhou in just a few days’ time. If it weren’t for Qiming Spirit Monarch being akin to a solitary figure, without any allies, such shocking news would have spread to Ningzhou immediately.

Once news reached, maybe the siege at Liuxia Mountain Range would change immediately.

So, Lu Qian also needed to seize this final time to do something very important.

He sat beside Guh Niqiang’s bed, looking at the pale, peerless Fairy Jingxia lying there, his heart full of pity, gently gripping her hand.

"The person who hurt you, I have already killed," Lu Qian said softly, "Wake up soon, this time, how about letting you give me a Daoist Name?"

Imagining what kind of confused expressions Guh Niqiang would display when given this task, and what nonsensical Daoist Names she might bestow, Lu Qian couldn’t help but smile.

He bowed down and kissed Guh Niqiang’s bloodless lips gently.

"Wait for me, I will continue avenging you. I aim to clear out the Old Thief Qiming’s lair completely!"