149 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

### Chapter 149: Fate With twenty-seven days remaining until the beast tide predicted by Tianji’s prophecy, Yu Cang Shan and his group, diligently assisting with defense repairs in the Azure Mark Forest, finally laid eyes on Xiang Shi Yan once more. Although Yu Cang Shan agreed to Tianji Sect's request for aid and promised to dispatch some members, he knew that the resources within the Tianjian Forest were no match for the disciples his sect had cultivated over many years. Therefore, this trip to the border had been posted in the Hall of Justice, allowing both inner and outer disciples with a cultivation level of at least Foundation Establishment to sign up. Foundation Establishment cultivators were not considered powerful, but in numbers, they could successfully surround and tackle the lower-level demonic beasts on the fringes of a beast tide that the central net couldn't completely contain. With some caution and avoiding unnecessary heroics, their lives were not at significant risk. In desperate circumstances with scarce manpower, even Foundation Establishment cultivators could contribute significantly. Even with open registration for disciples, Yu Cang Shan's followers flocked in droves, forcing Huai Ye to gather disciples with lower cultivation levels to repeatedly explain the dangers of this mission, which eventually persuaded some to withdraw. Thus, when Xiang Shi Yan accompanied the Tianji Sect to the border, she was taken aback by the swarm of disciples greeting her. Mu Hua glanced at the bustling crowd, either traveling by magical items or sketching arrays, and nodded gratefully at Xiang Shi Yan. "We owe this situation to Elder Xiang's eloquence." Clearly, Mu Hua felt that merely persuading Li Huai wasn’t enough and subtly implied that Xiang Shi Yan's debt wasn’t fully repaid, almost forcing her to accompany them in visiting the remaining sects. Had the Tianji Sect been the sole leader in this endeavor, for sects unaffected by the beast tide, vague benefits wouldn't be enough incentive to make a firm decision, and the potential problems involved would make them hesitate. However, with Yu Cang Shan's involvement, the risk was considerably shared, encouraging even the small sects to consider partaking, while the remaining eleven sects and families would reevaluate the feasibility of this move. The persuasion wasn’t due to Xiang Shi Yan's persuasive discourse but rather her representation of Yu Cang Shan's stance. Over the past few days, Xiang Shi Yan had traversed much of the western territories of Godly Land with the Tianji envoys. The good news was that at least a third were both willing and able to join; the bad news was encountering closed doors both at the Taixu Sect in the east and Huaihai City in the north. Judging by Tianji Sect's tight information seal, it might take them some time to discern Tianji's true intent... Xiang Shi Yan’s gaze briefly fell on Fu Zhi, who followed closely, thinking, the Tianji Sect truly never misses a chance to suppress others. Fu Zhi seemed to sense her gaze, hesitantly turning around, but Mu Hua leaned over to whisper something, prompting Fu Zhi to nod and quietly instruct Fu Xiao to take her away. Xiang Shi Yan’s eyes lingered on the blind girl’s retreating figure until Mu Hua blocked her view. "The construction can be completed by the lower-level disciples; there’s no need for our help. What are your plans, Elder Xiang?" "You mentioned earlier that the Third Elder is here; wouldn’t you introduce me?" Mu Hua nodded, leading her towards the central tent. The Azure Mark Forest sprawled across a lowland surrounded by high mountain ranges marking the border. However, the valley and plains on the human side were broader, distanced from the endless forest, making them ideal for fortifying camps with traps. As the lead of this mission, Tianji Sect’s main tent was, of course, at the center of the encampment. The Tianji Sect had five elders, all directly apprenticed from Tianji. It was evident that Tianji highly valued the Azure Mark Forest, having dispatched two of her disciples to oversee the matter. It was unexpected for Xiang Shi Yan that they did not leave the sect exposed, sending one Elder of the Great Ascension stage and one of the Nascent Soul stage, considering Yu Cang Shan only had more disciples, but she was the sole elder present. Li Huai had intended to bring Yu Ming along too, but since the disaster four years ago, she had been secluding on Ancestral Li Peak, her absence more than presence felt, the prohibitions firmly in place. Despite the Sect Master’s persistent knocking, there was no response. Li Huai knew Yu Ming had heard but refused to acknowledge him, leaving him no choice but to retreat awkwardly. "Fourth Uncle got entangled with ghost energy during surveillance, so he’s not seeing guests at the moment. But Third Uncle is quite free," Mu Hua recalled from the messages sent by her uncles, her expression turning peculiar. "...Just in case she speaks oddly, Elder Xiang, please don’t mind her." Announcing this so close to the tent was indeed strange. Xiang Shi Yan shot a dubious look at her companion before lifting the tent flap and entering. Third Elder Yu Qi was a plump middle-aged woman, whose striking yet plain appearance made her seem like a typical mortal woman. She exaggeratedly opened her mouth upon seeing Xiang Shi Yan, taking two small steps forward in an affected gait to stand before her. Xiang Shi Yan couldn’t tell if this demeanor was intentional, but given that the person was an elder and ally, without apparent malice, she let Yu Qi hold her hand and chatter like a neighborly aunt without shaking her off. "Lian Long is such a lucky girl. I’ve only met your senior sister before, and oh, each beauty has her unique charm; it’d be hard to rank them," the Third Elder gushed incessantly like a matchmaker meeting a new young lady. "Ah, you don’t know me, do you? Your master was only fifty-some years younger than me. We used to be quite close." The elegant lady settled Xiang Shi Yan at a table, pouring out fragmented tales of yesteryears. Xiang Shi Yan felt chills at the constant prattling, and seeing no sign of a pause, she finally interrupted, "Perhaps we can discuss your falling out with my master another time. What’s pressing now is—" "Oh, I forgot the main matter," the woman chuckled awkwardly, finally releasing Xiang Shi Yan's hand, which was left warm and dry. Xiang Shi Yan nodded, though her smile froze as the slightly plump woman deftly produced a small box seemingly housing fortune-telling tools and opened it before her. "Burning bones, casting lots, or coin oracle?" the woman seriously lined up the items on the table and asked. Xiang Shi Yan blinked. "What is this for, elder?" Yu Qi smiled, "Naturally, to do a reading for you. I’ve read for your master and your two senior sisters' fates, yet none were particularly favorable." Seeing Xiang Shi Yan’s lack of response, she tilted her head, adding, "If dissatisfied, my junior excels at reading grass fortunes, and Fourth excels at casting lots and interpreting dreams." Taking a deep breath, Xiang Shi Yan tried declining several times. Still, as Yu Qi seemed adamant about what appeared to be a new toy, she could only comply, gently shaking the prediction tube beside her. The bamboo stick slipped out and skidded far on the table, eventually caught by Yu Qi. Moderate. Xiang Shi Yan only saw the stick’s head. She hadn’t the heart to ask questions about her fate, merely complying to pacify the persistent elder. Seeing this mediocre result, she breathed a sigh of relief. Only heaven knew the whirlwind of thoughts that flashed through her mind the second she nonchalantly lifted the prediction tube. Moments of embarrassment when the system had just installed plugins, the complex gaze of Huai Ye, He He’s lips grazing her neck with a cool sensation that spread like electric tingles through her body, and the unsettling feel of hard, dense scales sliding across her skin. Finding the scale-like marks on her skin feverish, she sheepishly set the stick down, fearing a top fortune—an ill omen to her. Recalling the wicked black dragon’s dual cultivation suggestion soured her mood. Yu Qi didn’t appear satisfied, murmuring aloud, "A gentleman’s persistent pursuit is a peach in bloom, and a fair lady won’t reject the shuttle tenderly extended." Surprisingly, the lady neatly packed up her items, falling silent. Xiang Shi Yan expected another long discourse, curiously asked, "Won’t you interpret it for me, elder?" "I offered the divination for my cultivation, not to actually give you a reading," the elegant lady chuckled, betraying no sense of propriety despite insisting on a reading and then declining to provide insight. "Back then, your master would come to me for a reading every few years, practicing a path of affection while leaving countless hearts in the lurch, her dreadful façade… yet her honesty didn’t diminish her," Yu Qi couldn’t help but sigh recalling her estranged friend. She glanced at Xiang Shi Yan, seated with poise before her, sighing once more internally. Unclear why, Lian Long’s three female disciples seemed destined for love yet fell into tricky relationships... The meaning of Xiang Shi Yan’s reading wasn’t complicated; she grasped its essence. "A gentleman’s persistent pursuit is a peach in bloom, and a fair lady won’t reject the shuttle tenderly extended," implying that if the man is earnestly committed to the romance, he wouldn’t face rejection; for the woman, when the right one appears, there’d be no reason to refuse, thus reciprocating candidly. The divination about love is typically overflowing with favorable words, yet if interpreted from another angle, doesn't it suggest that Xiang Shi Yan's romantic fate wouldn't easily end, but rather persistently entangle her in a relentless manner? The lady in white paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to clear the scene of the black dragon nuzzling her head with his soft under-scales from her mind. Truly, there was no peace. She glanced at Mu Hua, who stood quietly aside, as if her master-uncle, acting like a charlatan demanding divinations, didn’t exist. The young woman winked at her. Clearing her throat, Xiang Shi Yan asked earnestly, "Elder, when you went to survey the central forest, did you notice any threats from Tianjian?" "A month ago, my master suddenly predicted a beast tide chaos in the southwestern border. Normally, the divination wouldn't be so explicit, but we can't compare to her elderly sage-like insight, can we? Upon receiving the command, I immediately set off flying over the forest. The Gorge of Resentful Souls was intact, yet my master had already started dispatching emissaries to various sects. Without certainty, she wouldn't exert such efforts, so I cautiously placed a small charm near the gorge." Once the Third Elder started speaking, she couldn’t stop. However, she harbored an internal doubt. Although Tianji Sect prided itself on foresight, accurately divining fate is inherently challenging. The little game she had played with Xiang Shi Yan was harmless due to its vagueness, but specific queries like "Will I die tomorrow, if so how, if not how?" are different. Should tomorrow indeed be the day of demise, discovering it today would demand a price from the diviner, so irrespective of the omens, the outcome would be known; even in safety, little benefit is reaped. Yu Qi was intensely curious about how Tianji could acquire such precise information. Another anomaly was that, typically, divination results wouldn't be disclosed so clearly. Vague language might unintentionally reveal secrets, yet proclaiming such major information so openly... While she was away from the sect, Yu Qi wrote daily to her two senior sisters left behind, nervously inquiring whether their master had currently lost any part, or inquiring why she hadn't yet. The thought that maybe their master hadn’t derived this information through divination gave her chills. ### Author's Note: Thank you to the little angels who cast their votes or provided nourishment during 2022-08-15 03:41:50~2022-08-17 01:07:85~ Special thanks to the little angel who provided nourishment: All authors are 10 bottles of heaven; I am truly grateful for everyone's support, and I will continue to strive forward! No pop-up ads on this site, permanent domain name (xbanxia.com)