Fate Is Predestined

After entering the residence, Zhao Ling'er went to cook.

Chen Ze lay alone in a reclining chair, pondering the idea of opening a shop.

The price difference a shop could earn was far too tempting for Chen Ze. What he lacked now were Spirit Stones.

And completely taking over the Mysterious Iron Ore Mine would also require more Doppelgangers. More Doppelgangers meant greater strength as well. Opening a shop was imperative.

Before long, Doppelganger Zhao Ling'er had prepared a full table of dishes.

Chen Ze happily enjoyed the food while Doppelganger Zhao Ling'er waited on him at the side.

"How is the sect-entry examination going for Doppelganger Chen Fan?"

"Reporting to Master, the message Doppelganger Chen Fan sent back said everything is going smoothly. He passed today's selection. Once he passes tomorrow's final selection, he can join the Qingyun Sect."

"Mm, that was all within expectations. With his Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivation, passing the examination will not be difficult. Becoming an Outer Disciple will be easy as well. Have him continue!"

"Yes."

"How are things on Zhao Yun's side? Has anyone grown suspicious?"

"Not for now. With a Doppelganger having infiltrated the Ye Family guards, they have been mining without the slightest restraint, digging away almost without pause.

Moreover, the three Doppelgangers among the Ye Family guards have intercepted some Mysterious Iron Ore for themselves. However, they have not gone too far and have still turned over some to the Ye Family."

"Very good, have them continue!" After saying that, Chen Ze drank another bowl of soup and smacked his lips.

"Comfortable!"

"Hehe!" Doppelganger Zhao Ling'er smiled happily at the side. It was her honor that Chen Ze liked the food she made.

Moreover, every time she watched Chen Ze finish the food she had cooked, she felt a sense of accomplishment.

"Oh? Now that Chen Fan has gone to the Qingyun Sect, there is no one to wash the dishes." Chen Ze set down his soup bowl.

Far away in the Qingyun Sect, Doppelganger Chen Fan seemed to sense some sort of summons in the dark.

"Master, Ling'er can wash the dishes too."

"How could that do? How could I let you handle such rough work as washing dishes?"

With a thought from Chen Ze, Doppelganger No. 4, who had been diligently mining, was summoned into the Myriad Things Space.

He then appeared before Chen Ze, still holding a mining pick in his hand.

"Master." Doppelganger No. 4 looked somewhat confused.

"Rest for a while. You can go back to mining later. Go wash the dishes first."

"Yes."

It was Doppelganger No. 4's first time doing this sort of thing, and he was still a little muddled, but his body obediently walked toward the dining table.

With one miner missing from the Mine, Chen Ze was not worried about anyone noticing. After all, the guards were all his people now.

Besides, sooner or later, the entire Mine would be his people.

Chen Ze lay comfortably back in the reclining chair again, with Zhao Ling'er attending him at his side.

At that moment, far away in the Qingyun Sect, Doppelganger Chen Fan felt the sensation of being summoned disappear.

Could it be that Master missed me again?

As Doppelganger Chen Fan was feeling puzzled, he suddenly sensed someone calling him.

"Brother Chen, please look after me in the future. My name is Yu Xingsi."

As he spoke, Yu Xingsi cupped his hands toward Doppelganger Chen Fan.

Doppelganger Chen Fan sized up Yu Xingsi. He too had come to take part in the Qingyun Sect's entrance selection.

His cultivation was slightly lower, only at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. He was fairly handsome, but still a notch below him.

Doppelganger Chen Fan also cupped his hands. "Greetings, Brother Yu."

"Brother Yu, why are you not resting and preparing for tomorrow's selection?"

"I suddenly felt a little excited, and my heart could not settle down.

Seeing that Brother Chen was not resting either, I wanted to have a few words with you and discuss our cultivation insights."

After passing today's selection, Doppelganger Chen Fan and the other cultivators who had come to participate had all been arranged to rest together.

Only by passing tomorrow's final selection could they officially become Outer Disciples of the Qingyun Sect. At that point, everyone would have a room of their own to rest in.

For now, they had been arranged in a large communal room.

Though they were supposedly resting, at this final juncture, the others were all seizing every last moment to sit cross-legged and cultivate.

Among them, only Doppelganger Chen Fan and Yu Xingsi were not meditating.

Doppelganger Chen Fan did not need to cultivate, so whether he meditated or not made no difference.

Yu Xingsi, on the other hand, truly could not calm his heart.

Doppelganger Chen Fan said, "All right, then. Let us talk outside so we do not disturb the other fellow cultivators' cultivation."

"That is exactly what I had in mind. I happen to have two bottles of fine wine. Though it is not Immortal Brew, its flavor is truly quite good."

Hearing Yu Xingsi say that, Doppelganger Chen Fan looked slightly embarrassed.

It seemed his Master was not much of a drinker.

But now that things had been said this far, Doppelganger Chen Fan found it hard to refuse.

Yu Xingsi was at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, so passing tomorrow's selection was a certainty. They would all be fellow Senior Brothers in the future.

Chen Ze's mission for him was to remain well within the Qingyun Sect, so naturally he needed to build good relations with these fellow Senior Brothers.

Besides, Yu Xingsi meant well, and he could not directly turn him down.

The two had already arrived at a pavilion outside the courtyard, and Yu Xingsi took out two jugs of wine.

He handed one to Doppelganger Chen Fan while holding the other himself.

Before they even began talking, Yu Xingsi clinked his wine jug against Doppelganger Chen Fan's.

"Brother Chen, please."

Then Yu Xingsi raised the jug and took a huge gulp.

Doppelganger Chen Fan held the wine jug, watching as Yu Xingsi had already started drinking.

Should I drink this or not?

If I drink a little, Master probably will not say anything, right?

I was only doing this to complete my mission.

Having made up his mind, Doppelganger Chen Fan still raised the jug and took a sip.

"Mm, it is a little spicy, but it tastes pretty good."

As it was Doppelganger Chen Fan's first time drinking, he felt that drinking did not seem like much. Why did Master dislike it so much?

After taking a sip, Yu Xingsi felt his restless heart settle down as well.

"Brother Chen, is this your first time drinking?"

"Mm. I used to be wholly occupied with cultivation, so this really is my first time drinking. Still, it tastes quite good."

Doppelganger Chen Fan was telling the truth. Did Chen Ze not simply never drink and only know how to cultivate?

Yu Xingsi laughed loudly. "Haha, Brother Chen, your life is far too dull. Is cultivating immortality not about seeking freedom? Relaxing appropriately is still very necessary."

"Brother Yu is right," Doppelganger Chen Fan agreed.

"Haha, come, have another." Yu Xingsi raised his wine jug again and clinked it against Doppelganger Chen Fan's.

"No wonder Brother Chen's cultivation is higher than mine. I suppose aside from cultivating, all you do normally is cultivate!"

Doppelganger Chen Fan smiled awkwardly and nodded.

"Brother Chen, why do you cultivate immortality?" Yu Xingsi suddenly asked.

"Is cultivating immortality not for the sake of seeking longevity?" Doppelganger Chen Fan asked in confusion.

"Haha, Brother Chen, with aptitudes like yours and mine, being able to cultivate to the Golden Core Realm in our lifetimes would already be a great blessing.

If we cannot reach the Golden Core Realm and only cultivate to the Foundation Establishment Realm, we will merely live an extra hundred-odd years. So we should still live more freely and unrestrainedly. Fate is predestined."

After hearing Yu Xingsi's words, Doppelganger Chen Fan merely nodded slightly.

Yu Xingsi was not wrong. Without some fortunate opportunity, relying solely on one's aptitude, the Golden Core Realm would already be the end of the road.

Perhaps one might not even reach the Golden Core Realm, only remaining trapped in the Foundation Establishment Realm for a lifetime.

At the Foundation Establishment Realm, one could live for two hundred years, while only upon reaching the Golden Core Realm could one live for five hundred years.

If one could not cultivate to the Nascent Soul Realm within five hundred years, then the road of cultivating immortality would come to an end.

Still, having five hundred years to live in one lifetime was not short.