The clouds over Ten Directions Mountain parted, revealing nine floating bronze divination altars looming in the mist.
"The nine stars of the Northern Dipper, seven hidden and two visible. Legend says these are the Ten Aspects Gate's spirit altars. They've actually appeared?"
Beside the Five Realms Island Master, the Fate Master Ling Ji trembled with excitement.
"Just as I thought, Ten Directions Mountain has grown stronger. Otherwise, these nine spirit altars could never have manifested."
"And that mountain path bears the ancient Dao tortoise patterns."
Ling Ji's gaze settled on a mountain trail whose paving stones looked like tortoise shells.
"What's the significance?" the Five Realms Island Master asked.
"The Ten Aspects Gate has ten schools. As the saying goes, all Fate Masters under heaven stem from the Ten Aspects. One of their supreme treasures is called the Eight Treasures Armor. It was fashioned from the shell of a Dao Master Level divine tortoise born in the Chaos Era."
"That school is called the Tortoise Treasure Sect. But its founder also perished after plotting the Dao Tortoise's death, and every disciple of the sect suffered a curse: [Seeing a Tortoise Means Death]."
"Seeing a tortoise means death?" The Five Realms Island Master was puzzled. "They died just from seeing a tortoise?"
"Yes." Ling Ji nodded. "Except for the Fate Master wearing the Eight Treasures Armor, any disciple of that school who saw a living tortoise would soon perish, even if it was only a feeble hatchling."
"What a truly..." The Five Realms Island Master struggled to find the words. "Bizarre cycle of karma."
"The rumors may not be true, but quite a few Fate Masters were indeed killed by the Turtle Race throughout history," Ling Ji said with a sigh. "Who knows how much of it is fact?"
The Five