Chen Cheng could not figure it out, but she did not need to. All she had to do was follow Qi Zixiao's instructions.
Miracle Peak was the residence of Divine Calculator Fang Wu, one of the current Ten Disciples of Purple Mansion Holy Land.
Everything here was very "strange," just as its name suggested.
Take the surroundings, for example. The leaves here were actually black and white, and the plants and trees were the same.
The stones on the other peaks were mostly rugged and grotesque, as though sculpted by the gods, but the stones on Miracle Peak were mostly smooth and lustrous, as if someone had fondled them for countless years.
Aside from Divine Calculator Fang Wu, Miracle Peak also had several Inner Sect Disciples who could be considered Fang Wu's followers.
In fact, many famous personal disciples and Core Disciples had quite a few followers...
"Who goes there?"
When Chen Cheng arrived, someone immediately stepped forward and blocked her way.
"Protector Disciple Chen Cheng, I have come at Your Highness Saintess's command to seek Divine Calculator."
Chen Cheng was in no hurry. She merely stood there calmly, her bearing extraordinary.
In front of Qi Zixiao, they kept their posture extremely humble, but... once they left her side, their status as Protector Disciples was by no means low.
"Your Highness Saintess's Protector Disciple?"
The other person was startled, then hurriedly said, "Please, follow me."
As she followed the other person upward, Chen Cheng had already grown accustomed to the strange sights along the way. Before long, she arrived at the palace gates atop the mountain.
"Senior Brother..."
The other person was about to announce her arrival when a voice came from inside.
"Junior Sister Chen Cheng, come in."
"Sorry for the trouble, Senior Brother."
Chen Cheng smiled lightly and pushed open the door. Immediately afterward, the doors closed without any wind.
"The Saintess is looking for me?"
Fang Wu looked extremely young, yet he had a head of white hair. Strangely, this appearance did not seem incongruous at all, as though he had always been meant to look this way.
"Her Highness wants the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art and is offering this in exchange."
Chen Cheng got straight to the point. With a turn of her hand, a jade pendant floated into view.
"Would Senior Brother Divine Calculator be willing?"
Though Chen Cheng was asking whether Divine Calculator was willing, her words were extremely overbearing. She bluntly stated that the Saintess wanted the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art, rather than saying that she wished to exchange for it...
"..."
Fang Wu's expression did not change as he said calmly, "It is the art's honor that the Saintess wants it. Why would there be any need for an exchange?"
With a wave of his hand, a glowing piece of jade flew out and landed in Chen Cheng's hands.
"Her Highness has always been upright and aboveboard and never owes anyone a favor. If things ended this way, would that not amount to forceful seizure? You should still accept this."
Chen Cheng was extremely astonished that Fang Wu had handed over the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art so easily, but she did not show it. After suppressing her curiosity, she "threw" the jade pendant over and looked at Divine Calculator, indicating that he should accept it.
Fang Wu: "..."
"Since you put it that way, I shall accept it. You may report back to the Saintess."
Chen Cheng left.
Fang Wu remained seated there, unmoving for a long time.
Only when the follower who had led Chen Cheng there arrived did he ask in bewilderment, "Senior Brother, why did you give away the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art?"
"Although Qi Zixiao is the Saintess and holds a lofty position, the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art was something you obtained through a heaven-defying stroke of luck and desperate struggle outside our own sect. Even she should not have the right to demand it by force..."
"Moreover, the so-called exchange was completely unequal. Although the jade pendant was not bad, it..."
The Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art had far too great a reputation.
Its method of deduction was the foremost in this world, renowned far and wide!
Fang Wu had been able to become Divine Calculator and one of the Ten Disciples of Purple Mansion Holy Land precisely because of the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art.
But now, the Saintess had sent someone to ask for it—she had not even come personally—yet Divine Calculator had simply handed it over?
Naturally, he could not understand...
"You do not understand."
However, Fang Wu slowly shook his head. At the same time, his originally calm expression turned ghastly in an instant, his face pale as gold paper!
"I... cannot see through her."
The follower was utterly shocked, but Fang Wu gestured that he was fine, while his thoughts returned to moments earlier...
Moments earlier.
Fang Wu had originally been in secluded cultivation when he suddenly sensed that something related to him was about to happen, so he cast a divination...
He then reached the conclusion that the Saintess would send someone to ask for the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art.
As the foundation upon which he relied to survive and establish himself, Divine Calculator naturally did not wish to hand over the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art.
Therefore...
He cast another divination, calculating what impact and results would follow from making different choices when facing this matter.
However, he could not calculate it!
This made Fang Wu unable to remain calm. Ever since obtaining the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art, there had been very few things he could not see through!
Thus, Fang Wu cast a third divination.
Its subject was... Qi Zixiao!
However, the result was something Fang Wu would never forget!
In the past, whenever he deduced the fate of others, he would "see" a "ball of light." As long as he used a special method to break that "ball of light," he could glimpse a fragment of the future. If the other party was weaker and the ball of light smaller, he could even see the entire future. A mortal's "ball of light," for instance, was more like a "point of light."
He could shatter it with a casual move and glimpse the entire future.
The size of the ball of light would be affected by the other party's cultivation level, the strength of their fortune, their future achievements, and so on.
The larger the ball of light, the harder it was to break. He might even need to pay a price himself to shatter it.
Fate... could not be calculated lightly.
As Fang Wu saw it, Qi Zixiao's "ball of light" would certainly not be small. He estimated it would be about the size of a human head, but with some effort, he should at least be able to glimpse a fragment of the future.
However...
When he cast the divination, what he saw was...
Boom!!!
An incomparably terrifying, boundless ball of light, resembling a planet, suddenly appeared in his mind!
Brilliant, beautiful... it possessed an unparalleled allure!
Fang Wu's mind sank into it in an instant, drawn in by this "planet." Involuntarily, he flew toward it, as if he wanted to become a part of it.
Compared to this planet, Fang Wu himself was no more than a speck of dust...
Closer, closer...
At that moment, Fang Wu's mind had already completely lost its defenses.
At the critical moment, the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art issued a warning. Fang Wu's mind returned, and he decisively severed the divination. Even so, he suffered a tremendous backlash, sustaining severe injuries and vomiting countless mouthfuls of blood...
Why had he handed over the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art so easily?
Fang Wu sighed inwardly.
Did he truly want to hand it over? But Qi Zixiao's future... was simply too terrifying!
It could not be explained or described. It was even as though merely "peering into" it was a grave transgression...
It was far better to befriend someone like this than to become their enemy!
Thus, Fang Wu had handed it over.
If he had to say he felt regret, he certainly did—but not because he had given away the Heaven and Earth Grand Deduction Art. Rather, it was because he had failed to make Qi Zixiao owe him a favor...
"Whew..."
Fang Wu's expression grew increasingly bitter and grim. "Go out first. For the next few months, I will enter secluded cultivation and see no one."
At this very moment, there was no use thinking about anything else. He should heal his injuries first.
What else could he do?
Before you continue