Child of Luck

Reality.

"How can there be a dual manifestation?"

As An Jing swung his sword within the spiritual world of the ritual to shatter his inner demons, Manor Master Yao watched the Fate Grid manifestation emerging above An Jing's head with a gaze mixed with pleasant surprise and confusion.

Among the Seven Fates, the Evil and Strange fates are mostly harmful to the awakened, or rather, they distort one's personality and destiny. For example, the 'Lone Star of Heavenly Fiend' and the 'Ten Evils Great Defeat'—the power of these fates may not be weak, but they are meaningless; one turns the holder into a solitary outcast, the other into a twisted, decaying demon.

Miscellaneous fates represent the myriad things in the world. For instance, 'Flame Affinity Fate' or 'Divine Craftsman Fate' imply an affinity for fire and skill in forging, or 'Giant Spirit Fate' grants a towering stature and innate divine strength. Of course, there are also some bizarre fates.

These fates make a person unique, but not excessively so, blending in with the mundane. It could even be said that everyone focused on a certain craft can vaguely awaken such a fate at some point in their lives, which is why they are called 'Miscellaneous Fates'.

When such fates are activated, they produce a halo manifestation, with a ring of light in the color of the respective fate appearing behind the head.

The Root Fates are even more powerful; their power can manifest the self, standing out as unique and peerless, hence the name 'Root'. Holders can awaken [Divine Abilities], and by relying on these abilities, they can develop many special techniques and skills. If fully activated, the halo behind the head will manifest a totem specific to that Root Fate.

As for the wonder of the Strange Fates, it implies 'Greatness' and 'Extremity'. Heavenly Fates follow the Heavenly Will, and Divine Fates cannot exist without being the reincarnation of an immortal or god; thus, Strange Fates are the most precious and powerful in the human world. Their characteristic is that when activated, in addition to the totem, there are many other manifestations, just like Bai Qinghan's 'Clear Frost Moon Radiance' and An Jing's 'Blood Fiend Sword Formation'.

Bai Qinghan's manifestation is easy to interpret; it is the most orthodox Profound Yin manifestation, but An Jing's is too complex and difficult to distinguish.

Although it currently shows signs of Yinghuo Guarding the Heart and a river of blood fiends, there is also the sign of Taibai Eclipses Mao, which can connect to Geng Metal Sword Intent.

Blood swords form a formation, crimson flames condense into gold, the furnace is reignited, and iron embers fly... Yinghuo on the outside, Taibai on the inside.

Just as one person cannot have two fates, how can one person hold two stars?

Unless... it is a god.

Unless it is a [Divine Fate]!

Unless An Jing is a true heavenly star descended to earth, an immortal or god reincarnated!

Or perhaps, An Jing possesses a [Supreme Treasure] that suppresses destiny and carries its own fate!

"I've struck gold, I've struck gold... He might be the Child of Destiny created by the entire Frost Calamity, a remnant of the great war between the Divine Court and the Heavenly Demon in the past... I... hahahaha!"

Regardless of which possibility it was, it made Manor Master Yao's hands tremble, involuntarily giving rise to greed, longing, and hope as he stared fixedly at the crimson starlight behind An Jing.

He let out a somewhat manic laugh, but suddenly restrained it, ordering in a tone so calm it was almost cruel: "Li Xiang, prepare the [God-Binding Rope]. Zhao Xinruo, return to the manor quickly and use the [Secret Talisman] to notify the Northern Patrol Envoy; we have a harvest beyond all expectations!"

Manor Master Yao operated and commanded like a machine. He had already activated the Imperial Heaven Method, turning himself into a rational, indifferent machine to coordinate, suppressing all his greed and longing, and said in the most rational tone: "No... report directly to the Main Mountain!"

"Our Northwest Xuanming Manor branch cannot bear this kind of karma!"

However, when the calm Manor Master Yao looked down, he saw a pair of eyes.

A pair of eyes that had already awakened, looking back at him with a gaze so calm it was icy, so indifferent it was cold.

Indifference meeting indifference, identical eyes, yet Manor Master Yao failed to maintain his state of mind, stunned for a moment as he dropped out of the Imperial Heaven Method state: "How is this possible?!"

"An Jing... you, how are you awake?!"

"I have always been awake."

Answering softly, An Jing stood up, gripping a sword tightly in his hand.

Behind him, the other boys and girls on the altars also woke up one after another, opening their eyes.

"How can this be?!"

Seeing those pairs of eyes, those pairs of pupils looking over, even Manor Master Yao couldn't help but gape, shocked beyond words—the ritual had not yet ended, the power of Gods and Devils was still rotating, and all the children should still be under the torment of inner demons; how could they possibly wake up?!

Even if they were to wake up, only budding prodigies like An Jing and Bai Qinghan should have had that capability!

Not only that, seemingly stimulated by something happening within Xuanming Valley, that Heavenly Demon hand actually completely abandoned the 'sacrificial offerings' in the formation and was hurriedly retreating toward the valley.

But it was held back by the formation, entangled by illusory chains; even as it stirred up a sky full of murky demonic mist, confusing the brightness and darkness of the world, it could not return.

The entire White Sand Ritual Ground seemed to fall silent for a moment, and the many Demonic Cult instructors and lecturers who had been splashing blood to maintain the formation began to doubt if they were dreaming when they saw this scene.

The Grand Ritual of Imperial Heaven Star Fiend was clearly still running, yet the Heavenly Demon hand had been wounded and was even beginning to shrink back into the valley, while the boys and girls who should have been dreaming and fighting demonic thoughts had all opened their eyes, stood up, picked up weapons, and were looking at them with complex yet hostile gazes.

And standing at the very front, the leader of this batch of 'trial sacrificial materials', the An Jing who had already awakened his fate...

He was faintly standing in the center of the formation, coordinating the power of the ritual to oppose them!

How could there be such an accident?!

"An Jing, what is happening?"

Confronting An Jing from afar, Manor Master Yao's thoughts raced as he saw the other's expression, instantly understanding An Jing's stance.

His hands had already begun to form ritual seals, but on the surface, he still said in a deep voice: "You are currently being influenced by the Heavenly Demon, calm down..."

"By the Heavenly Will of the Imperial Heaven Venerable God, I command all living beings to submit!"

Halfway through his words, the old man suddenly roared, a jade dagger quickly slicing his wrist. Blood splashed into the air, condensing into a dark talisman with his hand seals—ripples spread out toward the formation, and Manor Master Yao decisively manipulated the formation, intending to shock the souls of An Jing and the others.

But as the decree was issued, the ripples smoothed out like a stone sinking into the sea, and Manor Master Yao's heart sank.

--Damn it, the ritual is completely out of control!

And at this moment, An Jing also bit the tip of his left thumb without hesitation. With a surge of internal energy, blood splashed out, similarly condensing into a decree: "By the Heavenly Will of the Imperial Heaven Venerable God, I command the ghosts and gods to serve me!"

Instantly, chains condensed from cold starlight flew out from the formation, rushing toward the demonic hand.

The giant demonic hand that had been retreating and trying to escape was pierced by the chains, dragged back, and then released bone-chilling sword light, melting it into a mass of black mist.

The black mist drifted, quickly outlining a huge, towering, two-headed, six-armed demonic god phantom that rose from the void.

Although it was a phantom, it was not fake; the demonic god, standing three stories tall, stepped onto the earth.

Rocks shattered, gravel parted, and it raised its head. Its six eyes—a pair of normal eyes and a third eye on each head—flashed with scarlet blood light, coldly staring at the dumbfounded Demonic Cult instructors and lecturers before it.