[Hidden Dragon in the Abyss], Qi Refining [Spellcraft], and Chen Qingyan's Fate

[Upon hearing the words "Hidden Dragon in the Abyss," you felt a jolt of alarm. Confusion crossed your face as you waited for him to continue.]

[Seeing your confusion, Third Elder Chen Ming slowly explained, "Cultivation in the [Qi Refining] realm is, at its heart, the refining of the world's primal essence ([Primordial Qi]).]

[In the process, cultivators can also comprehend certain forms of [Spellcraft] unique to themselves.]

[Though these spells fall far short of the profound power of the [great divine abilities] condensed by [Foundation Establishment True Persons], each has its own wondrous uses and must not be underestimated..."]

[He paused, his gaze seeming to focus on the invisible aura surrounding you:]

["The [Spellcraft] I comprehended is called [Fate Sight]. It allows me to observe the ebb and flow of a person's current luck, giving me some sense of whether their fortunes are good or ill."]

["For instance, those with gravely ill fortunes may bear the [Premature Death Sign], their aura as faint as a gossamer thread, darkness clinging to them;]

[Those with exceptionally good fortunes may have [Heaven and Earth in Accord], their luck flowing freely, turning calamity into blessing..."]

[He went on at length, listing several typical manifestations of fortune.]

["But your fortune," he said with added emphasis and a hint of wonder,]

["Is extremely unusual. It is the exceedingly rare [Hidden Dragon in the Abyss]! Unlike a [Late Bloomer], whose fortune is certain to turn at a particular age,]

[Your [Hidden Dragon in the Abyss] is full of uncertainty. Whether the hidden dragon can soar into the heavens depends entirely on a single 'opportunity.'"]

["You may spend your entire life without that opportunity ever arising, ending as a dragon trapped in the shallows, lost among the masses.]

[But equally, once that opportunity arrives, you can ride the wind straight up ninety thousand miles!]

[At its strongest, you might contend with the [Chosen Protagonists] recorded in ancient texts and secret accounts; even at its weakest, you are destined to enter [Foundation Establishment] with certainty, far surpassing your peers!"]

[He looked at you with utter seriousness.]

[Hearing his unwavering certainty, and considering your inability to inspect your own template, you already believed most of what he said.]

[After a moment's consideration, you asked the crucial question: "If that is so, Third Elder, why did you never mention it when I left home five years ago?"]

[If he had discovered it earlier, he should have invested in you then.]

[Chen Ming shook his head and said firmly, "When you left home, what shrouded you was not [Hidden Dragon in the Abyss], but an [Ill-Fated Path]!]

[This sign means that fortune will rarely accompany you throughout your life, and that you are particularly liable to be caught in an undeserved calamity and die while pursuing something."]

[!!!]

[Your pupils abruptly contracted, and towering waves surged through your heart!]

[[Ill-Fated Path]! Killed by the fallout!]

[Wasn't that an exact portrayal of the third simulation?]

[Without [Fortune], I forced my pursuit of a [Heaven and Earth Wonder], only to be instantly wiped out by the shock waves of a [Golden Core Powerhouse] in the [Blazing Fire Sect]'s [Secret Realm]!]

[You immediately realized something even more terrifying: the Third Elder had explicitly stated that before you left home, you had always borne an [Ill-Fated Path].]

[That meant the change in your [Fate Pattern] had not resulted from the act of starting the [Fourth Simulation] itself]

[—at least, that had not been the direct cause. Otherwise, there was no explaining why your [fate pattern] had remained unchanged when you left home, just before the fourth simulation began.]

["Third Elder, what do you make of this phenomenon?" Suppressing your turbulent emotions, you put the question back to him.]

[The one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. Since he had pointed this out, he surely had some insight.]

[Seeing how quickly you regained your composure, Chen Ming's appreciation deepened. With a faint smile, he said:]

["It is simple. There are two possibilities.]

[First, an unimaginably powerful cultivator is arranging things behind you—at least an existence on the level of a [Golden Core Powerhouse]—]

[Who defied heaven to alter your fate after you left home, laying out this [Hidden Dragon in the Abyss] arrangement with some enormous objective in mind."]

[His gaze sharpened as he slowly voiced the second possibility:]

["Or... your original [Fate Pattern] was [Hidden Dragon in the Abyss] from birth,]

[But someone used an evil art to exchange your fate in your early years, turning you into a sacrificial substitute bearing an [Ill-Fated Path].]

[Now, the person who exchanged fate patterns with you must have perished, their cultivation extinguished. Your [Fate Pattern] returned to its rightful place, restoring your original nature..."]

[A [Life Exchange]? The schemes of a [Golden Core Powerhouse]?]

[Both possibilities made your scalp prickle. They lay far beyond your current level, leaving you with a profound sense of helplessness.]

[After a long silence, you sighed, temporarily suppressed those tangled thoughts, and asked the most practical question:]

["Then, Elder, did you help me today because you value this uncertain 'potential' of mine?"]

[Chen Ming smiled candidly. "Naturally.]

[Whether a scheming [Golden Core Powerhouse] stands behind you or your fate pattern has simply returned to its rightful place, both prove that you are extraordinary. Consider my actions an investment, a way to forge a favorable bond."]

[You nodded and solemnly cupped your fists. "Elder, I will engrave your words today upon my heart. If I truly achieve something one day, as your auspicious words suggest, I will never forget the kindness you showed in helping me today!"]

[Whatever the truth, you first needed to make your position clear and secure the benefits currently before you.]

[Third Elder Chen Ming nodded in satisfaction.]

[The next day, you gathered yourself and reported to the Lineage's Martial Training Ground, officially becoming a Martial Instructor. You began teaching the young members of the Lineage to temper their bodies and lay their foundations.]

[As for the mysterious and unfathomable [Hidden Dragon in the Abyss], you decided not to dwell on it for now.]

[Even a Qi Refining elder who specialized in this field could not determine what its opportunity might be. Idle speculation was useless for an [Embryonic Breath Realm] cultivator like you.]

[Better to take things one step at a time, make good use of your position as a Martial Instructor, strengthen your footing, and accumulate resources.]

[You remembered clearly that this year, the twenty-fifth year, was the year of your death in the previous simulation.]

[Though you appeared calm as you instructed the younger generation at the Martial Training Ground, you remained constantly attentive to Chen Qingyan's movements.]

[Drawing on your growing familiarity with Third Elder Chen Ming, you found an opportunity to casually ask about that once dazzlingly talented descendant of the main branch.]

[The answer was exactly as you had expected—missing!]

[With a grave expression, the Third Elder told you that Chen Qingyan's Soul Lamp had not gone out, but all contact with him had been lost.]

[To avoid stirring the grass and startling the snake, the Chen Family's Foundation Establishment Ancestor had personally ordered the news concealed for now, while secretly attempting to divine his whereabouts.]

[Yet the result was alarming. Not only had the ancestor gained nothing, he had even suffered injuries from the backlash!]

[This matter caused a tremendous stir among the Lineage elders who knew of it.]

[If even the Chen Family Ancestor, a veteran Foundation Establishment cultivator, could not divine the slightest trace, there was only one possibility—]

[A [Golden Core Powerhouse] had intervened and erased every trace from heaven's mysteries!]

[Whether he had been caught in the fallout or deliberately targeted, Chen Qingyan's prospects were now grim.]

[Hearing this, you inwardly lamented his fate.]

[Though you had only met him once in a simulation, his bearing and guidance had left a deep impression on you.]

[It seemed that, under the schemes of a [Golden Core Powerhouse], he had ultimately failed to escape.]

[This further strengthened your resolve to stay far from trouble and develop quietly.]

[You took the opportunity to inquire about Chen Qingyan's true identity, but the Third Elder immediately began hemming and hawing. In the end, he said helplessly:]

["This matter is of tremendous importance. Everyone who knows has sworn a Soul Contract. We cannot speak of it, cannot utter a word."]

[You could only suppress your curiosity and leave helplessly.]