Calamity Befalls Fate
After a moment of silence, a Storage Bag and a token appeared out of thin air in front of Yang Xiu.
Then, a familiar, mysterious voice rang out:
"That person is about to ask for gold, and the two of us need to go to Jiangnan to help. After that, you'll have to rely on yourself. Whether you succeed or not, there will be great chaos, and the two of us will probably have to go to the Heavenly Court to receive a decree."
Yang Xiu was about to speak when he heard this, but was interrupted by the mysterious voice, which said:
"The token is the proof of the Qingnuo Mountain formation. In addition to Spirit Treasure, pills, and provisions, the Storage Bag also contains a talisman. If you encounter a life-or-death calamity, you can unseal it once and use the calamity as a shield. Even if a Supreme True Person immortal comes in person, it can block it for a moment. But only for this moment, do not rely on it."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiu felt a surge of warmth in his heart, nodded heavily, and carefully put away the storage item and the token.
Then another mysterious voice rang out, its tone low and gentle:
"Void Clarity, we've watched you grow up since you entered the Golden Court. You're outwardly kind but inwardly principled, highly talented, and have a strong Dao heart. Plus, you're soft-hearted. In this world, people eat people, and ghosts eat ghosts. Your kindness might not bring you good fortune in the future."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiu paused for a moment, but did not refute it; he simply listened quietly.
Xuan Yin then said:
"The Master bestows upon you the word ' Void Clarity ' (虚明). The word 'Ming' (明) is easy to understand, but 'Xu' (虚) is the most difficult. 'Xu' (虚) does not mean empty, but rather 'not full.' Do not fill yourself up too much; leave some room for maneuver. This applies to the Dao Path, and it also applies to people."
At this point, a very faint smile appeared in the voice:
"Especially for your fellow Qingyan. You two are under the same command, and you will inevitably walk side by side in the future. But an elder doesn't necessarily need your obedience in everything; a friend doesn't necessarily share your heart in everything. Since you regard him as a close friend, you should make plans early. If one day he stands higher than you and sees farther than you, but the path you walk is different, will you climb up to his radiant glory, or stay in this mortal world to keep your vow?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiu's lips moved slightly, but he ultimately remained silent.
A soft, melodious sigh, like the distant sound of bells and chimes, gradually fades into silence.
"That talisman can protect your life, but not your path. Ultimately, you must walk your own path; the two of us cannot interfere too much."
"Void Clarity, this game is more difficult than you think. Don't give up halfway through."
As the words fell, the last wisp of ethereal sound dissipated into the mountain breeze, leaving no trace.
Yang Xiu stood alone on the empty mountain path, the golden bell at his waist tinkling softly, the Profound Qi mark between his brows flickering uncertainly, like ripples on water, like swirling ashes.
After a long silence, he whispered:
"Emptiness is not emptiness, but rather a lack of fullness..."
The mountain wind filled his golden robes as he turned and slowly walked down the mountain.
A moment later, three figures strode in from the mountain path below.
The leader was a tall, slender man with a thin face, wearing a faded gray robe; this was Lu Daoyuan. To his right was a young man with thick eyebrows and large eyes, broad shoulders and Gong Shouzhuo; this was Jing Xuanpu.
The three approached, and upon seeing Yang Xiu, they all bowed and said:
"Congratulations to the Daoist Master for breaking through ignorance, achieving the Purple Mansion, and enjoying a lifespan of 1,500 years!"
Yang Xiu waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the three faces one by one. Ten years had passed, yet it felt like meeting old friends again.
"No need for formalities," he said softly. "What has happened outside during my ten years of seclusion?"
The three exchanged glances, and finally Lu Daoyuan stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:
"Replying to Daozi, the three of us have not left Qingnuo Mountain since you went into seclusion. The first few years were relatively peaceful, with occasional fluctuations in our spiritual energy, but nothing too intense. Until four or five years ago, suddenly, a destructive light from the Great Yang raged in the southwest, making the daytime scorching and the night as bright as day; and in the west, the plague of the Earth Witch spread, and the Yellow Springs appeared."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiu's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not interrupt.
Seeing this, Lu Daoyuan continued:
"Then, a little over a year ago, a rosy glow shot into the sky from the direction of Qixia Mountain, which must have been the Qixia Daozi achieving the Purple Mansion. Shortly afterward, the three spiritual energies of Kan Water, Geng Metal, and Xun Wind stirred one after another, though their impact was relatively small, and we in the mountains only caught a glimpse of them. But then, the miasma of Geng Wood, the flowing fire of Radiant Fire, and the sharp energy of Geng Metal burst forth like a dam breaking, spreading across thousands of miles, and most of the Nanzhao territory was affected."
He paused, his voice lowering slightly:
"After that, two more Human Dao mortal energy invaded one after another, probably after two Human Dao with the Purple Mansion perished. Later, it seems that some great figures fought in Nanzhao, even stirring up the Great Void, with Blood Qi and Wu Earth intertwining endlessly. Since then, calamities have never ceased."
After listening, Yang Xiu remained silent for a long time.
After a long while, he looked up at the Profound Qi slowly receding above Qingnuo Mountain, and said after a long pause:
"I understand. You all stay here for a few more days. I need to go into seclusion for a few days to sort out my Divine Ability and the new Spirit Treasure I've acquired. Once everything is settled, you can come with me to Golden Ao Mountain to find Brother Qingyan and ask him for clarification."
Upon hearing this, the three of them agreed in unison.
Yang Xiu turned and headed towards the cave abode.
He took a few steps, then stopped, without turning back, and whispered:
"Thank you for your hard work these past ten years."
The three were taken aback, exchanged glances, and Lu Daoyuan took the lead, saying:
"You flatter me, Daozi. We three have received your guidance and it is only right that we should do so."
Yang Xiu said no more and went straight into the cave abode, the stone door slowly closing behind him.
Silence returned to the cave. Yang Xiu sat cross-legged, but did not immediately enter meditation. He first took off the golden bell from his waist and placed it in front of his knees, then took out the black Storage Bag and the token and placed them in front of him.
The token was dark gray all over, with very faint patterns of Profound Qi flowing across its surface, and it felt slightly cool to the touch.
"Void Clarity..." he murmured, put the token into his sleeve, then closed his eyes to regulate his breathing and immerse his mind in the Rising Yang.
The Profound Qi -Fate Divine Ability "Calamity Befalls Fate".
The word "blame" means disaster; the word "face" means disaster.
This Divine Ability does not rely on Law Power force or speed, but rather uses Profound Qi as a guide to directly communicate with the calamity power that already exists between heaven and earth, drawing the "blame" onto the enemy.
Those who cultivate this Divine Ability can, in a single thought, cause heaven and earth to bring down calamity.
Aside from the calamities inherent in the Profound Qi itself, there are also the calamities of Lesser Yang, the calamities of Wu Earth, and the punishments of all kinds of thunder. Any calamity in the world that can be traced can be drawn in by this Fate Divine Ability and inflicted upon the enemy.
Especially for someone like Yang Xiu, Profound Qi Fruition, there is an inexplicable connection between him and the calamities of heaven and earth. For others, drawing calamities is like lighting a fire against the wind, extremely difficult; but for him, drawing calamities is like sailing with the current. He only needs a little Profound Qi as a guide, and the calamities will find their way down on their own.
This is the most terrifying aspect of "Calamity Befalls Fate".
It doesn't cultivate "techniques," but rather "fate." Countless calamities are inherently buried within the fate of all living beings in the world. What this Divine Ability does is simply to bring what is destined to come to pass and to make what is destined to fall elsewhere fall upon the heads of those who are destined to fall.
As Yang Xiu comprehended the truth, the mark Profound Qi his brows changed from light gray to deep purple, like a small vortex of clouds, slowly rotating.