Liao Si quickly learned about Qi Ye losing his spiritual body.
As soon as he did, he stormed up to Chi You, fury barely masked in his voice, face slightly twisted. “Master, Qi Ye was the vessel I chose. Why did you remove his spiritual body?!”
Without it, Qi Ye was useless—a complete waste!
Chi You gave him a faint glance. At that, Liao Si’s mind went cold, and he instantly sobered. He took a deep breath. “Apologies, Master.”
“He wasn’t a suitable candidate,” Chi You said. “You can continue choosing others.”
Liao Si clenched his fists in silence for a moment, then compromised. “Fine. I’ll look into the others.”
As he left Master’s room, he ran into Ge Wuchen, who was dragging himself in, covered in blood and barely standing. Ge Wuchen always cared about appearances, so Liao Si looked him up and down. “What happened to you?”
“The Master sent me on a task,” Ge Wuchen slumped into a seat, having barely survived, “What about you? Why are you here?”
Liao Si, unable to resist complaining, told him what happened with Qi Ye. He knew Master would be aware of his thoughts anyway, so he didn’t go too far—but his words were laced with grievance. “I finally found a body I liked, and now he’s useless without a spiritual body. And I have to go pick someone else now? Do you think it’s easy to find a perfect match?”
Ge Wuchen said, “I don’t believe you don’t have a backup candidate.”
Liao Si winked. “Ge Wuchen, you really know me well. I do have backups. Your younger brother’s actually a good candidate—”
Ge Wuchen gave him a frosty stare.
Liao Si laughed awkwardly, then coughed. “Cough, cough—don’t be mad. Just a joke.”
“But seriously, the people around Jiang Luo—one’s more suitable than the next. Huge potential, low profile, simple background… hard not to be tempted.”
“I advise you not to touch them,” Ge Wuchen said, looking at his own bloody mess, voice low. “Jiang Luo is the type to bite without warning.”
Liao Si snorted. “I know. Ge Wuchen, Master treats Jiang Luo very differently. We’d best avoid him if we can.”
Ge Wuchen glanced at his own sorry state again. “…Who’s your backup?”
Liao Si’s eyes sparkled. “Someone from the Lian family.”
***
Jiang Luo stayed at the foot of the mountain for half a month. The Fated One seemed to mean it when he said he wouldn’t force him to return.
But with the semester about to begin, Ji Yaozi still hadn’t come down from the mountain.
Jiang Luo and the others moved back to school. After a whole winter away, the campus grass looked listless. Under Dean Xu’s orders, they were holding hoses, watering the lawn section by section.
In front of the dorm, a small vegetable plot had been cleared. Someone—likely one of the teachers—had planted large white radishes there. They snuck a few out, washed off the dirt, and munched on the raw radishes while working.
The radishes were sweet with a hint of spice, and the more they ate, the hungrier they got. Lu Youyi went to the cafeteria and bought a bag of sweet potatoes. The group gathered around a fire to roast them, and the delicious smell even lured Dean Xu over.
Dean Xu was fond of them, and Jiang Luo respected him deeply. While waiting for the sweet potatoes to cook, he chatted casually with Dean Xu. The conversation eventually turned to the topic of “man becoming a god,” which piqued everyone’s interest.
“‘Put down the butcher’s knife, become a Buddha on the spot’—it’s just a metaphor, a saying meant to encourage people to do good. The ‘Buddha’ here refers to taking refuge in Buddhism. But to say someone really becomes a Buddha? I’ve never seen it,” Ge Zhu said. “We do good to accumulate virtue. That virtue brings a smoother life and a better reincarnation. When people die, either the ghost messengers take them to be reborn, or if they die with unresolved anger, they become vengeful spirits. A person is still a person. They can’t become a god.”
Dean Xu listened to Ge Zhu without nodding or shaking his head, simply smiling silently.
Jiang Luo exchanged glances with the others and gave Lu Youyi a wink. Lu Youyi picked up on it and boldly asked, “Dean Xu, is it really impossible for someone to live forever?”
Jiang Luo had told them—the Fated One had lived for over two hundred years and hadn’t aged a day!
Dean Xu clearly understood why they were asking. He gave them a wry look and sighed, “You kids… Fine, this old man will give you a proper answer.”
“Have you ever heard the saying: ‘The soul is good, but the spirit is evil’?”
Ge Zhu laughed. “I’ve heard of it. People believe the ‘po’ is the troublemaker in the body. If the ‘hun’—the soul—leaves the body or weakens, the ‘po’ that remains in the body may join forces with evil entities. At worst, it causes nightmares; at its worst, it leads to death. Daoist cultivation focuses on refining the three souls, using the yang soul to suppress the harmful yin spirits. That way, the ‘po’ doesn’t attract evil, and the person can achieve longevity.”¹
Cyril looked confused. “Why would suppressing the ‘po’ lead to immortality?”
“Because the ‘po’ governs the limbs and sensory organs—our physical body,” Ge Zhu explained patiently. “The ‘hun’ governs thoughts and emotions—things we can’t touch or see. The physical body ages and decays, and that’s believed to be the result of the ‘po’ acting out. But if you suppress the ‘po’ with the soul, in theory, physical aging can be stopped.”
Dean Xu stroked his beard and said leisurely, “That’s exactly right.”
“It’s possible in theory. But has anyone actually done it?” Jiang Luo looked at Dean Xu. “Can you do it?”
“If I could, would I still be an old man?” Dean Xu huffed, glaring. “From the past to now, only the Fated One has managed to go two hundred years without aging.”
Jiang Luo smiled. “So you knew we were going to talk about the Fated One?”
Dean Xu snorted. “With your probing little tricks? The second you move, I know what you’re up to. All of you think your wings have grown strong enough to look into the Fated One? I’m warning you, you’d better stay in line. The Fated One is… terrifyingly powerful! Mess with anyone but him.”
Ye Xun lowered his voice and pleaded, “Dean, tell us just a little more. We won’t say a word to anyone.”
“Don’t even think about it. I don’t have anything more to say to you. I don’t know much about him either.” Dean Xu pulled the sweet potatoes from the fire, then pointed specifically at Jiang Luo. “Just because you’re someone Chi You likes, they definitely won’t let you off the hook. I only half believe the Fated One’s prophecy, but at the end of the day, he acts for the good of the metaphysical world. Still… I also don’t believe Chi You would do something like that. You must think for yourself—don’t just believe whatever people say.”
Jiang Luo nodded seriously. “I understand.”
Dean Xu stood up with the steaming sweet potatoes in his arms and patted Jiang Luo’s head.
“He’s a false god, not a real one. Look at his essence—he’s still human. And anything a human says carries personal desire. Since you and Chi You are lovers, you should give him more trust.”
With that, Dean Xu slowly walked away.
Jiang Luo’s expression turned strange, a half-suppressed smile twitching on his lips, until he finally buried his face in his knees and chuckled quietly.
That night in bed, Jiang Luo laid staring at the ceiling, recalling Ge Wuchen’s words.
How exactly did the Fated One absorb the power of offerings?
Jiang Luo thought about it for a long time, his mind a jumble of messy ideas, until he eventually drifted off. The next morning, while brushing his teeth, he glanced at the faucet—and suddenly froze.
He stretched out his hand. Water splashed over the back of it and scattered in all directions.
He filled his toothbrush cup to the brim. Not a drop spilled. He lifted it to his mouth and rinsed.
Jiang Luo’s movements grew slower, his eyes brighter.
He had found a third method, separate from Ge Wuchen’s two!
He rushed through the rest of his morning routine and ran back to his room, calculating the chances of success. The more he calculated, the more excited he became—until he couldn’t sit still anymore.
There was a 50% chance of success. Success or failure. But 50% was already a lot. Enough for Jiang Luo to bet on.
He was so excited he didn’t leave his room all day. After careful thought, he decided to act unexpectedly and go back up the mountain to find the Fated One himself.
He had a reason to return.
The Fated One was waiting for him at the mountaintop. Though he hadn’t taken any action yet, Jiang Luo knew he wouldn’t really be left alone. The Fated One had set up an elaborate game of chess—wasn’t it all to make Jiang Luo kill Chi You? If Jiang Luo returned on his own, at least he’d have the initiative. Better than passively waiting.
Besides… the last Yuan Tian Bead that Chi You needed was still in the Fated One’s hands.
If Jiang Luo wanted to kill the Fated One, it was only a matter of time before they met again.
But the method Jiang Luo came up with also carried the possibility of failure. To avoid dragging his friends down if things went wrong, he didn’t tell anyone. He packed alone, gave Bai Qiu a call, and the following night, changed into mountaineering gear, brought his blades, left behind a note, and walked out the school gates.
At night, Baihua University was extremely quiet. Jiang Luo left the school without issue. Driving his second-hand sedan, he arrived at a secluded residential area in the city center.
At the entrance to the complex, a beautiful woman wrapped in a down jacket was shivering as she waited. When she saw Jiang Luo, she hurried over. “You got here pretty fast.”
Jiang Luo smiled with a squint. “Sister Bai Qiu.”
Seeing him made Bai Qiu smile too. “You’re getting more handsome by the day.”
She handed the bouquet in her hands to Jiang Luo. “I locked this Lover’s Flower in a cabinet back then. It wasn’t until you called and asked for it that I remembered it even existed. I thought it would’ve withered long ago, but when I took it out, it still looked like it was in full bloom.”
Her expression was complicated. In her eyes, this vibrant red flower that resembled baby’s breath looked like some kind of monster. Only when Jiang Luo took it did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Jiang Luo smiled. “Thanks, Sister Bai Qiu.”
“No need to be polite with me,” she said.
As they said goodbye, Bai Qiu suddenly turned back as if something had occurred to her. “Oh right, Jiang Luo, are you still selling peace charms?”
Jiang Luo raised an eyebrow. “Someone wants to buy?”
“Word’s spread through the whole circle,” Bai Qiu explained. “They all say your charms work. There are people everywhere wanting to buy from you. Someone found out I know you and came through me. The prices they’re offering are decent too. If you want to sell, I’ll vet the buyers for you, make sure you don’t get taken advantage of.”
Ah, the entertainment industry.
Jiang Luo thought for a moment. “Not for now. If I change my mind, I’ll contact you.”
Bai Qiu nodded. Jiang Luo watched her leave. Only after she safely entered the building did he return to his car.
He placed the Lover’s Flower on the passenger seat. Though shaped like baby’s breath, its bright red color made it far more bewitching. Jiang Luo smiled as he looked at it for a while, breathing in the floral scent in the air, and drove contentedly toward the outskirts.
With this, he could raise the success rate even further.
From the city center to the Lian family’s mountain took four to five hours. When Jiang Luo arrived, the sky was just beginning to brighten. He picked a few petals from the Lover’s Flower and tucked them into his pocket, then began his hike up the mountain.
The snow had already melted. The newborn sun was rising slowly in the east, casting golden light across the whole mountaintop. By the time the sun had fully risen, Jiang Luo reached No Worldly Thoughts.
No one had expected him to return today. A young disciple quickly opened the gate for him, and not long after, Ji Yaozi came hurrying over.
Jiang Luo nodded to Ji Yaozi with a smile and walked forward with him. “Is the Fated One here?”
“He is,” Ji Yaozi said, eyeing him carefully. “Did you come through the night? Do you want to rest a bit first?”
Jiang Luo looked full of energy. “Pulling an all-nighter isn’t a big deal for someone my age. I also just wrapped up some things at the foot of the mountain. I ran into a few issues with my spirit-chaneling technique, so I figured I’d make the most of the time and come up.”
There were still young Daoists of Daoist Elder Wei He around, so Ji Yaozi didn’t bring up anything that couldn’t be said openly. He nodded knowingly and naturally shifted the topic to the spirit-calling technique. “How’s your practice going?”
“Not bad,” Jiang Luo smiled. “I’ve got a connection with the Wood Spirit, so things are going pretty smoothly.”
Ji Yaozi also asked about the trial. As they chatted, the two saw Daoist Elder Wei He approaching at a calm pace.
“You’re back,” Daoist Elder Wei He looked at Jiang Luo with relief. “You’ve been gone half a month. Ji Yaozi’s been looking forward to your return every day.”
Jiang Luo smiled faintly. “I thought that after I left the Heavenly Master Residence, you wouldn’t allow me back up the mountain.”
He was polite and didn’t mention the matter of Lian Xue trying to kill him. Daoist Elder Wei He gave him a long look, with a trace of unease in his eyes. “Your relationship with us is between you and me. You are you. Feng Li is Feng Li. Even if you’ve cut ties as Master and disciple, this place still welcomes you.”
Jiang Luo gave a slight smile. “Thank you, Daoist Elder Wei He.”
Daoist Elder Wei He led them to see the Fated One.
The Fated One was currently in the ancestral hall.
The wooden doors were shut tight. Daoist Elder Wei He knocked twice, then, without waiting for a response, pushed the door open and stepped inside. He turned back and instructed, “You two wait outside.”
Jiang Luo respectfully replied, “Yes, sir.”
Daoist Elder Wei He gently closed the door behind him and stepped into the inner chamber.
Inside, misty smoke coiled in the air. The scent of sandalwood hit him instantly. The windows were shut tight, giving the room an ethereal, divine feel. A blackwood table stood at the center with a statue of a deity placed in the middle. The incense burner was full of ash, with three sticks of incense slowly burning.
In front of the statue sat the Fated One, dressed in white.
Daoist Elder Wei He came up behind him and said in a low voice, “Fated One, Jiang Luo is back.”
“I heard his voice,” the Fated One replied softly.
He turned his head slightly, white hair falling past his shoulder. His expression was like snow—cold and light—as he murmured, “I didn’t expect him to come back of his own accord.”
Daoist Elder Wei He froze. Even the Fated One hadn’t expected it? He furrowed his brows and voiced his concern, “Fated One, could that kid be up to something?”
The Fated One gave a faint smile. “It doesn’t matter.”
He was so calm that Daoist Elder Wei He felt a bit reassured. He considered: Jiang Luo had soaked in the Celestial Pool, been bound by the Fated One’s word spell, and his spirit-chaneling was only with the Wood Spirit—he wouldn’t be able to cause much trouble. Yet he still couldn’t shake a lingering worry. “He didn’t even ask me about Lian Xue.”
Was this child really indifferent to everything because of the effects of the Tianbi Pool, or was it simply that he was too good at enduring?
“If he asks, you won’t be at ease. But if he doesn’t ask, you’re scratching your head in anxiety,” the Fated One lit three more sticks of incense. “Lian Chun, there’s no need to be this tense.”
Daoist Elder Wei He gave a bitter smile.
“If you’re worried, then have Lian Xue stay in the ancestral house with the young ones,” said the Fated One. “Back when Jiang Luo left the mountain, he didn’t kill Lian Xue. He won’t go after her in the future either. He’s someone who values friendship.”
Daoist Elder Wei He’s lips moved slightly. “Yes.”
The Fated One said, “Let him in.”
***
Jiang Luo stepped into the ancestral hall.
As soon as he entered the inner room, he saw the Fated One burning incense.
His gaze moved from the Fated One to the small statue on the altar. The smoke was thick, making it hard to see the statue’s face clearly.
“Fated One,” Jiang Luo spoke first, “I’m back.”
The Fated One inserted the incense into the burner and turned to look at him. “I didn’t expect you to return so soon.”
Jiang Luo said, “Sooner or later, I’d have come anyway. So I figured I might as well not waste time.”
The Fated One took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands, his gaze gentle and forgiving. “Have you thought it through?”
Jiang Luo remained silent.
The Fated One shook his head helplessly. “Jiang Luo, there’s no need to point your blade at me.”
He sat down to the side, the swirling smoke making him look almost transcendent. His light-colored eyes curved with a faint smile, like he was looking at a child. “I’ve said before, I don’t kill. Even if you want to kill me, I won’t lay a hand on you. Jiang Luo, I won’t hurt you. You can trust me more.”
After a long pause, Jiang Luo finally spoke softly, “I’ve seen the catastrophe you spoke of. I saw the future of the metaphysics world.”
The Fated One watched him quietly, waiting for him to continue.
“My friends…” Jiang Luo turned his head, clenching his jaw, trying to stay calm. “They’ll all die in that catastrophe.”
The Fated One comforted him, “It hasn’t happened yet.”
Jiang Luo took a deep breath, gradually calming down. “Fated One, I still don’t believe you. You say you’re a false god—then why don’t you deal with Chi You yourself? Why do you want me to do it?”
“Because I, too, am within fate,” the Fated One replied casually, then pointed to the statue. “Would you like to offer some incense?”
Jiang Luo obediently walked to the altar.
He drew out three sticks of incense and respectfully placed them. Then, subtly lifting his eyes, he looked at the statue.
The features of the statue were vague, but the brows and eyes were gentle—filled with compassion, as if it cherished all living beings.
Something about it felt faintly familiar. A thought stirred in Jiang Luo’s heart. “This statue… is it you?”
The Fated One nodded. “Yes.”
Jiang Luo asked, “Is this how you receive offerings?”
“Yes and no,” the Fated One replied unhurriedly. “It’s not that simple.”
Jiang Luo looked at the statue with amazement and admiration. “That’s incredible.”
The Fated One smiled faintly.
He had left the Yin-Yang hoop with Jiang Luo as a test. Jiang Luo had risked his life to break the seal on the hoop—which showed, first, that he was determined to grow stronger, and second, that his relationship with Chi You had reached a point where the hoop was needed to counter him. Someone like Jiang Luo couldn’t resist the temptation of power.
The Fated One appreciated people like that. Jiang Luo dared to question a false god, which meant he had the courage to challenge one.
Jiang Luo memorized the statue’s appearance before walking over to sit beside the Fated One. He clearly intended to have a long talk. When the teapot ran out of water, Jiang Luo got up to refill it himself.
The kitchen wasn’t far. Jiang Luo didn’t take long. When he returned, the Fated One noticed the top of the teapot was damp and casually asked, “Why is it wet?”
“There was dust on it, so I wiped it with a wet cloth,” Jiang Luo replied. “The kitchen’s covered in a layer of dust too. That’s the trouble with wood fires—ash flies everywhere.”
“I see,” the Fated One said. “But we old folks are used to boiling water with firewood.”
Jiang Luo poured him a full cup and asked gently, “So… how old are you exactly?”
The Fated One thought for a moment. “I can’t remember the exact number of years anymore.”
He reached out to take the cup from Jiang Luo. The moment he touched it, thirst rose up within him. Looking down, the water was clear to the bottom, rippling slightly with a sweet fragrance—just looking at it made his mouth dry.
The Fated One took a sip, then suddenly smiled. “This water… something’s off.”
Jiang Luo smiled steadily. “What’s wrong with it?”
The Fated One took another sip, closed his eyes, and carefully discerned the difference. “Ash from a harmony talisman… petals from the Lover’s Flower…”
“Yes,” Jiang Luo admitted cleanly. “You got it all right.”
A faint blush rose on the Fated One’s cheeks—the effects of the substance were already kicking in—but his hand holding the teacup remained steady. He set the cup down on the table with his eyes still closed and, as if “looking” at Jiang Luo, curiously asked, “Why did you use that on me?”
“I didn’t want to either,” Jiang Luo replied with a deepening smile. “But my goal is too important. I’m afraid my own strength isn’t enough. So, to be absolutely sure, I had to use both strategy and force. But don’t worry, Fated One—since you’re like an ancestor to me, I definitely don’t have any other intentions toward you.”
The Fated One accurately picked out the key word and repeated it: “Goal?”
The Fated One’s expression remained unchanged. Apart from the slight flush on his face, he still looked like a cold and emotionless celestial being.
“I didn’t expect even a false god to be affected by medicine,” Jiang Luo remarked with a sigh. “But this gives me an idea. I don’t know if other medicines work on you, but this one is different. Once, by coincidence, I used Harmony Talisman Water on a very powerful vengeful spirit. Even a ghost that strong was subdued by the drug for fifteen minutes. I imagine on you, it would last at least fifteen minutes too.”
Chi You had been affected by a mixture of Harmony Talismann and Lover’s Flower. He was the future victor, the definitive protagonist of the story. If even he could be affected, then others who weren’t as strong as him—Fated One included—certainly wouldn’t be exempt.
The Fated One sat composedly, but his breathing began to heat up.
He had already guessed who that “powerful vengeful spirit” was.
An unfamiliar heat surged up from his organs—strange and foreign. Though he wasn’t looking at Jiang Luo, his ears caught every movement. There seemed to be the sound of paper and pen brushing—was Jiang Luo writing?
Soon, footsteps approached the Fated One.
Jiang Luo suddenly withdrew his smile, his voice turning cold—so cold it seemed as though it would soon turn into a dagger to pierce through the Fated One. “Fated One, open your eyes.”
His voice sounded like divine music in the Fated One’s ears. The Fated One realized something was wrong with his emotions, yet he couldn’t suppress them. Helplessly, he opened his eyes and looked at Jiang Luo.
The black-haired young man stood before him, gazing down from above. That handsome face was cold as frost, making it abundantly clear to the Fated One: Jiang Luo’s actions had nothing to do with affection or jest. He was simply trying to achieve his goal.
But even so, an odd sense of fondness rose in the Fated One’s heart—something new and unfamiliar.
By nature aloof, and as a false god, it was the first time he had felt such partiality toward a human being.
Jiang Luo said, “First, give me the last Yuan Tian Bead.”
The Fated One paused, helplessness deepening in his eyes. He smiled gently, then still took out a transparent bead from his body and handed it to Jiang Luo.
Jiang Luo stored the Yuan Tian Bead and continued, “Second, look at these three words.”
The Fated One instinctively looked at the slip of paper in his hand.
The qi within Jiang Luo surged out violently—word spirit had taken effect.
The Fated One’s pupils suddenly contracted, and a blaring sense of danger screamed in his mind. He stared hard at the three characters, as Jiang Luo’s uncompromising command echoed in his ears.
He said, “Fated One, worship me.”
