Journey to the head

Do you want to consult a fortune teller?
Even for ordinary cultivators, the higher their cultivation level, the more obscure and difficult to fathom their destiny becomes. Not to mention someone like himself, whose "destiny is chaotic," the deeper the karmic connection with him, the more unfathomable his destiny becomes. Even the renowned divination master Wei Zhaixing, and Bai Ze, who is said to know ten thousand years into the past and a thousand years into the future, cannot see a trace of it.

Most importantly, the True Dragon Heavenly Lord has already perished, so what's the point of drawing lots in his temple?
After a leisurely half-day, the group was relaxed and happy. Hearing the introduction, Jiang Baitao looked eager to try it out, and even her usually dignified and composed senior sister seemed to remember something and looked at her expectantly.

“Alright, since we’re here at the Immortal Fall Islands, we should do as the locals do.” Lu Qian smiled and said, “Let’s go and draw a fortune stick.”

Bai Tao cheered and took the lead, with Lu Qian and Jiang Qingfeng holding hands and slowly following behind.

Upon closer inspection, the temple appears grand and imposing, constructed entirely of warm yellow coral stone, with upturned eaves adorned with countless coiling and soaring dragons. The roof is not made of tiles, but rather a massive, shimmering mother-of-pearl that reflects a dreamlike seven-colored halo in the sunlight.

This temple complex occupies a considerable area, with various shrines on both sides and three main halls along the central axis. Many people come to worship and draw lots, but most are low-level cultivators.

Upon entering the front hall, one sees Jiang Baitao blinking her bright eyes, curiously gazing at the tall white jade statue before her. The Beiluo Shimen on her shoulder raises its tail, sniffing the strange fragrance that permeates the air, which is neither sandalwood nor not sandalwood.

"Senior brother, whose statue is this?"

He was a handsome young man, dressed in dreamlike, shimmering glass armor, exuding extraordinary bravery and wisdom. However, Lu Qian looked him over from all angles, but couldn't recognize him.

To be enshrined separately in the front hall, one must be a prominent figure among the dragons, right? One of the nine sons? But it doesn't seem likely—

"Greetings, seniors."

Just as Lu Qian was hesitating, an old temple keeper dressed in dark blue robes and wearing a jade crown came forward to greet him. His cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, but he had a lot of experience in dealing with people and had lost the arrogance of a fallen immortal cultivator.

Seeing that Lu Qian and the other two had extraordinary bearing, especially Lu Qian, who, despite concealing his aura, could not hide his long-held power and intangible authority, they immediately dared not be negligent and stepped forward to bow respectfully.

Lu Qian nodded in return, and the temple keeper smiled and said, "These seniors look like they are from overseas, no wonder they don't recognize this True Lord."

True Lord? True Lord of Refining Emptiness?
"Although his fame is not as great as that of the Nine Sons of the True Dragon, his status is actually on par with them. Moreover, because of his wisdom, resourcefulness and loyalty, he was able to be enshrined in his own hall and guard the mountain gate for the True Dragon Heavenly Lord."

Lu Qian was startled; it was actually—

"This is the True Lord Mengchi."

Jiang Qingfeng's eyes widened, and Bai Tao let out a small gasp.

Lu Qian looked up at the statue, both amused and exasperated, at the dragon lord who had died at his hands.

No wonder I didn't recognize him. Meng Chi had taken over Ji Yunrou's body before, but after being separated, he revealed his true form. Meng Chi's memory fragments were also from a first-person perspective, so I had never seen his human form.

He now appears to be a handsome and talented man.

Lu Qian nodded with a complicated expression and walked back with Qingfeng and Baitao.

Seeing that Lu Qian did not pay his respects, the temple keeper hesitated to speak, but could only stay by their side and continue to introduce the group.

Upon arriving at the second hall, one finds four dragon princes lined up on either side.

"You should have seen the images of the nine sons of the true dragon before, so I won't elaborate," the temple keeper said.

"Wait a minute, why are there only eight statues here? Where is the son?" Jiang Baitao asked.

The temple keeper smiled and said, "There is another son who has made great contributions to both the dragon and human races. She is also recognized as the true dragon strategist of the Heavenly Lord, so she often accompanies the Heavenly Lord in the third main hall."

Lu Qian nodded. The dragon prince statues were lifelike and bore a striking resemblance to the fragments of Meng Chi's memories. However, seemingly to emphasize the dragon race's attributes, each dragon lord's statue was not entirely human-shaped, retaining some dragon characteristics, and was colorful, possessing a strange cuteness.

Without lingering, the group went straight into the main hall.

The interior of the main hall was extremely spacious, with a high dome adorned with a magnificent mural depicting ten thousand dragons paying homage. There were many worshippers, but no noise was heard, only low prayers and the rustling sound of shaking the divination sticks.

Upon closer inspection, one could see a ten-zhang-tall statue of the True Dragon Heavenly Lord standing in the center of the main hall. Clad in heavy armor, holding a decree, he exuded majesty and his gaze was piercing, as if he were looking down upon the vast sea of ​​stars, radiating an ancient and awe-inspiring aura.

Beside him stood a woman of refined elegance, one of the Nine Sons, Fu Xi.

Gazing at the two statues, he witnessed the changing of the seasons and the shifting of stars. The True Dragon Heavenly Lord vanished before him, while the bloodline of the Fuxi was, in a way, reborn because of him.

Lu Qian was lost in thought, but Jiang Qingfeng couldn't help but take a step forward. Looking at the statue of the True Dragon Heavenly Lord, she felt her blood throb.

“Since you seniors have come before the Heavenly Lord, it is a matter of fate,” the temple keeper said slowly. “Why not draw a fortune stick? My Dragon Pattern Fortune Stick is quite famous in this vast sea of ​​stars.”

Lu Qian lowered his gaze and saw a huge tortoise shell divination tube placed in front of the statue of the True Dragon Heavenly Lord. It was densely filled with spiritual divination sticks that looked like bone and jade, numbering over a thousand.

Before he could respond, Jiang Qingfeng preemptively asked, "Then I'll trouble you, fellow Daoist, how do I draw a divination slip?"

The old temple keeper's smile deepened: "Simply infuse spiritual power into the tortoise shell, and a divination slip will be produced. However, you must know, senior, that sincerity is key to obtaining a divination slip. Also, you must never speak what you are asking for. Once you do, it's like revealing a heavenly secret, and the divination will no longer be effective."

"Moreover, the mystery of the divination slips is hidden in the heavens. After drawing one, you need to ponder and understand it yourself. This old man can only know good and bad fortune, but I cannot interpret the divination slips for you."

Do you only want to draw a fortune slip, but not interpret it?
Lu Qian chuckled inwardly. The divination slip was bound to be ambiguous and could be interpreted in any way. Its supposed efficacy was nothing more than the result of low-level cultivators blindly following the crowd and actively pandering to popular opinion.

Furthermore, this statue is not a celestial artifact like the Myriad Dharma Heavenly Lord; it has merely been worshipped for a long time and is filled with impure thoughts. How can it be said to be efficacious?
However, the senior sister had already knelt down on the prayer mat in front of the tortoise shell, her hands clasped to her chest, her face full of piety, and silently praying.

Seeing her beautiful eyes slightly closed, her long, thick eyelashes trembling gently, Lu Qian felt a surge of affection in his heart. Although he didn't know what wish his senior sister was asking about, he would do anything to fulfill it for her, even if it meant going through fire and water.

Jiang Qingfeng silently made up her mind, then gently stretched out her wrist and patted the tortoise shell with her palm. Spiritual energy flowed in, and thousands of spiritual divination slips rustled. In an instant, a slip of paper leaped out and landed on the table.

The temple keeper quickly picked it up, glanced at it, and his face lit up with joy. He shouted, "Congratulations, fairy! It's number seven, an extremely auspicious sign! Your wishes will surely come true!"

Lu Qian smiled and congratulated his senior sister, then joined Jiang Baitao as they came closer to look. Jiang Qingfeng tightly gripped the warm, smooth fortune slip, on which was engraved a poem:
"The moon shines brightly over the vast sea, and the clam finds a pearl; the warm wind melts the snow, and the swallows carry the scent of spring."

"Heaven bestows upon me a precious pill, laden with jade dew; a phoenix carries my dream to your gate."

The senior sister stared intently at the fortune slip, reading it several times. Two blushes appeared on her snow-white cheeks. She subconsciously touched her lower abdomen, her eyes full of gentle smiles.

Lu Qian immediately understood. Although he felt helpless, seeing his senior sister so happy, he smiled and nodded, thanking the temple keeper.

Seeing that her sister's wish had come true, Jiang Baitao was overjoyed and wanted to draw a fortune stick immediately.

Jiang Qingfeng suppressed his excitement and reluctantly returned the divination slips. He then took a deep breath, his expression becoming serious, and asked the temple keeper.

"Fellow Daoist, I have another matter I'd like to divine. May I draw another divination slip?"

The old temple keeper paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "As the old saying goes, things don't happen more than three times. If you only need to draw a second fortune stick, that's fine too."

Jiang Qingfeng composed herself and silently prayed. This time, she inquired about the fortunes and misfortunes of the trip to the Dragon Palace. Her junior brother had prepared for this trip for a long time; it was a matter of great importance and fraught with danger, and she was truly worried.

The tortoise shell trembled, and another fortune stick fell.

The old temple keeper picked it up and took a look. His expression changed drastically. His previous joy vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of fear.

He hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Three hundred and thirty-three, the worst... a very bad omen." "Very bad?" Jiang Qingfeng's heart tightened, and he took the slip of paper. It read:

"The crystal palace holds the jade spirit, and the golden scales and broken halberds lock the deep abyss."

The path to immortality is long and arduous, separated by the stars of Orion and Scorpio; I can only gaze at the bright moon shining on my lonely sleep.

“Separated by the stars, the moon shines on my lonely sleep…” Jiang Qingfeng murmured these words, feeling a chill rise from the bottom of his heart, and his fingers felt slightly cold.

Lu Qian glanced at her, then gently shook his head, grasped her hand, and said softly, "It's just that you were unlucky this time and drew a bad lot. Don't worry."

He and Bai Tao exchanged a glance. They were the closest relatives in the world who knew Jiang Qingfeng best, so how could they not guess what she wanted to divine?

Seeing that her sister had drawn an unlucky lot, Jiang Baitao was indignant and immediately shouted, "Sister, don't think nonsense! I'll also divine what you're thinking. Let me draw a lucky lot!"

Fomalhaut meowed loudly on her shoulder, as if encouraging her.

Jiang Baitao quickly stepped forward, placed her hand on the tortoise shell, and infused it with spiritual energy.

With a clatter, the slip of paper fell to the ground.

The old temple keeper picked it up and took a look. His body stiffened, and his face turned even more ugly.

"This fairy... this divination slip... the 555th slip, is also a very bad omen..."

Jiang Baitao was stunned for a moment, then snatched the slip of paper. It read:

"The brilliance of the spirit is obscured by dust, its light gradually dimming; a lone star falls from the heavens to the mortal realm."

It's not that I've lost my way home, but rather that I'm like a drifting duckweed, impossible to find.

Jiang Baitao read it aloud, then snorted angrily, "What does that mean? What does 'lost the way home, hard to find' mean?"

"I already have the cultivation of the late Golden Core stage, and I've been blessed with good fortune by the Beiluo Shimen sect. Bah! No, no!"

Seeing her sister's furrowed brows, Bai Tao was so angry that she almost threw the slip of paper, but Lu Qian stopped her with a look.

Beiluoshimen also sensed its master's anger, letting out a low whimper, and a burst of spiritual light erupted from its body.

The old temple keeper smiled wryly and could only comfort him: "Senior, please don't be angry. Whether the divination is accurate or not depends on one's own heart. As the old saying goes, do good deeds and don't worry about the future. As long as your heart is on the right path, you will always be able to turn bad luck into good."

However, with two consecutive extremely unlucky divination results, the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat oppressive.

Lu Qian, however, remained calm and slowly stepped forward.

"Let me draw the last fortune stick."

I am a person whose fate is chaotic, but destiny is entirely in my own hands!

Whether the Dragon Palace is auspicious or inauspicious depends on human effort!
With a burst of spiritual energy, a fortune stick fell to the ground.

The old temple keeper almost dared not look at it, taking a deep breath before picking it up. He examined it carefully for a long time, seemingly relieved.

"Senior... This is the ninety-ninth divination slip, a neutral one. It has both auspicious and inauspicious aspects; it depends on your interpretation."

Qianyun:

"The dragon in the clouds extends its claws to break through the mysterious barrier; after the tribulations are overcome, the path becomes wide."

Though I climb to the highest peak of the heavens, I see no old friend returning on a crane.

Lu Qian's gaze sharpened slightly, then he suddenly smiled faintly.

"Thank you, fellow Taoist."

He handed the slip back, nodded to the old temple keeper, put down the spirit crystals that far exceeded the usual amount, and then walked out with Qingfeng and Baitao.

The temple keeper hurriedly saw them off, escorting them all the way out of the temple gate. Several times he wanted to say something to comfort them about the unfavorable fortune slips, but he didn't know how to start, so he could only silently lead the way.

After Lu Qian and his companions disappeared from sight, the temple keeper sighed softly. Just as he turned around, he was shocked.

But then the temple's young apprentice came running over, tumbling and crawling!
"Master, something has happened!"

The temple keeper rushed back to the main hall, and after just one glance, he almost collapsed to the ground.

The statue of the True Dragon Heavenly Lord, which had stood for thousands of years and always shone with brilliance, suddenly emitted a faint crackling sound, and spiderweb-like cracks spread across its entire body.

Then, with a loud bang, the ten-zhang-tall True Dragon Heavenly Monarch statue shattered under the panicked gazes of the surrounding cultivators!

Lu Qian and his companions, who had come down the mountain, were now chatting and laughing as usual, and had regained their composure.

Having survived countless life-or-death ordeals since their exile, the three had become adept at facing death and had long since solidified their resolve, no longer relying on external things. Lu Qian and Jiang Qingfeng, in particular, had overcome the great tribulation of inner demons, achieving enlightenment and clarity of mind. How could they possibly be disturbed by a few inexplicable fortune-telling words?
This divination was just a whim and shouldn't be taken seriously.

Jiang Qingfeng was somewhat frustrated. He had received a very auspicious first fortune slip and wanted to continue for good luck, but one after another, the fortune slips were all unlucky. Now, he simply laughed off the fortune slips, and the auspiciousness of the first one was also negated.

"Senior sister, there's no need to be upset." Lu Qian laughed and imitated the old temple keeper's tone. "As the old saying goes, I have no doubt about auspicious prophecies, but all ominous ones are superstition. We have already cultivated our minds to be clear and transparent, so we can believe whichever we want. Just choose the pleasant ones to believe."

Jiang Baitao clapped vigorously: "Absolutely right, absolutely right, Senior Brother is right."

Jiang Qingfeng couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Where did you get such an ancient saying? Where did you get it from?"

Lu Qian was about to reply when he suddenly turned his head.

"Yu Jiao is back."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Yu Jiao came running over carrying a golden wine jar. The jar had a strange shape, seemingly made of scales, and the wine inside made a crisp sound.

"My lord, look! This is the prize I won in the drinking contest!" The chubby boy, his face flushed, proudly presented his prize. "It's called Dragon Turtle Harmony Wine, and it's the shop's prized possession."

"Using the blood of a thousand-year-old dragon turtle as the main ingredient, supplemented with thirty-six kinds of deep-sea spiritual treasures, it nourishes yin and yang, harmonizes the dragon and tiger, and can especially increase offspring." The chubby boy winked and gestured to Jiang Qingfeng, "If a man drinks it, a woman can't stand it; if a woman drinks it, a man can't stand it; if both men and women drink it, the bed can't stand it."

"One cup for a secret pregnancy, two cups for babies running around, three cups for a house full of grandchildren—"

Lu Qian kicked him directly, took the jar of Dragon Turtle Harmony Wine in his hand, and met his senior sister's shy and timid gaze.

Junior brother, I believe you. (End of Chapter)