Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Lifetime of Merits and Demerits

The fortune-telling Taoist, Zhu Ding, opened his eyes, which were as deep and clear as mountain pools. He scrutinized Yang Nan, and suddenly, a strange brilliance flashed within his gaze. As his eyes locked onto Yang Nan’s face, they seemed capable of peering into the very depths of a person’s soul.

After his inspection, Zhu Ding’s expression faltered, and a look of bewilderment crossed his face. Yang Nan felt a chill; the strange radiance in the Taoist’s eyes was clearly a form of supernatural Taoist art. There was no fluctuation of spiritual energy, yet it was undeniably a profound and eerie mystical ability.

Zhu Ding bowed his head in thought, then suddenly smiled: "I ask you, young master, to extend your left palm so that I may examine your life lines."

Seeing that he did not appear to be a charlatan, Yang Nan smiled and held out his hand. Zhu Ding gently cradled Yang Nan’s jade-like palm in his own slender hand. After observing for a long time, he muttered, "The life line is fierce, the fortune line is ominous, yet the destiny line is blessed... Strange... this is truly strange."

"Let me consult my divination staff to be certain," he said. Reaching out, he took the bamboo rod from his horizontal banner and measured it inch by inch with his fingers, finally stopping at a specific segment.

Yang Nan could see clearly that the rod was inscribed with characters such as 'Law, Aspect, Hegemony, Might, Troop, Heaven, Earth, Man, Ghost, God.' It looked like a peculiar calculation artifact of the Art Sect, yet the rod was a yellowish-green, and the dozens of tiny golden characters seemed to emerge from within the bamboo nodes as if they had grown there naturally. It had the form of bamboo, but contained a spirit within.

*‘Eh? What is the origin of this rod... It looks like an uncirculated copper coin?’* Yang Nan felt a sudden jolt in his heart upon seeing the magical bamboo. This Taoist, Zhu Ding, was not necessarily a fraud, nor was he a mere mortal without cultivation. This bamboo... could it actually be an innate spiritual treasure? If innate spiritual treasures were everywhere, the world would be filled with true immortals.

*‘Does he have another motive for seeking me out?’* Yang Nan looked up to study Zhu Ding carefully, yet he could not find a single flaw in the man’s demeanor. He appeared to be a completely ordinary person from start to finish—and the more flawless a person seemed, the more suspicious they became.

Yang Nan’s doubts grew, but as Zhu Ding held no malice, he decided to wait and see.

After reading the three golden characters on the bamboo node, Zhu Ding raised his bright eyes, which were now filled with deep confusion. Looking at Yang Nan, he said, "Young master, your destiny is unique. If you do not mind, I shall grant you a prophecy to be verified in the future."

Seeing the man’s solemn expression, Yang Nan smiled. "Please speak plainly, Taoist. I, too, wish to know what my fate holds."

Zhu Ding tapped the bamboo banner lightly, and the dozens of characters were instantly hidden again by the white cloth. He said slowly, "Young master, you were born in response to destiny and shall perish in response to it. Your life’s achievements can be summed up in eight words."

Curious, Yang Nan asked, "I await your guidance, Taoist. Which eight words define my life?"

Zhu Ding sighed and said faintly, "Your merits are hegemonic, and your transgressions are equally hegemonic!"

When he spoke the words 'hegemonic' (Ba Dao), his face was solemn, and his tone carried an infinite, murderous chill that made the very air around them grow cold.

Yang Nan chuckled. "To be honest, Taoist, I am also a practitioner of the Tao. My life is dedicated to the Heavenly Path; I neither participate in worldly affairs nor contend for power. Where could this 'hegemony' come from?" Although Yang Nan spoke with skepticism, he secretly admired the Taoist. Hegemony was not only the style of the Kunlun Sect but also his own code of conduct since his reincarnation.

In this life, if one cannot fully express one's will and roam the world, what is the point of cultivating immortality? Even if one acts with hegemony, so be it.

Zhu Ding shook his head. "I do not understand it either, but the Three Lives Reincarnation Eyes and the Divination Staff have both determined that you are a man of destiny, so it cannot be wrong. The life, fortune, and destiny lines in your palm all carry a biting air of slaughter and warfare. This fate is fiercely violent—even the legendary stars of the Heavens—Greedy Wolf, Seven Killings, and Broken Army—do not possess such an ominous aspect! My cultivation is still too low to grasp the mysteries within; I am truly ashamed." Zhu Ding spoke with such gravity that it did not seem like he was lying at all.

Yang Nan felt bewildered: *‘Does this mean that once I fulfill the Venerable’s wish, I will be plunged into great conflict? The three凶-star lords of the Heavens once stirred up countless bloody storms in the mortal realm. For him to say my fate is even more violent than theirs—is that not absurd?’*

"Taoist, your Art Sect techniques are truly impressive. Is there any way to resolve this confusion?" Since the man was no charlatan, he must be a genius of the Art Sect. Yang Nan could not help but be curious about his own bizarre reincarnation.

Zhu Ding spoke seriously: "This is the decree of Heaven, which no human effort can reverse. Young master, your blessings are profound. If you encounter difficulties in the future, remember the saying: 'The bell must be untied by the one who tied it.' Your life hides death within life, and life within death; it is truly the most peculiar destiny of the ages. My cultivation is shallow, and I dare not make a rash judgment."

*‘The bell must be untied by the one who tied it?’* Yang Nan knew that those of the Taoist path never spoke completely clearly. The message was cryptic, but the meaning was simple: all causality stemmed from a single person or object. Given the many people and items around him, how could he know where his fate was tied?

However, every sect had its own rules. Yang Nan nodded. "Thank you for your guidance, Taoist. I will keep these words in mind. Please accept this thousand taels of silver as a fee for your divination."

Zhu Ding frowned. "I have not seen through your fate clearly enough; I cannot accept this money! In all my travels across the world, I have never encountered someone whose destiny I could not fathom. The further along your path, the more blurred it becomes. I must return to my mountain to fetch the Nirvana Reincarnation Disk to properly divine it..."

Seeing him obsessed with his craft, Yang Nan shook his head inwardly. A voice from the side spoke up: "Husband, what are you and this Taoist discussing?"

Yang Nan turned to see his wife, Fang Qingyan, smiling at him warmly. He pointed to Zhu Ding and said, "Qingyan, come meet Taoist Zhu Ding of the Void Cave. This Taoist is skilled in calculating destinies and determining cycles of reincarnation; his methods are truly remarkable."

Fang Qingyan bowed gracefully. "Fang of the Yang clan greets you, Taoist."

Zhu Ding, who had been lost in thought over Yang Nan’s destiny, was startled when he saw Fang Qingyan. He pointed at her in shock: "Eh? Why is this another strange destiny?"

Fang Qingyan looked puzzled, then smiled. "May I ask, Taoist, how my destiny is strange?"

Zhu Ding examined her face closely, then glanced at the two maidservants, Lian and Die, and the old crab-spirit behind her. His gaze lingered longest on the two maids. He sighed in a strange tone and muttered, "I have traveled the world... yet today I meet several people with such mysterious and bizarre destinies... Could it be... that my skills are lacking?"

The maids, Lian and Die, giggled at the flustered Taoist. Bai Yi said playfully, "Taoist, are you saying that we will eventually become immortals, so you can't see through our fates?"

Seeing Bai Yi teasing him, Fang Qingyan scolded, "Bai Yi, do not be rude. This is a master of the Art Sect. Apologize to him at once."

Bai Yi, seeing her mistress was serious, pouted but dared not tease further.

Zhu Ding began calculating on his fingers, using his peculiar bamboo rod to divine for a long while, ignoring everyone else. Suddenly, he clapped his hands and laughed wildly. "Good, good, good! I could not fathom the man’s destiny, but I have finally gained some insight into these three women! I have not disgraced the reputation of the Art Sect after all! If I could not even calculate the fate of these people, I would have no face to meet my ancestors!"

Yang Nan, seeing Zhu Ding’s obsession, found it amusing. Seeing his mood turn from worry to joy, he asked, "Taoist, what is my wife’s destiny?"

Zhu Ding said coldly, "The Art Sect never speaks in vain. Forgive my bluntness, but your wife is covered in black clouds, her soul like a fraying thread; I fear she will not live past this year! The bond between you two is coming to an end. As for your two maids, their fortunes are tied to yours, and they too face inescapable calamities! Their future is grim! Even with your profound power, young master, I fear you will be unable to reverse this."

Yang Nan remained silent, but the old crab and the shrimp commander were incensed. The old crab rolled up his sleeves and shouted, "You wild Taoist, how dare you spout such nonsense? My mistress is kind and a practitioner of the Tao—where is this 'short-lived' appearance coming from? Are you trying to alarm us with lies?"

Zhu Ding stood his ground, unfazed by the threats of the demons. He merely curled his lips into a cold smile. "Would I, a member of the Art Sect, fear death and use lies to threaten you? If you want to kill me, do it!"

"Old Crab, do not be rude. How can you punish a man for his words?" Fang Qingyan stopped her guard, then smiled at Zhu Ding. "Taoist, is there any way to resolve this?"

Zhu Ding sighed. "Madam Yang, forgive my bluntness. Fate is decreed by Heaven; your destiny remains unresolvable. It will manifest within this year. Why would I curse someone to die without reason?"

"Unresolvable?" Fang Qingyan’s face turned pale. "Is my life to end this year? How can I then bear children for the Yang family? How can I bear to leave my husband..." She looked at Yang Nan, a flash of sorrow in her eyes.

"Qingyan, we who cultivate the Tao are going against the heavens. My fate is in my own hands, not Heaven’s! If fate were fixed, why cultivate immortality?" Yang Nan felt moved by her concern for her family duties rather than her own life. He took her slender hand and smiled warmly.

Most people believed in fate, and in a world where gods and reincarnation were known facts, Fang Qingyan feared the prophecy. But Yang Nan was a man who did not believe in such things. Since even mortals had the courage to break the cages of fate, how could those who cultivated immortality bow their heads in defeat?

Feeling his grip, Fang Qingyan’s heart steadied. She realized: *‘This prophecy only applies to mortals. Cultivators are meant to transcend reincarnation. With my husband by my side, what disaster could befall me?’* In her heart, her husband was the greatest man in the world, and nothing could defeat him.