novelraw Chapter 350: Divination Lottery, Life-Reading and Precepts
Chapter 350: Divination Lottery, Life-Reading and Precepts
South, Hidden Sword Manor.
Lü Yang’s Immortal Spirit Body remained hidden within the Stone Sword. Before him lay a page from the [Centome] and a bamboo Divination Tube.
"Come on, lucky... lucky... I need to get lucky!"
As Lü Yang’s eyes widened, the Divination Tube on the [Centome]’s page shook, and three brilliantly glowing fortunes tumbled out.
Lü Yang focused his gaze and a look of delight immediately spread across his face.
[Event: The final step of cultivating the "Sensing Profound Spiritual Response Scripture"]
[Xiaoji: Although your Enlightenment is lacking, you’re in good shape today, and you quickly cross the final hurdle.]
[Moji: Due to your lack of Enlightenment, you struggled with the final difficulty for a long time. Ultimately, you relied on persistence and willpower to grasp the key.]
[Minor Misfortune: Your talent is insufficient. You failed to cultivate it.]
"I got a good one!"
Without a second thought, Lü Yang grabbed the [Xiaoji] fortune. The other two fortunes dissipated on the spot, while the [Xiaoji] merged into his body.
After several months of experimentation, he had completely mastered the [Divination Lottery] Talent Skill.
’First, this Talent Skill can’t be used continuously. Each use requires accumulating Fortune in advance. Only with enough Fortune can I initiate a draw.’
’However, the more Fortune I accumulate, the greater the probability of drawing a good fortune.’
’Second, these fortunes are mostly supplementary. I can’t use the lottery to accomplish things that are theoretically impossible for me to achieve.’
For example, if he decided to challenge Ang Xiao to a duel right now, even if he accumulated an immense amount of Fortune, the only result he could draw would be [Great Evil]. Strictly speaking, this Talent Skill only revealed future possibilities; the choice of whether to act on them was still up to Lü Yang himself.
But to put it another way, as long as something was theoretically achievable for Lü Yang...
...he could use the [Divination Lottery] Talent Skill to ignore the process, retrieve the result directly, and ensure he would succeed!
"A pity it wasn’t a [Great Fortune]..."
A nostalgic look appeared on Lü Yang’s face. He could still recall the feedback he’d received after unexpectedly drawing a [Great Fortune] more than two months ago.
It was truly as if he were divinely aided!
During this period, he had been cultivating the "Sensing Profound Spiritual Response Scripture," a Second-Grade Cultivation Skill created by the Sword Pavilion for the [Profound Spirit Realm], which was extremely profound and abstruse.
This was different from the [Heavenly Qian Totalizing All Manifestations Dharma Body], which only required an investment of resources. The former, however, demanded a certain level of ethereal Enlightenment.
Because of this, Lü Yang had repeatedly hit a wall while cultivating the "Sensing Profound Spiritual Response Scripture."
However, on the day he drew the [Great Fortune], his condition was unbelievably good. He could figure out any problem with ease.
It was like taking a multiple-choice test and getting every single blind guess correct.
In that instant, Lü Yang even had the illusion that his Enlightenment was comparable to Progenitor Tingyou’s, which showed just how exaggerated the boost from a [Great Fortune] was.
"Oh well, a [Xiaoji] isn’t bad either."
Lü Yang gathered his thoughts. He had already cultivated the "Sensing Profound Spiritual Response Scripture" to its final stage, and a [Xiaoji] was more than enough to get him over the line.
WHOOSH!
With a flicker of his will, a ball of flame appeared in Lü Yang’s hand. This was the [Six Ding Divine Fire], one of the three Supreme Treasures Lü Yang had obtained inside the [South Celestial Gate]. He had secretly kept it when he left, specifically for the purpose of Qi Collection. By now, he had already refined most of this fire seed.
’This [Six Ding Divine Fire] is a gentle flame.’
’Rather than a furnace fire for Alchemy or Artifact Refining, it’s more like a fire of wisdom born from the thoughts of the human heart, capable of making one’s mind quick and nimble... ’
Soon, Lü Yang gradually absorbed the fire seed.
With the boost from the [Xiaoji], the result of a successful cultivation was already in Lü Yang’s grasp, so his practice encountered practically no bottlenecks.
Before long, a streak of Illusionary Colors appeared in his Spiritual Space.
’It’s a bit like an Ability...’
Lü Yang gazed at the Illusionary Colors in his Spiritual Space. This was the product of successfully cultivating the "Sensing Profound Spiritual Response Scripture." It was like an Ability, but not quite; like a Spiritual Treasure, but not quite.
Its name was: [Life-Reading and Precepts].
Through it, Lü Yang also learned the name of the Profound Spirit Realm’s Fruit: [Fate], which implied that all things in Heaven and Earth possessed their own fixed destiny.
In fact, the entire structure of the [Profound Spirit Realm] was just so. The Celestial Court reigned on high, and the Five Immortals under its rule were in perfect order.
However, seeing as the [Profound Spirit Realm]’s Celestial Court had failed to truly command Heaven and Earth and control the Fortune of all living beings, this Fruit probably still had room to grow.
Unfortunately, it ran into the Stain Sect before that could happen.
The result, naturally, was that its work was not yet half done when it collapsed and died. Now, with the Celestial Court fractured, the Fruit had fallen into this world; its complete absorption was only a matter of time.
As for [Life-Reading and Precepts], it was a Divine Effect derived from the [Fate] Fruit.
What is Life-Reading?
What is Upholding Precepts?
’So-called Life-Reading is actually a method of weaving Fortune, constraining a limited amount of it in a single direction to maximize its effect.’
’And Upholding Precepts is the method to constrain that Fortune.’
’After Life-Reading, you accept a precept. As long as you don’t break it, you can maintain the blessing of the Life-Reading. But once you break the precept, you will immediately suffer a backlash from your Fortune.’
Similar methods existed in the [Profound Spirit Realm], though with different effects. While Cultivators in the Profound Spirit Realm didn’t have the Weakening Wind to wear away their Souls, they did face the "Dao Transformation Disaster." Therefore, they needed to use precepts to resist it, which was one of the reasons the [Profound Spirit Realm] established such strict Immortal Laws.
’If I were to read my own life...’
As the thought crossed Lü Yang’s mind, the Illusionary Colors in his Spiritual Space instantly shone upon him. He then felt a connection, and a hint of joyful surprise appeared in his eyes.
’...It should be the [Pomegranate Wood Life]!’
This was the life-fate Lü Yang had designated for himself.
’With the blessing of this life-fate, I’ll be able to establish a connection with the Pomegranate Wood Fruit. It will be of great use for awakening my Innate Ability and seeking Gold in the future!’
The only problem was the precept he had to strictly observe to maintain this life-fate.
’From now on, I must maintain [Chastity]... This... this is too much to ask of me!’
Lü Yang’s face filled with difficulty as he felt the feedback from [Life-Reading and Precepts].
Even though he wasn’t a lustful man, for the sake of cultivation, no matter how reluctant his heart was, he could only sacrifice his personal desires for the greater good!
........
「Several thousand days later.」
Lü Yang’s main body awoke from Meditation. He opened his eyes, and a look of anticipation bloomed on his face. "He’s finally here... My long wait wasn’t in vain!"
Demon-Vanquishing Perfected had come looking for him!
That Foundation Establishment Perfection Grand Zhenren from the Sword Pavilion had actually kept his promise, personally divining the karmic links and traveling thousands of miles to find the reincarnation of Lü Yang’s Split Soul.
Coincidentally, the Split Soul had also turned eight years old this year.
During this time, Lü Yang hadn’t been idle either. He had focused solely on bitter cultivation, digesting his gains from within the [South Celestial Gate]. His Cultivation had just barely reached a critical point.
’Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment... after [Empowerment] comes Perfection!’
’The next step is Crossing the Celestial Thunder Tribulation, which will let me officially break through to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment! That’s another major hurdle on the path of cultivation...’
The Celestial Thunder Tribulation!
The Master of Heaven Mending Peak had died to it. This was no joke; the chances of survival were slim to none. For this reason, Lü Yang had already resolved to make ample preparations before attempting the breakthrough. After all, he had worked so hard to get this far. If he had to start over because he failed to overcome the Celestial Thunder Tribulation, the loss would be far too great.
"...Hm?"
Just then, Lü Yang’s eyebrows suddenly shot up. He directed his consciousness to his Split Soul, then broke into a grin. "Interesting. It seems my earlier arrangements have paid off."