Chapter 921: Chapter 554: Divine Fire Star Cliff, Destiny (Extended Chapter)
Gazing at the grave, past memories surfaced in her heart, intertwining with the current chaos of the universe and her own confusion, she couldn’t help but let out a light, faint sigh.
A sudden strong impulse surged within her, a desire to leave the center of this tumultuous universe, to return and see the beginning of it all.
Without disturbing anyone, Xue Qing quietly restrained all her tremendous Ancestral Realm fluctuations, and with one step, she left the Martial Pavilion Ancestral Land, traveling through the boundless starry sky towards the Near Immortal Realm deep in her memory.
On her journey back to her homeland, she concealed her presence like an ordinary traveler, silently observing this vast and painful universe.
The ceasefire was established by the living creatures of the Space-time Domain, yet below, many living creatures remained trapped in the whirlpool of war, unable to extricate themselves.
Along the way, she witnessed countless star domain-level wars sparked by strife over the Way, resources, and hatred, seeing innumerable living creatures suffering, stars collapsing, and civilizations turning to scorched earth.
Blood and slaughter had nearly become the main theme of the Great Universe, and brutal scenes were everywhere.
Even though she had reached the Ancestral Realm, accustomed to life and death, witnessing all this still stirred waves in her heart, further strengthening her resolve to end this endless struggle for the Way.
Soon after, she finally reached the familiar star domain, finding the Great Realm, the Near Immortal Realm.
To her, this place was the origin of everything.
However, the changes over tens of thousands of years were enough to turn seas into mulberry fields, everything familiar had changed.
The cities, dynasties, and Immortal Sect factions she remembered had long vanished into the long river of history, leaving no traces.
The once-familiar landscapes had also altered due to geological changes and the impacts of wars.
The small border town she remembered in that location was long gone, replaced by a grand mortal metropolis.
Tall city walls, bustling traffic, and a busy crowd created a noisy and lively atmosphere full of worldly smoke and fire.
The mortals here had long forgotten what happened here tens of thousands of years ago, or who once existed.
Restraining all her divine phenomena, Xue Qing, like an ordinary traveling woman, strolled into this prosperous metropolis, weaving through the bustling crowd.
The calls of busy markets, the laughter of children, the clamor of taverns filled her ears...
For a moment, her expression showed a trace of confusion, as if the Martial Ancestor Xue Qing standing at the pinnacle of ten thousand paths was merely an illusion.
The feeling of time and space intertwining stirred slight ripples in her mood.
Just as she was feeling slightly out of it, a clear voice with a hint of teasing sounded nearby:
"Miss, you have an immortal demeanor and jade bone, with innate intelligence. It’s apparent you are no ordinary being. Would you like to have your fortune told? Predict the future, solve doubts?"
Stopping in her tracks, Xue Qing turned to look in the direction of the voice.
She saw a young Taoist sitting at a stall around the street corner.
His face looked no older than fifteen or sixteen, with fair skin and features so delicate they seemed somewhat childish, his hair casually tied in a Taoist bun with an ordinary wooden hairpin, wearing a somewhat loose blue Taoist robe of ordinary material, even washed-out, appearing rather shabby.
He smiled widely as he spoke, yet his eyes were bright, revealing a hint of cleverness and a devil-may-care attitude. In his hand, he held a long banner, the cloth was worn, but the characters on it were written with bold and powerful strokes, full of Taoist charm:
Upper line: Divinations encompass all phenomena, connecting heaven and earth
Lower line: Lines unravel all kinds, explaining the ancient and today
Horizontal scroll: Mystical calculations
Xue Qing’s gaze fell on the Little Taoist, her eyes flickering slightly.
With her Ancestral Realm abilities, she could see through all illusions with one glance, and the threads of cause and effect held no place to hide in her eyes, yet at this moment, she did not actively probe into the background and karma of the Little Taoist in front of her, merely indulged in casual interest.
After pondering for a moment, she walked over, nodded slightly, her voice cold and clear: "Then please, Little Taoist, divine a fortune for me."
The Little Taoist seemed to see business arrive, his smile widening, he promptly took a brush and inkstone from the stall, but had no paper.
He naturally extended his pale palm, using it as a table, motioning her to proceed: "Please, miss, write a character in the palm of this humble one."
Xue Qing didn’t mind, took the brush, dipped it in ink, and after some thought, wrote a neat and elegant "雪" (Snow) in the Little Taoist’s palm.
"Little Taoist, divine this character."
The playful smile on the Little Taoist’s face slightly faded, his young face revealing a calm and deep demeanor inappropriate for his age.
He stared at the still wet "雪" (Snow) character in his palm, his finger unconsciously tracing lightly over it as if sensing something, contemplating for a moment before speaking slowly, his voice remained clear but with a barely noticeable sigh:
"Miss, the character you’ve written is most exquisite, yet extremely cold."
His fingertip lightly pointed towards the upper part of the "雪" (Snow) character: "You see, the upper part of the ’雪’ is a deformed ’雨’ (Rain), rain falls from the sky, representing heavenly water, utterly pure and untouched by dust. This signifies your noble and pure nature, untempted by the mundane, and your cultivation path smooth and unhindered, like heavenly rain pouring forth, allowing you to reach the highest realms, this is a heavenly gift."
Hearing this, Xue Qing’s eyes flickered slightly, feeling a bit surprised. She nodded, quietly awaiting his continuation.
The Little Taoist abruptly shifted the topic, his finger moving towards the lower part ’彐’, his tone turning somewhat somber, carrying a weight:
"This lower part, resembling ’彐’, exists in ancient scripts as part of ’彐’, it is also the tail of the character ’归’ (Return), and the shape of a ’broom’, its form scattered, its meaning concluded."
"With no head for the ’Return’, it indicates difficulty in returning to one’s roots, and the challenge of ending well."
His voice deepened:
"This omen suggests, although your path is broad and luck plentiful, your end may not be peaceful, nor your longevity blessed, there may be danger of wind and snow burying your bones, leaving you unsettled. This is the first point."
His finger lightly moved over the ’彐’: "Secondly, this shape is like a broom, the appearance of a comet, symbolizing a solitary and destructive star, implying the dwindling of descendants and disciples, kinship thinning, the clan becoming desolate."
Lastly, he tapped the entire character lightly, lifting his gaze to meet Xue Qing’s calm and unwavering eyes, his eyes carrying a shred of sincere pity:
"Thirdly, the character ’雪’ itself, is water encountering cold and solidifying, it is beautiful, yet frigid. It appears immaculate, covering everything, obtaining temporary purity and grandeur, but is actually icy to the bone, melting upon touch, unable to last long, reflecting upon matrimony."
The Little Taoist’s voice was distinct, yet strangely resonated only in Xue Qing’s ears amidst the bustling marketplace:
"Miss, in this life of yours, there seems to be no true fate, those you encounter will be like the sun warming accumulated snow, creating a fleeting radiance, yet eventually the rising sun melts the snow, a meeting of destiny but no lasting bond. Love, for you, is like grasping snow tightly in the palm, the tighter you hold, the faster it melts, leaving your fingers cold and piercing, ending in emptiness and regret."
After finishing, the Little Taoist quietly watched Xue Qing, saying no more.
Xue Qing stood frozen in place, the surrounding clamor seemingly distanced instantly.
After a long silence, she slowly regained her composure, the slight fluctuation in her eyes completely subdued, returning to a tranquil calm.
"Fate is determined by the heavens, but bond depends on oneself."
She shook her head slightly, her voice still cold and clear: "Divinations are divinations, fate is fate, but I...do not believe in fate."
Now, having endured countless vicissitudes over tens of thousands of years, stepping into the Ancestral Realm, witnessing the vastness and impermanence of the universe, she had long become indifferent to matters of love and fate regarding herself.
How to end this ceaseless struggle for the Way engulfing the universe, to carve out a new path for all living creatures, had become the only persistent pursuit in her heart.
As for the rest, they were but the scenery or calamities on her grand path.
She cast one deep look at the Little Taoist, said no more, turned, and her figure gradually merged into the bustling crowd, disappearing from sight.
The Little Taoist remained seated behind the stall, gazing in the direction where she vanished, the playfulness and prior calm pity on his face were all gone.
He gently rubbed the now dry ’雪’ character in his palm, mumbling to himself, his words vague:
"Not believing in fate, but little does she know, sometimes disbelief is itself a part of fate’s design..."
His voice was as light as a breeze, quickly dissipating in the bustling market’s din.
No one heard.