Chapter 607 - 337: A Fateful Encounter (Part 2)

Of course, the Talismans they took from Fulu Forest were only a small fraction of the total. It was unknown if any other Cultivators would be lucky enough to stumble in later.

In a flash of light and shadow, Ling Changqing found himself standing by a large, azure lake. A Coral Crystal fence was close at hand, and beneath his feet was a jade floor of bluish-gold.

"...Fellow Daoist?"

A slightly hesitant voice sounded by his ear.

Ling Changqing looked back and saw a group of Cultivators in white not far away. There were men and women, old and young, with several barbecue grills gleaming with Spiritual Light set up before them.

Skewered Spirit Beasts and Spirit Fish were being roasted over them, sizzling and dripping with fat under the heat of Spirit Flames, their tempting aroma filling the air.

The one who had just spoken was a handsome young man in white with a friendly expression. A compass-shaped Magical Treasure hung from the Jade Belt at his waist, and his Cultivation Realm seemed to be at the Middle stage Nascent Soul.

Before Ling Changqing could answer, the young man’s expression changed abruptly. He stared, sizing Ling Changqing up and down, his voice filled with shock and uncertainty:

"No, that’s not right! You... You are..."

"I am Ling Xiaoqing, a down-on-my-luck Loose Cultivator with no fixed abode, who roams the world and calls it home!"

Ling Changqing stopped and said nonchalantly.

"Ling Xiaoqing?"

By now, the gazes of the white-robed Cultivators had all been drawn over. Upon getting a clear look at the handsome, purple-robed young man, their expressions all changed drastically.

An old man in a Feather Cloak, with a full head of white hair and a white beard, gestured for the others to remain calm. He walked over alone and gave a slight nod in greeting.

"Fellow Daoist Ling, I am Zhang Yuanzhen, the current Sect Leader of the Celestial Derivation Pavilion. You... you must be the legendary Child of Destiny, aren’t you?"

"The Celestial Derivation Pavilion?"

Ling Changqing’s eyes narrowed slightly. He thought for a moment before nodding in response. "That’s right. And what might your intentions be, Fellow Daoist Zhang?"

The Celestial Derivation Pavilion was renowned throughout the Qingming Continent for its mastery of the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination. Its Cultivators were generally skilled in Celestial Secret Calculation, so it wouldn’t be difficult for this Sect Leader to see through Ling Changqing’s true identity.

A flash of shock crossed Zhang Yuanzhen’s eyes. Although he had been mentally prepared, hearing Ling Changqing admit it himself still left him in disbelief.

The other Cultivators from the Celestial Derivation Pavilion were also utterly dumbfounded, their faces masks of incredulity.

’The Child of Destiny, sought in vain by countless super-factions and Great Powers of this realm, the key figure in the coming Immortal Dao Heavy Tribulation, had actually just appeared right before their eyes?’

After steadying his Mind, Zhang Yuanzhen cupped his fists in a salute and spoke in a warm tone:

"Our meeting is ordained by fate. Fellow Daoist Ling, why not sit and chat with us? Perhaps share a few drinks?"

He was already a Great Power at the Void Refining Peak Realm, but facing a special existence like Ling Changqing, he didn’t dare act presumptuously based on his status. He adopted a very humble stance.

Ling Changqing nodded. "Of course. Fine wine, fine food, and fine women are truly the loves of my life."

Zhang Yuanzhen breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the rumors were true; this Child of Destiny was young, so his passions were strong, and he was quite forthright.

Arriving at the barbecue grills, a peerlessly beautiful woman in a snow-white dress quickly stood up, offered her seat to Ling Changqing, and removed her veil at the same time.

"Please, sit here, Fellow Daoist."

she said softly, her voice like a babbling spring, clear and pleasant to the ear.

After he took his seat, the beautiful woman in white sat down a bit reservedly. Her beautiful, watery eyes shimmered, and with an elegant lift of her snowy-white wrist, she picked up a nearby wine pot and filled a cup of Spirit Wine for Ling Changqing.

Just then, another sweet young woman with a pure, youthful, and picturesque face, but a voluptuous and curvaceous figure, swayed gracefully over and sat down next to the beautiful woman in white.

The two peerless beauties, one older and one younger, sitting together were indeed a sight to behold. This was especially true of their ethereal, mysterious, and profound auras, as noble and radiant as a Jade Pool Fairy, making them seem inviolably sacred.

And yet, their figures were fiery and voluptuous, carrying the scorching allure of a Demon Sect Female Cultivator, making it difficult for even an old perv like Ling Changqing to maintain his composure.

He raised his cup in a small toast, then drained it in one go. He didn’t care if the Spirit Wine was poisoned; given his special status, there was no poison in this realm that could affect him.

"Fellow Daoist Ling, this is our Sect’s Core Elder, Shui Wanzhao."

Zhang Yuanzhen held his cup and introduced them with a chuckle, "And this is Yu Qinghuang, our Sect’s Saintess and also Elder Shui’s Direct Disciple."

’Yu Qinghuang? Could she be from *that* Yu Family?’

Shui Wanzhao seemed to sense Ling Changqing’s thought and explained with a radiant smile:

"This girl, Qinghuang, has no connection to that Yu Family. She is an orphan I adopted in her youth, and her background is clean."

Ling Changqing nodded. The Celestial Derivation Pavilion produced grandmasters in the Celestial Secret Calculation Domain; no one could fool them in this regard.

"Fellow Daoist, this Spirit Fish Meat is quite delicious. Would you like to try some?"

Yu Qinghuang’s beautiful face flushed slightly as she gracefully stood up, cut off several pieces of tender, snow-white Spirit Fish Meat, and served them to him on a silver platter.

Ling Changqing didn’t refuse. He began to feast, washing the food down with Spirit Wine, and started chatting casually with the other Cultivators.

Seeing his easygoing demeanor, free from the arrogance and indifference of a superior, the Cultivators of the Celestial Derivation Pavilion gradually relaxed. One after another, more than ten other Female Cultivators came to sit with them, all of them great beauties with their own unique charms and styles.

"Fellow Daoist Ling, your destiny is unique. No Celestial Secret Calculation Technique can work on you. It’s no wonder that after all these years, no one in this realm has been able to find you..."

Zhang Yuanzhen said softly. He had tried before as well, but he decisively stopped when he realized something was wrong.

As for those major powers who refused to believe it, needless to say, every one of them suffered heavy losses. Even some long-renowned old-timers suffered disastrously.

Ling Changqing quickly polished off the Spirit Fish Meat on his plate and said with a smile:

"If I could really be found that way, even if I had a hundred lives, wouldn’t they all be long gone by now?"

"That’s true."

Shui Wanzhao stared at him fixedly with her charming and noble eyes, which seemed to ripple with light:

"Where have you been all these years, Fellow Daoist? There are rumors that you were with certain Female Cultivators... Why are you alone now?"

Ling Changqing smiled but said nothing. Her question was one that many major powers wanted to know the answer to, but no one had ever managed to learn the truth.

Zhang Yuanzhen glanced around, somewhat regretful that fewer Female Cultivators from the Sect had come this time. Otherwise, perhaps the effect would have been better? ’Maybe one of the women with both looks and character would have caught his eye, and things would have been much easier.’

It was just that among the ten major powers of the Qingming Continent, the Celestial Derivation Pavilion was not known for its combat strength. It also had the smallest number of Disciples. It was only because of their outstanding abilities in the Celestial Secret Art and Divination Domain that they were able to maintain their relatively transcendent status.

This was mainly because Immortal Seeds suitable for practicing the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination were incredibly hard to find. The difficulty of reaching an advanced Realm, in particular, was beyond imagination.

Yu Qinghuang glanced at her Sect Leader’s expression and was finally unable to hold back. In a soft, beautiful voice, she said:

"Fellow Daoist Ling, since we were able to meet you in this Ancient Immortal Mansion, it must be a sign of fate. Why not... return to our Sect with us? It would be convenient for us to seek your guidance daily in the future."

As soon as she said this, the hearts of all the Cultivators present leaped into their throats.

Ling Changqing shook his head slightly. "You can’t protect me. If I really went to your Sect’s sacred grounds, the day the news leaks, the Celestial Derivation Pavilion will be besieged by countless factions, won’t it?

"Don’t tell me you don’t have spies from other factions within your Sect. This is something that’s impossible to hide."

"..."

Zhang Yuanzhen’s expression instantly dimmed. Though he was unwilling to admit it in his heart, the Child of Destiny’s judgment was indeed correct.

On the Qingming Continent, the Celestial Derivation Pavilion had always been highly respected, with a transcendent status. Any major power had to give them some face, as there were many occasions when they needed the Pavilion’s help.

But when faced with a supreme opportunity like the Child of Destiny, it was another matter entirely.

’Let the Celestial Derivation Pavilion obtain the Child of Destiny? In a few thousand years, wouldn’t the Qingming Continent become the Celestial Derivation Pavilion’s private domain?’

No faction would be willing to accept such an outcome. As long as there was even a sliver of hope, they would fight for it to the very end.