Chapter 860 : The Eccentric Taoist

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Bai family's history of success?

Bai ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Ruoxue was slightly stunned.

As ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a member of the Bai family, how could she not know the development history of the family.

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Bai family genealogy can be traced back to over 200 years ago from the earliest records.

They ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had no distinguished status, nor did they produce any high officials or wealthy merchants.

Generation ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍after generation, the Bai family remained poor common people struggling to survive under the tides of history.

The change occurred during Bai Ruoxue's great-grandfather's generation in the previous dynasty.

By her great-grandfather's generation, the Bai family had fallen into complete disarray, with the whole family struggling just to feed themselves.

However, the historical turmoil in the country, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Eight-Nation Alliance... In the face of such massive historical processes, human insignificance seemed so negligible.

The great-grandfather lived an unremarkable life for most of his years, but when he was over 50, he nearly lost his life to a serious illness.

In the end, he was saved by a wandering Taoist who happened to pass by their door.

After that, the great-grandfather suddenly became enlightened.

Starting with small businesses using all the family's savings, then trading cloth and selling private salt... the Bai family gradually became local wealthy merchants.

Just when things were looking up, the great-grandfather suddenly made a decision to abandon all business in the capital, taking only all their valuables and family members to settle in the south.

Later through the Eight-Nation Alliance, the Xinhai Revolution, the Warlord Era...

The Bai family weathered over a century of storms, yet never encountered any major disasters.

The great-grandfather was like a stabilizing pillar, setting all the plans for the Bai family. His forward-looking vision always allowed the Bai family to avoid all disasters in advance...

Moreover, with his exceptional insight, business acumen and strong determination, the great-grandfather led the Bai family to expand in various directions, laying out different industries in advance.

After a century of effort across four generations.

The Bai family became one of the most mysterious wealthy families in the country.

Even after the great-grandfather passed away, the plans he set continued to keep peace for the Bai family for decades.

In the eyes of the Bai family members, the great-grandfather was like a godlike figure.

Even now, the Bai family ancestral hall still enshrines the memorial tablet of this legendary proprietor, with eternal lamps burning.

Bai Ruoxue could question her father and second uncle's decisions.

But she absolutely could not question her great-grandfather.

"But... great-grandfather had already passed away before my little sister and I were born."

Bai Ruoxue seemed to find a reason to refute her father and second uncle.

However, the second uncle said with a smile, "Do you know who helped find this person?"

"It was the Eccentric Taoist."

Bai Ruoxue was slightly stunned.

She understood her second uncle's meaning.

Who was the Eccentric Taoist?

He was the descendant of the Taoist who saved her grandfather's life back then.

Regarding that Taoist from back then, the entire Bai family had no records or clues.

Legend has it that only the great-grandfather had contact with him, but even after going through all of great-grandfather's belongings, they couldn't find a single word about that Taoist.

This Eccentric Taoist was found by Second Master Bai 5 years ago.

At that time, the Bai family's little sister's condition was already very dangerous. The Bai family took a two-pronged approach, on one hand using various high-tech medical treatments, while on the other hand, Second Master Bai used all the resources at his disposal to search nationwide for famous folk doctors.

The Eccentric Taoist was discovered at that time.

After diagnosing the little sister, the Eccentric Taoist spoke some profound words.

The meaning was that the little sister's innate fate was insufficient, and by all rights she should have been destined to die early.

However, if they could find a chosen one with a strong enough fate to marry her, it would balance the heavenly way and make up for the little sister's insufficient fate.

What is a chosen one?

The Eccentric Taoist also gave an explanation.

It would be someone whose fate was uncertain but who had survived heaven's thunder tribulation and changed their destiny.

Only such a fate could transcend the five elements and not be controlled by heaven's destiny.

Bai Ruoxue still couldn't quite believe it.

She was an educated modern adult, and had never really believed in such mystical things.

However, she had never shown this in front of her father and second uncle before.

But this time it concerned her little sister, so she had to debate with her two elders.

"Second Uncle, what does it mean to be heaven's chosen? What does it mean to defy heaven and change one's fate?"

"Do you think such people really exist in this world?"

"What era is this? There aren't even emperors anymore, so how can there be imperial fate?"

Second Master Bai shook his head with a smile.

"The so-called chosen one, defying heaven to change fate, doesn't refer to imperial fate."

"This person the Eccentric Taoist found, according to his birth time and horoscope, is typically someone whose fate is cursed by heaven's killing energy. Anyone who comes into contact with him, family and friends, will be affected and die one by one, while he himself will grow old alone in pain..."

Bai Ruoxue's eyes widened instantly.

"Cursed by heaven's killing energy? Isn't that the legendary bringer of misfortune?"

"You want to introduce someone like that to little sister?"

Second Master Bai waved his hand, interrupting her.

"According to the Eccentric Taoist, this person's birth chart indeed indicates being cursed by heaven's killing energy, but do you know what the Eccentric Taoist saw in his facial features?"

"What?"

"The Eccentric Taoist said his fate shows the rare Azure Dragon Submissive Formation."

"This is an extremely noble fate pattern. Its characteristic is that the day stem is jia or yi wood, while the day branch is metal, forming a pattern of wood submitting to metal."

"People with this fate pattern have both wealth and fortune, live smooth lives, and enjoy heaven and earth's protection throughout life. It's one of the extremely rare and noble fate patterns."

Seeing Bai Ruoxue's confusion, Second Master Bai continued.

"Notice the contradiction?"

"His birth time and horoscope indicate being cursed by heaven's killing energy, with fire as his element. Yet he also possesses the extremely rare Azure Dragon Submissive Formation fate pattern."

"These are two contradictory patterns, yet they appear in the same person."

"What does this represent?"

Bai Ruoxue widened her eyes, her mouth slightly moving.

She had already guessed her second uncle's meaning.

"That's right. This indicates that this person must be heaven's chosen one."

"The Eccentric Taoist has seen countless people in his life, but such a chosen one, he has only discovered one in his lifetime."

"Moreover, the Eccentric Taoist said he cannot see through this person's destiny, because this young man's fate is completely chaotic. No matter how he calculates, he cannot figure it out."

Bai Ruoxue collapsed onto the sofa like her body gave out, and remained silent for a long while.

"Where is the Eccentric Taoist? I want to meet him and ask him personally."

Second Master Bai shook his head.

"You can't see him anymore."

"Why?"

"He came to the capital two days ago and met with your father and me."

"The Eccentric Taoist said he had revealed heaven's secrets and should suffer heaven's punishment. So in front of us both, he personally destroyed his own eyes and retired to the mountains."

Bai Ruoxue widened her eyes again, her face full of disbelief.

"Second Uncle, are you sure everything you said is true?"

Her father spoke solemnly from the side: "Everything he said is true."

"The Eccentric Taoist has indeed retired."