Chapter Twenty-Three: The Past, the Future, and Fate

After the two from the Dancing Cloud Sect, the next person called forward was Lin Suoyue from the Talisman Map Sect.

Ji Youyun glanced at him briefly and spoke with certainty: “This one is also of the Golden Spiritual Root, resolute and decisive in character. If he follows Brother Xing, within two years, he should reach the tenth level of Qi Refinement.”

As Lin Suoyue stepped onto the stage, Hongjian finally relaxed a little, but upon hearing these words, she was startled. Two years? That meant Lin Suoyue, not yet twenty, could begin preparing for Foundation Establishment. Though her knowledge was limited, she knew that in the Pill Cliff Sect, no one had reached Foundation Establishment so early in centuries.

This mysterious Senior Ji merely examined his face and spoke so confidently, directly recommending Xing Wuyai to take him as a disciple. Was his insight truly so accurate?

Xing Wuyai cast a sidelong glance at the calm-faced youth, snorted, and asked, “Such a hasty conclusion—have you examined him before?”

Despite such a promising disciple potentially leaving his sect, Dai Mingchi, Lin Suoyue’s master, appeared indifferent, explaining, “Of course. Today, Youyun has contributed greatly. Before he sought you out, he stayed in my Talisman Map Sect for three months. Anyone who came with me to Pill Cliff was carefully selected by him—each one with excellent fortune.”

Xing Wuyai neither affirmed nor denied, and Ji Youyun spoke no further, directing Lin Suoyue to stand aside.

Excellent fortune? Hongjian’s ears pricked up, latching onto the hint Dai Mingchi had let slip. Could it be that Senior Ji could read a person’s past and future merely by examining their face? Wasn’t that a legendary power said to belong only to true immortals?

Before she could dwell on it, the Nascent Soul elders summoned another candidate for Ji Youyun’s evaluation.

Each of these young cultivators, newly embarked on their path, longed to know their destinies. As the second round of selection settled, and Senior Ji displayed such remarkable abilities, the tense atmosphere in the hall eased; hope lit the faces of those present, each wishing to be the next in line.

“Gao Hongxin from Little Yingzhou.”

First disciple Gao Hongxin, upon hearing his name called third, could not suppress his excitement. He smiled politely at the surrounding apprentices, rose, and stood before Ji Youyun’s seat, awaiting his assessment.

Ji Youyun placed his hand on the youth’s head for a moment, then withdrew it. Unlike with the previous candidates, he asked no questions, his voice low and lips pressed down: “Little one, do you know? In my eyes, each of your destinies appears as a tree woven from countless points of light. Some trees are lush and flourishing, signifying infinite possibilities; some have towering trunks, indicating achievements I cannot fathom. Yet, for you, there are only two major branches ahead: either death, or betrayal—forsaking your sect to become an enemy of all cultivators. Even so, it will cause no great upheaval.”

He sighed, as if regretful, and added, “Aside from these, other possibilities are less than one percent.”

The youth, utterly unprepared, was struck pale by these words, his mind thrown into chaos. He opened his mouth, evidently wanting to protest, but before he could speak, a sharp gust swept from the side. A sudden pain at his neck, and he saw his own body—headless, still standing for a moment before drifting further away...

Blood sprayed across the floor. Gao Hongxin, from start to finish, never had a chance to utter a single word; his life ended in an instant.

The Hall of Universal Splendor erupted in commotion. It was so sudden that many still bore relaxed smiles; several of the deceased youth’s peers shrieked, stunned into silence.

Hongjian bit her lip, forcing down nausea and terror, averting her gaze. Her only thought: how fortunate that her brother Fang Zheng had been eliminated in the first round and never entered this hall. Because of a few words from this Ji, a life much like her own was erased—would it happen again to someone else? What had blinded her before, to mistake this Mr. Ji for someone she knew?

Only Xing Wuyai’s cold voice broke the silence: “Enough. He’s dead. Next.”

Ling Xuzi spoke, his words tinged with displeasure: “Mr. Xing, this is Pill Cliff Sect, not your Endless Sea!”

He gestured, summoning a stream of water that washed away the blood from the hall, which then seeped into the ground, leaving the floor pristine once more—save for the boy’s corpse.

Jin Donglou added, “If such wanton violence is allowed, there’s no reason to continue. Brother Xing, do as you please.”

The atmosphere in the hall grew tense, the pressure from the Nascent Soul and Core Formation elders stifling the apprentices.

Xing Wuyai, however, paid no heed to Pill Cliff’s elders, scoffing, “What? You claimed that Mr. Ji could pierce the secrets of heaven. I merely gave it a try to save everyone some time. If your illustrious sects find it disagreeable, we can just part ways and mind our own business.”

His arrogance left Jin Donglou momentarily speechless. Dai Mingchi interjected to smooth things over: “Youyun never errs in his judgment. As for Little Yingzhou, I’ll go explain. Mr. Xing’s action spared them an evildoer and saved us all trouble. Must we wait until someone is thrown into the Demon Refining Prison before considering cleansing our ranks? Wuyai, even if you detest evil, with so many sects present today, you ought to respect our customs and leave us some dignity.”

Dai Mingchi was no easy-going man; stern and unsmiling, his words carried weight. Even Jin Donglou fell silent. Ji Youyun, seeing this, urged, “Gathering like this is rare, let’s not let trivial matters spoil our harmony.”

Xing Wuyai’s gaze fell on Lin Suoyue, standing quietly aside, and he burst into laughter. “Look at this lad—not even a flicker in his expression. Excellent, truly fine material. If Sect Master Dai is willing, let him follow me for the next year or so.”

Dai Mingchi replied with a smile, “Why wouldn’t I be? Bringing him here was exactly for this. Suoyue, to have a Nascent Soul personally instruct you is rare. Hurry and pay respects to your master before he changes his mind.”

Even Lin Suoyue, usually composed, could not help showing excitement at this turning point. As he stepped forward, Xing Wuyai waved him off, his eyes flashing. “What’s the rush? Good things come in pairs. Since we're here, let me see if there’s anyone else I fancy—take them both as disciples, no harm in waiting.”

Though Gao Hongxin’s corpse lay on the floor, Lin Suoyue’s success in entering a Nascent Soul’s tutelage quickly restored the apprentices’ spirits. They gazed at Ji Youyun with reverence and awe, waiting for the next person to be called forward.