“Please, have a seat.” Murong Chao took her place at the head of the table.
Qi Shujin and Xie Shikun settled into the guest seats.
Just then, a young woman in a green dress hurried in, exclaiming, “Master, you’re back!”
Noticing the guests, a flicker of surprise crossed her face—after all, aside from Chen Qingyang and Jiang Anya, no other visitors had ever come here.
She quickly composed herself. “Master, I’ll prepare some tea.”
The young woman was Murong Chao’s maid, Qingdai, whom Murong Chao had rescued three years ago at the border of Fengyun Kingdom. Since then, Qingdai had remained faithfully by her side.
To assist Chen Qingyang, Murong Chao had gathered a group of people dedicated to collecting information. This was also a major reason for her financial struggles—she wasn’t particularly skilled at earning money, and what she did earn had to support so many people.
After all, no matter how clever she was, she couldn’t strategize effectively without any information.
Qingdai was primarily responsible for managing these information gatherers, and today she had gone to retrieve some intelligence.
Seeing Qingdai so full of life, Xie Shikun felt a wave of relief. There were others here—thank goodness. He had been terrified.
Qingdai soon returned with tea. After serving the three of them, she stood respectfully beside Murong Chao, her demeanor so proper that Xie Shikun began to wonder if the lively, spirited young woman he had seen earlier was just an illusion.
“May I ask why you’ve been following me all this way?” Murong Chao inquired.
Qi Shujin produced the broken red cord. Murong Chao glanced at it with mild surprise. “A Buddhist artifact.”
As soon as she spoke, the red cord vanished.
Qi Shujin wasn’t surprised that she had recognized it. After all, this was the person who could help him escape his Lone Fiend Fate.
Xie Shikun, however, was astonished. The red cord had seemed utterly ordinary—how had she identified it as a Buddhist item at a single glance?
That old monk from Qinglong Temple truly had some skill!
“I am from Chiyue Kingdom, named Qi Shujin. This is my good friend Xie Shikun. This red cord was given to me by the abbot of Qinglong Temple in Chiyue Kingdom. He instructed me to wear it and travel to the Imperial City of Fengyun Kingdom. When the cord broke, the person I encountered would be the one capable of changing my Lone Fiend Fate. At the teahouse, when I saw you, the cord snapped.”
Although Murong Chao was a practitioner of the Daoist path, she had never underestimated the Buddhist tradition. Each had its own methods of cultivation and unique abilities.
Nevertheless, the abbot of Qinglong Temple possessed remarkable skill. On the broken cord, one could clearly sense the aura of Buddhism. If she ever returned to Chiyue Kingdom, she would make a point of visiting him.
Qi Shujin?
She actually knew of this person. A hundred years from now, he would become quite famous—one of the top ten strongest cultivators on Yagu Continent. However, due to his Lone Fiend Fate, he remained alone his entire life, devoting himself entirely to cultivation in hopes of ascending to the Three Islands and Ten Continents.
She never expected that on her very first day back in the past, she would encounter him.
Should she help him or not?
As a Porcelain Refiner, Murong Chao indeed had the ability to alter Qi Shujin’s Lone Fiend Fate. However, interfering with someone’s karma came with severe heavenly retribution, let alone something as monumental as defying fate to change destiny. If mishandled, it could significantly shorten her lifespan.
She wasn’t certain whether someone like her, who had already experienced all Five Flaws and Three Deficiencies, could truly remain unaffected by the laws of heaven.
“Defying fate to alter destiny—do you know what price I would have to pay?” Murong Chao asked, looking directly at Qi Shujin.
Qi Shujin shook his head. “I do not. But if you help me, from this day forward, I, Qi Shujin, will be yours. I will swear a Soul Oath and never betray you.”
Qi Shujin understood clearly that since the Qinglong Temple’s abbot had sent him here, and he had indeed encountered someone who could break the red thread, it meant the person before him was truly his benefactor. He must seize this opportunity.
The cost of altering fate against heaven’s will was undoubtedly immense, so he had to offer conditions satisfactory enough for the other party to exchange.
Instinctively, he felt that money would not appeal to this young lady before him. The only thing he could offer was his own skills.
If she could truly help him, what harm would there be in acknowledging her as his master?
At least he could openly protect his only remaining family member. And for the woman who haunted his dreams, he could finally stand beside her.
This was also the main reason why he could not cultivate the Path of Emotionlessness.
Murong Chao appreciated Qi Shujin’s straightforward expression of his intentions. She was lazy and disliked guessing others’ thoughts.
Her slender fingers lightly tapped the tabletop, producing crisp sounds that seemed magical. Xie Shikun felt his heartbeat synchronizing with the rhythm of her tapping.
He pressed his hand against his chest, held his breath, and broke free from the sound’s control.
He glanced worriedly at his friend, no longer harboring the lingering fascination from encountering such an exquisite beauty earlier.
Such an unusual beauty was beyond his capacity to enjoy.
“Follow me.”
Two lifetimes of experience had taught Murong Chao that relying on mountains would lead to their collapse, and relying on people would see them flee. Revenge must be achieved by oneself, and living according to one’s desires could only depend on oneself.
Power and strength were shortcuts to revenge and a life of freedom, and holding them in her own hands was more secure.
Returning to Fengyun Kingdom, with Murong Su coveting the Crown Princess’s position, it was obvious peace would be elusive. She lacked loyal people to employ.
Individuals like Qi Shujin, with such talent and ability, were rare in the world and not easily encountered. Even when encountered, they were difficult to subdue.
Since such a person had come to her doorstep, she naturally could not miss the opportunity. Moreover, she wanted to test whether, after the great calamity had passed, she could truly become a Porcelain Refiner without any burdens.
Qi Shujin’s eyes brightened, and he rose without hesitation to follow her.
Xie Shikun quickly stood up to chase after them but was stopped by Qingdai’s outstretched hand. “My master has only invited Qi Shujin.”
Xie Shikun paused, about to speak when Qi Shujin’s voice came, “Shikun, wait here for me.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Shikun suppressed his worries and sat down.
Qi Shujin’s Lone Fiend Fate was indeed perilous. If it could truly be altered, it would be a great boon for Qi Shujin.
But this young lady seemed quite youthful—had she even reached adulthood? Did she possess such capability? Over the years, Qi Shujin had sought many to break this Lone Fiend Fate, yet it persisted.
Qingdai perceptively poured another cup of tea for Xie Shikun.
Xie Shikun glanced at Qingdai. How could such a cold-hearted master have such an intriguing maid, like someone with two faces?
Qingdai appeared calm outwardly, but inwardly she was also astonished. Having served her master for three years, she never knew her master had the ability to alter fate against heaven’s will.
How, after just one outing, did she return feeling her master had changed somehow? Her master was still the same master, but where exactly she had changed, Qingdai could not pinpoint.
Thinking of Chen Qingyang and Jiang Anya, Qingdai understood—her master must have learned.
Qingdai cursed inwardly, “Heartless, ungrateful creatures.”
She certainly didn’t believe her mistress would simply swallow such a grievance. Her mistress might appear like a pampered young lady unacquainted with worldly affairs, but when it came to using her mind, ideas flowed endlessly, actions were swift and decisive, and her methods were ruthless.
Yet for three years, she had never seen her mistress cultivate, nor had she sensed any spiritual energy from her. What means could her mistress possibly have to defy fate and alter destiny?
At this moment, Qi Shujin harbored the same doubts in her heart.