Chen Changsheng snapped out of his thoughts and asked, “By the way, since the Fate Stone is destroyed, do I need to pay compensation?”
Zhong Zhengyuan chuckled and said, “Mr. Chen ca to help. Why would you need to compensate?”
“That’s good then.”
Chen Changsheng nodded. He then asked, “Earlier, I heard about the Mountain Lord. The situation was urgent then, and Pavilion Master Chen didn’t explain in detail. I’m quite curious. Could Master Zhong tell more?”
“The Mountain Lord, you say…”
Zhong Zhengyuan thought for a mont but suddenly paused. “Truth be told, I’ve only seen the Mountain Lord once. It was over four hundred years ago.”
“Sothing worth ntioning… the Mountain Lord…”
Zhong Zhengyuan thought again and said, “He looked like a child.”
“Hmm?”
Chen Changsheng paused after hearing this. “From what I understand, Righteous Mountain Deities usually maintain their appearance from when they were alive. If so…”
Zhong Zhengyuan nodded. “That’s what I thought too.”
Chen Changsheng pondered in his heart. Could the Mountain Lord of Tianji Mountain truly have been appointed as a Righteous Mountain Deity during childhood?
But if that were the case, it seed a bit odd.
What rits or good deeds could a child possess? How could the Heavenly Dao favor them enough to make them a true deity?
It just didn’t make much sense.
“I heard Pavilion Master Chen say that in about twenty years, the true deity of Tianji Mountain will awaken. After sleeping for five centuries, how long will it stay awake?”
“Usually about half a year.”
“Is that so…”
Chen Changsheng said, “If there’s a chance, I’d like to et this Mountain Lord.”
“That won’t be a problem. The Mountain Lord is quite kind. When the ti cos, I’ll invite you personally. After all, you saved my life this ti. If the Mountain Lord learns of it, he’d be delighted to et you.”
Chen Changsheng nodded. “Thank you.”
In truth, he wasn’t sure if he’d actually et the Mountain Lord. With the Mayfly Curse upon him, he might miss the opportunity.
Whether they’d et depended purely on fate.
His desire to et the Mountain Lord was mainly to ask about the origins of the Fate Stone, and whether the jade bead inside the Yuqing Sword had anything to do with it. Perhaps they truly ca from the sa source.
Zhong Zhengyuan wanted Chen Changsheng to stay longer at Tianji Mountain, but Chen Changsheng refused.
Chen Changsheng simply said, “I’m not very used to staying on this Immortal Mountain.”
Zhong Zhengyuan could only smile wryly. He knew Chen Changsheng’s nature—for him, the bustle of the Mortal World was where he felt most comfortable.
Chen Changsheng didn’t ask more questions. When Chen Daoqiu and the others learned Mr. Chen was leaving, all seven Pavilion Masters ca to urge him to stay.
Chen Daoqiu said, “Mr. Chen, why not stay at Tianji Mountain a few more days? You saved us from great trouble. We haven’t even found a way to properly repay this kindness.”
Chen Changsheng shook his head and refused, excusing himself by saying he had urgent matters. He promised to return when he had ti.
But just as he was about to leave, Chen Changsheng suddenly rembered sothing else.
He asked, “By the way, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”
“Please ask, Mr. Chen,” Chen Daoqiu nodded.
Chen Changsheng said, “Could I inquire about the na of Tianji Mountain’s Ancestral Master? Of course, if this is offensive, please disregard my question.”
Zhong Zhengyuan beside him spoke up, “It’s not a secret.”
“As a matter of fact, the Ancestral Master shared your surna, Chen. His personal na was ‘Fan’.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Changsheng suddenly froze in place.
Seeing him dazed, Zhong Zhengyuan asked, “Mr. Chen, is sothing wrong?”
Chen Changsheng snapped back to reality.
He shook his head and said, “Nothing.”
“Farewell.”
After saying this, Chen Changsheng swiftly departed.
Zhong Zhengyuan watched as Chen Changsheng flew away on his sword at unusual speed.
He knew Chen Changsheng wasn’t normally this hasty. Zhong Zhengyuan couldn’t help but wonder—could he truly have so urgent matter?
Chen Daoqiu watched the figure streaking across the sky. He turned to Zhong Zhengyuan and said, “Perhaps Mr. Chen saw sothing within the Fate Stone. Did he ntion anything to you?”
Zhong Zhengyuan, however, said, “It would be strange if he saw nothing at all.”
Chen Daoqiu paused, puzzled. “What do you an, Senior Brother?”
Zhong Zhengyuan looked at him. “I didn’t see much, but I saw bits and pieces.”
As if already aware, Chen Daoqiu asked, “So, what answer did you see, Senior Brother?”
Logically, they should have panicked when the Fate Stone was destroyed.
Yet, from the start until now, they only showed brief sorrow when the stone shattered. The rest of the ti, they were strangely calm.
“I never expected…”
Zhong Zhengyuan took a deep breath. “…that I wouldn’t die.”
This is their destiny!
From the very beginning, Zhong Zhengyuan hadn’t thought he would survive.
Chen Daoqiu and the other six Pavilion Masters were equally surprised.
To be honest, there were already clues hinting at this unusual outco.
Tianji Mountain had seven pavilions, each led by a Pavilion Master.
Zhong Zhengyuan was the senior brother to all seven Pavilion Masters, yet he held no official position himself.
His existence was ant for dying.
But this wasn’t forced upon him. Zhong Zhengyuan had requested it himself.
The Fate Stone could not be destroyed. Tianji Mountain lived by the Fortune of the Great Dao. Without the Fate Stone, the mountain might well decline into obscurity.
Zhong Zhengyuan was the one who had stepped forward.
The only problem was whether Zhong Zhengyuan could reveal the secret of the Fate Stone before he died. Thus, the matter had been shelved for years.
Until he t Chen Changsheng.
And Chen Changsheng’s invitation was not re coincidence!
What happened after he arrived, however, exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Zhong Zhengyuan murmured softly, “What if I said, among those scattered fragnts, I saw Mr. Chen… would you believe ?”
Chen Daoqiu paused. After a mont of confusion, he understood.
“No wonder…”
Chen Daoqiu let out a long sigh. “No wonder you survived, Senior Brother. Now it makes sense.”
In an instant, Chen Daoqiu realized everything.
No wonder this Green-Robed Gentleman had been able to control the Fate Stone. No wonder, after his arrival, Senior Brother Zhong had recovered.
He was the one ant to unlock the secret of the Fate Stone.
Zhong Zhengyuan said, “It must be him. He is definitely the one. The crisis of Tianji Mountain is destined to be resolved by him. Perhaps during his next visit.”
Chen Daoqiu nodded, then smiled. “Senior Brother, you escaped death this ti. Next ti, it’ll be my turn.”
“Eager to die?”
“Isn’t this our destiny?”
Zhong Zhengyuan looked at him, then suddenly smiled.
He said, “Indeed.”
Those seated upon the seven pavilions of Tianji Mountain were all fated, ultimately, to face this destiny.
Chen Daoqiu suddenly asked another question, “Do you think… he knows sothing?”
Zhong Zhengyuan replied, “He must know. But he will never say it aloud.”
“Because he is Chen Changsheng. The Mr. Chen spoken of by the world…”
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