Chapter 98. The Inevitability Born of Coincidence (4)

"What the heck? Why did that beggar come all the way here? Did he finally get kicked out of the Dragon Head position?"

"The position of Dragon Head is not one where someone is chased away. How many times have I told you that?"

"Hehehe."

"Stop laughing so strangely. I don't want to hear it."

"If you don't want to hear it, don't come."

"This brat is so young, yet his manners are terrible."

"Isn't it the past that people measured age to make friends?"

"There are limits, you know. You haven't even reached the age of knowing one's destiny (知天命)."

"Then should I call the beggar my senior? Where did you get such nonsense?"

"You'll really get a beating if you keep this up."

"Go ahead, hit me."

Thud!

"Ouch! You really hit me!"

"Shut up and bring me a drink. Damn, I'm so tired. What's the point of building a Daoist temple on such a high mountain when I have nothing to do?"

The Daoist grumbled but got up.

As he headed to the kitchen, the grumbling he heard was quite amusing. 'Why are you looking for alcohol at the Daoist temple?', 'How did you know there was alcohol?', 'I must see that brat die before I die.', 'That beggar has a very long life.' Such content would raise anyone's blood pressure.

Huajintian endured. After all, isn't the beggar the most despicable person in the world? Even if he is called the king of beggars, he's still a beggar.

Without patience, this relationship couldn't be maintained. He couldn't help but marvel at his own patience over the years.

A moment later, the Daoist brought the drinks.

"What? You only brought the drinks, what's that?"

"What do you mean, you dirty brat? It's dried meat."

"Are you really a Daoist?"

"Shut up."

"Did you know I was coming?"

"Would I live by divination if I didn't know? Besides, no one comes to me for divination."

"Anyway, why would anyone come to you for divination?"

"Oh, just take the drinks! My back hurts!"

A moment later, the two set up the drinks on the open space in front of the Daoist temple and filled each other's cups.

The Daoist, Tongtian Zhenren, asked.

"So, what brings you here?"

Huajintian snorted.

"Why would I come to a diviner? I came to find out something."

"Are you kidding? You're the best in the world, right? You have all the information, right? What do you need to find out?"

"Is information the same as divination?"

"Are you rich enough?"

"You, with all your wealth, are greedy."

"That's different, you brat!"

"If you want something, just say it. I'll send my disciples to do it."

The playful look on Tongtian Zhenren's face gradually disappeared.

The difference between his playful and serious faces was quite stark. It was as if he had become a different person.

"It's about the Jiu Zhou family, isn't it?"

Huajintian's eyes lit up.

Sure enough, this guy knew. He was the one who sat atop a high mountain and saw the world.

"The Jiu Zhou family is involved, but what I want to know is different."

"Surely it's about the young tiger leading the charge to bring down the Jiu Zhou family?"

Huajintian's face turned serious.

"Yes, I came because of him. More precisely, I came because the world seems to be moving differently from what you said."

Tongtian Zhenren.

It is said that there are three extraordinary people in the current martial world. Each of these three is an expert in a particular field, and their level is so high that they are called "Tongtian" (通天).

The Three Wonders of the Martial World (江湖三奇) or the Three Masters of the Martial World (武林三通).

Tongtian Zhenren is one of these three, and he is the most difficult to meet among them.

"I know your divination skills are at a heavenly level, and that your divinations are limited."

Tongtian Zhenren sees the flow and principles of the world. Sometimes he predicts the future and reveals people's destinies.

But these are extremely limited abilities. Few have met Tongtian Zhenren, and even those who have met him might not get a divination on a particular day.

However, one thing is certain.

Once a divination is spoken, it never fails. His words have never been wrong.

Tongtian Zhenren shook his head.

"Calling it a heavenly level is just a joke. I just have a strong innate ability and struggle to survive."

"Whatever."

"I merely glimpse the gaps in the heavens; I haven't mastered them. If I had mastered the principles of the heavens, I would have become an immortal long ago."

"Is there such a thing as an immortal?"

"Believe and it exists; disbelieve and it doesn't."

"Enough. I don't want to hear such nonsense."

"Why is this nonsense?"

"Shut up."

"Damn, this beggar is incomprehensible..."

"Just talk. Why is it different? Or why is it wrong?"

A shadow fell over Tongtian Zhenren's face.

"I don't know."

"You don't know? The great Tongtian Zhenren?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"Stop joking and talk. I'm being serious."

"Ugh, I don't know. As I said, if I knew everything, would I be human? I'd be an immortal."

"Hmm..."

"Though it's not difficult, I can tell you a despairing story."

"What is it?"

Tongtian Zhenren said bitterly.

"You won't come here again."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't see you from then on."

"Wait, what?"

"I can't see you. The divination doesn't work."

Huajintian's face was filled with shock.

"What do you mean? The divination doesn't work?"

"Yes, it doesn't. No matter how hard I try, I can't see you."

"Impossible? Hold on! You knew I would come today, right? You knew the Jiu Zhou family became a public enemy and the identity of the one who brought it down, right?!"

Tongtian Zhenren snorted.

"Are you really the leader of the Beggar Sect? When did you become such a fool?"

"Huh?"

"The Jiu Zhou family becoming a public enemy is common knowledge. How could I not know? Every time I go down to the market to buy necessities, I hear about it. And who is that, the eldest son of the Lian family?"

"Yan Heng."

"Yes, I've been hearing about that guy. The young tiger of Jiangdong, a man who is the reincarnation of Sun Ce and Lu Xun. He's now called Bishan Huozhang, right?"

"Is that so?"

"I live on a high mountain, but I don't isolate myself from the world. I know everything."

Huajintian asked urgently.

"Then how did you know I was coming?"

"That?"

Tongtian Zhenren smiled bitterly and pulled out a thin book from his sleeve.

"It's written here."

"What is it?"

"It's not that I suddenly couldn't see. It started slowly, one by one. I wrote down everything I could see just in case."

"!"

"And."

Tongtian Zhenren casually threw the book.

The book flew far and fell off the cliff in the wind.

Huajintian's mouth dropped open.

"What are you doing?!"

"Your visit was the last line in that book."

"Such..."

Tongtian Zhenren chuckled.

"Why are you so surprised?"

"No... I didn't think you would lose your divination skills..."

"What's so important about divination?"

"What?"

"I became a Daoist with my innate ability and cultivated the Upper Dantian. But I'm just a Daoist. I just have a talent for divination and reveal certain facts, but I don't choose what to see."

"!"

"Does a monk stop worshipping Buddha because he loses an arm, or a Daoist stop cultivating because he can't see? There's no need to be so sad."

Huajintian sighed.

"I've lost a good source of information."

Tongtian Zhenren burst into laughter.

"You've been too cunning. To be honest, there were many things I saw clearly when you came for divination but didn't tell you."

"What? This crazy Daoist tricked me?"

"It's not hard to tell, but if I did, it would disrupt the flow of the heavens."

"?!?"

"Don't underestimate your influence. A single word from the Dragon Head can shake the world. If I revealed your destiny and predicted your future, it would be defying the heavens."

Huajintian couldn't find words.

Tongtian Zhenren took a sip of alcohol and said calmly.

"Is there an answer to life? The future is unknown, which makes today precious. That's life. Therefore, relying on divination is not good."

"Damn, you're reciting poetry now, Daoist."

"Ha ha ha!"

Tongtian Zhenren's laughter was pleasant to hear.

He lost his nearly divine divination skills but didn't seem to care. In fact, he looked as if he had shed a heavy burden.

Huajintian smiled bitterly.

He thought losing his friend's talent would be a loss for both of them. But seeing his friend so happy, he couldn't help but share in the joy.

"I'll come more often."

"Really? Are you comforting me?"

"Not at all. I'm thinking of passing the Dragon Head position to my disciple soon. I'll be lonely in my old age, so I want you to be my drinking buddy."

"Is that brat already so grown up? I saw him not long ago."

"He's grown a lot. But his sense of righteousness and loyalty is impressive."

"If you say so, he must be a great talent."

"Once he trains his martial arts properly, he'll be perfect."

Huajintian stood up.

"I have to go now. I'm quite busy."

Tongtian Zhenren waved.

"Come whenever you want."

"I'll build a room next to yours, so don't kick me out."

"Ha ha ha!"

* * *

"Hmm."

Today was also very busy.

A martial arts expert might not feel physical fatigue from a day's work, but the mental strain was considerable. He had been doing this for over ten years.

Lian Wei rubbed his neck. It wasn't particularly stiff, but it felt good to massage it.

Lian Baiyan, who was watching Lian Wei, organized the documents.

"I'll take care of the rest. You should rest today, Head of the Family."

"Alright."

"By the way, what about the Chief Manager? You should start looking for someone soon."

Lian Wei glanced at Lian Baiyan.

"If you're up to it, why don't you try?"

"Me, me?"

Lian Baiyan waved his hands.

"How can I become the Chief Manager of the Lian family with my abilities? I'm just a helper."

"You're doing a great job."

Lian Baiyan involuntarily hiccuped.

He never expected such a tremendous compliment from the Head of the Family. He was so flustered that his face turned pale.

"I, I, I am absolutely... not... not capable enough..."

Lian Wei shook his head.

"Go on, then."

"Ah! Yes!"

Lian Baiyan quickly left the Head of the Family's room. His movements were incredibly fast, as if he had seen something he shouldn't.

Lian Wei leaned back in his chair.

He was tired, but each day was fulfilling. The business in Jiangsu was stable, the family affairs were smooth, and especially, the growth of his second son was remarkable.

He hoped tomorrow would be the same as today. Even if it was tiring, he wanted a day full of hope and fulfillment.

'The second son hasn't finished his cultivation yet. It's his first state of Wuwo, so it's understandable.'

Lian Wei closed his eyes, using his cultivation to relieve the day's fatigue.

His son was facing a significant challenge and opportunity. As the Head of the Family and a father, he needed to be strong as well.

After some time,

"Head of the Family!"

Lian Wei, still with his eyes closed, opened his mouth.

"What is it?"

"The, the eldest son is here!"

Lian Wei's eyes snapped open.

"Heng is here?"

"Yes! But..."

"What's wrong?"

Lian Baiyan's words were the final straw.

"He brought a beautiful young lady with him!"