Chapter 70

At the stroke of midnight, the Northern Cold Array shimmered with light, and a corner of the Southern Peak opened.

A figure, completely shrouded in a black robe, accompanied by a faint black mist that concealed all traces of its presence, stepped into the void and instantly entered the Southern Peak of the Northern Cold Sect.

In that instant, at least two places within the Northern Cold Mountains experienced unusual activity.

The independent Heavenly Concealment Peak appeared even more solitary in the night. The mountain, an outlier, was particularly dim in the darkness.

Inside a cave on Heavenly Concealment Peak, the space was not large, but many books were neatly suspended in the air. A stone table and stone stools were set up, with a teapot and two jade cups. The fragrance of books and tea wafted around.

In the midst of this, a middle-aged man in a green robe, with clear eyes, a white face like jade, and a composed demeanor, held a jade cup in one hand and a book in the other, sipping tea and reading leisurely.

Beside him, a blue-robed cultivator stood respectfully, seemingly also quietly contemplating something.

This blue-robed cultivator was none other than Mo Qing, whom Amu and Lishui had met during the day, a cultivator of only the seventh rank of initial cultivation.

The moment the black-robed cultivator entered as the Northern Cold Array opened, the green-robed cultivator, who was sipping tea and reading, suddenly raised his eyebrows and slowly put down his cup and book.

"Master, what's wrong?" Mo Qing, who rarely saw such a situation, couldn't help but be puzzled.

"Mo Qing, for some reason, I feel a disturbance in my heart and need to cast a divination!" the green-robed middle-aged cultivator said with a frown.

"Hmm?" Mo Qing was startled. "What kind of divination will Master cast? Should we invite the other senior disciples to observe?"

The concept of divination is that one does not cast a divination without a reason. Although the Thousand Concealment Cave's Thousand Concealment True Man could divine the will of heaven, he rarely cast divinations. Today's sudden divination was a rare and precious event, which is why Mo Qing asked.

"This divination is to ask about the fortune and misfortune of the Northern Cold Sect. There's no need to invite the other senior disciples. Since you have the chance, you can observe it yourself!" Thousand Concealment True Man said calmly.

As he spoke, he took out three ancient coins from his pocket. These coins, of unknown age, were simple and unadorned, with a mottled ancient color, but they seemed to contain the will of heaven and the great way.

Thousand Concealment True Man, being a great cultivator, did not need to bathe or burn incense.

Holding the three ancient coins in his palm, Thousand Concealment True Man silently recited a mantra. A green aura suddenly emerged from his brow, circling around his hands.

"Open!" The three ancient coins clinked onto the stone table, forming a hexagram. This process was repeated six times, and after the sixth hexagram, Thousand Concealment True Man closed his eyes and concentrated, determining the fortune and misfortune.

Mo Qing saw the hexagram and his face changed, remaining silent. All the hexagrams indicated great misfortune, with the ominous sign of bloodshed.

After a moment, Thousand Concealment True Man opened his eyes and said to Mo Qing, "Mo Qing, can you determine the fortune and misfortune?"

Mo Qing's brows furrowed. "Disciple's cultivation is still shallow, and my understanding of divination is rudimentary. After repeatedly considering the hexagrams, they all indicate great misfortune! If this divination is about the fortune and misfortune of the Northern Cold Sect, it seems to foretell a great decline, like the withering of spring flowers and autumn leaves!"

Thousand Concealment True Man nodded slightly and said with a faint smile, "The bird burns its nest, surrounded by dangers. Indeed, the Northern Cold Sect is about to face a great calamity!"

Mo Qing was startled. "Does Master have a way to resolve it?"

Thousand Concealment True Man shook his head. "To divine the will of heaven is already a defiance of nature! The so-called resolution is merely to follow the will of heaven! The Northern Cold Sect is destined to face this calamity, and there is no need to seek a resolution!"

Mo Qing, hearing this, seemed to understand but not fully, and couldn't help but frown and think.

Thousand Concealment True Man remained silent, and Mo Qing did not speak. The fragrance of tea filled the cave.

Mo Qing knew that his master was testing and enlightening him, but he still couldn't figure out the reason.

After a while, Thousand Concealment True Man smiled and said, "Spring wood renews, and withered trees bloom! The Northern Cold Sect has both misfortune and fortune, and will be reborn after the calamity. Do you understand, Mo Qing?"

"Ah!" Mo Qing naturally understood. "Master means that after this great calamity, the Northern Cold Sect will have a great revival?"

Thousand Concealment True Man nodded. "If the will of heaven is correct, after this great calamity, the Northern Cold Sect will suffer a great loss of vitality, but it will lay the foundation for a thousand-year path of prosperity!"

"Oh! A thousand-year path of prosperity?" Mo Qing couldn't help but be amazed.

"This divination is likely to be fulfilled through Lishui and Amu, who possess great fortune. A great calamity will cleanse evil and promote good. The Northern Cold Sect will face a great change." Thousand Concealment True Man's face was calm, as if he had seen through everything.

"Pass my order: from tomorrow, without my permission, no disciple of Heavenly Concealment Peak may leave the peak! Those who violate this will be punished according to the rules!"

"Disciple obeys!" Mo Qing was startled again, but seeing that his master had no intention of explaining further, he picked up his book and bowed to leave.

Mo Qing gazed at the peaks of the Northern Cold Sect and sighed deeply.

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