Chapter 164: Chaotic Destiny
Chapter 164: Chaotic Destiny
In the northwest corner of the Inner City, a square-shaped pavilion towered. On each floor, golden bells hung from the eaves, chiming crisply from time to time in the cold wind.
On one of the floors, a wooden plaque hung in the center, inscribed with the words, "Master of Mystic Hall, Profound Words of Destiny."
Mystic Mechanism Pavilion! At the top floor of the pavilion, in a simply furnished room, several black-robed figures gathered.
"Well?"
"A glimpse of destiny confirmed it. The He family's extermination is indeed fated." Han Guang spoke calmly.
Cheng Houhua smirked and said, "The destiny is not to be defied, but it's often too vague. Sometimes, it's hard to discern clearly, and we might end up misinterpreting it. Instead of aligning with the times, we could go against the will of heaven."
Han Guang chuckled and said, "That's what they call the whims of fate. If we could truly see all the destinies and fates, we might as well rename ourselves as the Hall of Fate."
At this point, he turned to another robed figure and asked, "Deputy Master Liu, how is the situation in the Purple Mist Mountain Range?"
The third black-robed figure, with a face full of wrinkles, clearly much older, spoke in a deep voice, "Yan Jingqing is not easily fooled. He used some tricks on the He family's men, but although our people responded in time, there were still heavy casualties, and even He Wuyou was seriously injured."
"As expected."
Cheng Houhua leaned back against the wall and said, "If Yan Jingqing were that easily manipulated, he wouldn't be Yan Jingqing. It's just a pity that the He family is so useless that they couldn't even uncover Yan Jingqing's backup plan."
"Hmm."
Deputy Master Liu nodded slightly and said, "For now, we only know that Meng Danyun, a direct disciple of the Spirit Mystic Peak of the Seven Mysteries Sect, has arrived in Yu Prefecture and was the one who took action against the He family. We don't know if there are others involved."
Han Guang leaned against a wooden table, deep in thought, and spoke after a while, "Let's put Meng Danyun aside for now. That Chen Mu is indeed strange. According to the information, his rise was quite bizarre, and his cultivation path is also mysterious. He reached his current realm in a short time, and even the He family's Blood Fury Inferno Arrow couldn't kill him."
Hearing this, Cheng Houhua couldn't help but smile, "Are you worried that this person will affect future situations? But didn't we already divine his fate? We divined it three times, and there was nothing bizarre about his fate."
Han Guang spoke solemnly, "Fate divinations are inherently vague and unclear. When it comes to individuals, especially when they don't actively seek divination, it becomes even more unpredictable. This time, we wanted to take the opportunity to eliminate some factors that might affect destiny, but the outcome was beyond our expectations. I can't shake this uneasy feeling."
"Then let's divine again."
Deputy Master Liu spoke calmly, "This time, I will use my lifeblood to divine and see the destiny."
Although Chen Mu was just a local figure, he was indeed the most remarkable person in Yu Prefecture, and his rise was indeed strange. Before the age of twenty, his background was almost non-existent, and then he suddenly started cultivating, revealing a talent comparable to a direct disciple of a sect. In a short time, he reached his current status.
This situation couldn't escape the attention of the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion, but multiple divinations of Chen Mu's fate didn't reveal any 'destiny' or backlash, indicating that Chen Mu's fate was likely ordinary and not the type to influence the grand scheme.
However, destiny was ultimately vague and unpredictable. These clues alone weren't enough for certainty.
"Is this necessary?"
Cheng Houhua glanced at Deputy Master Liu.
Divining with one's lifeblood meant sacrificing one's lifespan. He didn't think Chen Mu was worth such a cost for Deputy Master Liu. Although Chen Mu's talent was indeed remarkable, comparable to a sect's direct disciple, it wasn't certain that Chen Mu would become a direct disciple of the Seven Mysteries Sect in the future. Moreover, even if he did, the Seven Mysteries Sect had long been inactive, and its disciples were weak. Only the Ultimate Mysterious Peak's direct disciple was noteworthy. Someone like Meng Danyun wasn't a concern.
Furthermore, based on the divination of the Seven Mysteries Sect's overall fate, the entire sect's future was quite bleak.
"Confirming it will bring more peace of mind."
Deputy Master Liu took out a set of tortoise shell divination tools, closed his eyes, and gradually connected with the heavens and earth.
In a short time, a visible wrinkle appeared on his face.
Soon, Deputy Master Liu threw the tortoise shell and opened his eyes, shaking his head, "This person's fate still shows nothing extraordinary, but it is prolonged, indicating a long life."
Cheng Houhua and Han Guang exchanged glances and both shook their heads slightly.
"Is he the type whose 'fate shouldn't be severed'? No wonder he can escape crises repeatedly."
A random beggar on the street could have a prolonged fate. If one wanted to kill such a person, various obstacles would arise, making it challenging. However, it didn't mean they were unkillable; with slight guidance, they might destroy their fate themselves, making it effortless. Or, one could forcefully kill them, but the cost and reward might not be proportional.
If one were to expose themselves while trying to kill an ordinary beggar and get stabbed by a hidden Blood Veil Tower assassin, the price would be too high. In such situations, it was often better to let nature take its course.
"Since fate itself holds no surprises, we might as well let nature take its course."
Deputy Master Liu put away the tortoise shell, his face creased with wrinkles, and said, "When the heavens and earth turn upside down, those who dare to defy fate, be it Yan Jingqing or the Seven Mysteries Sect, will be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot."
...
Mystic Mechanism Pavilion.
At the top of the pavilion, under the eaves, unnoticed by anyone, a figure in tattered Daoist robes was lying there, holding a gourd of wine, revealing a mouthful of crooked yellow teeth as he drank.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, he took out a stack of tortoise shells with his right hand, glanced at them, and casually flipped one of them. The shell started spinning, and he set it aside, continuing to drink.
After a while, he wiped his mouth and sat up.
"Even the old Daoist couldn't predict this, yet these youngsters still want to seek divination."
"However, there are indeed many people in Yu Prefecture with uncertain fates, more than in Mystic State, Qing Prefecture, and Han Prefecture. Who will become marquises, and who will claim kingship, it's all so unclear, so hard to guess, and even harder to explain... Haha, the chaotic times are approaching, and the destiny is truly in disarray."
As he spoke, the old Daoist took out a greasy, tattered booklet. He licked a brush and dipped it in his saliva, making a few strokes before putting the booklet away. Then, he took a step forward and disappeared into thin air above the pavilion's eaves.
Throughout this process, neither the people below in the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion nor the passersby in the distant streets noticed anything.
Despite the presence of the four major sects in Yu Prefecture, turning it into a battleground for the Seven Mysteries Sect and the sects, the Hao family was still one of the four great families that had governed Yu Prefecture for over a hundred years. The news of their downfall within a single day caused a huge stir in Yu Prefecture, not just in Yu City but also spreading to the various counties.
In fact, ever since the four major sects arrived, many high-ranking figures had predicted that trouble would eventually befall the four families. After all, getting entangled in conflicts between the four sects and the Seven Mysteries Sect was never a good thing.
But no one expected.
The Hao family's fall would come so suddenly and swiftly.
It was less about their downfall at the hands of the Seven Mysteries Sect or the Yu family, and more about their demise being orchestrated by Chen Mu, the Inspector General!
When Chen Mu was promoted to Inspector General, many of the forces affiliated with the Hao family felt that the situation was turning dire. Some were filled with unease, but Chen Mu remained quiet, showing no particular hostility towards the Hao family. This eased the minds of many, but Yan Jingqing's repeated provocations against the Hao family caused even greater concern.
...
South District.
Inside a certain mansion, Xu Feng, the former Overseer of Wutong Li, stared absentmindly at the sky.
"His actions remain unchanged from years ago..."
Years ago, when Xu Hongyu instructed him to hand over the position of Overseer of Wutong Li to Chen Mu, he had doubts about Chen Mu's ability to secure the position and resolve the disputes between the Zheng family, the Nan family, and various gangs. However, he obeyed Xu Hongyu's orders and never caused any trouble, instead doing his best to complete all necessary tasks and clearing obstacles for Chen Mu.
What he never expected was that Chen Mu's first move as Overseer would be a thunderous strike, decisive and shocking countless people. He completely uprooted the Zheng family, who had dominated Wutong Li for many years.
Xu Feng was not only surprised but also gained a newfound respect for Chen Mu.
There was no need to mention what happened next. In less than a year as Overseer of Wutong Li, Chen Mu managed everything so well that the once unruly gangs became obedient, not daring to cause any trouble during his tenure.
This time.
After becoming the Inspector General, Chen Mu remained silent and made no moves, nor did he clash with the Hao family. But when he finally took action, it was like his previous handling of the Zheng family—a thunderous strike, uprooting them completely!
What truly shocked Xu Feng was that this was the Hao family, a powerful force that had dominated Yu Prefecture for over a century, far beyond comparison with a small-time local gentry like the Zheng family. Yet, within a single day, Chen Mu had annihilated the entire Hao family!
Once upon a time.
When Xu Feng handed over the position of Overseer of Wutong Li to Chen Mu, who could have imagined that a few years later, the formidable Hao family, a giant within the Inner City, would collapse so abruptly at Chen Mu's hands.
Even now, an unknown amount of time after hearing the news, Xu Feng's heart still couldn't find peace.
...
Jiutiao Li.
In a certain courtyard, Yin Hong, the leader of the Crimson Gold Gang, stood motionless, silent for a long time.
Vaguely, he could still recall the young man with a slightly immature face, dressed in an official's uniform, who had come to Jiutiao Li to inquire about the Black Crow Sect... In reality, only a few years had passed since then.
From being an official in Jiutiao Li to becoming the Inspector General, and then witnessing the downfall of the entire Hao family, it all seemed like a dream.
Fortunately.
He had no grudge with Chen Mu back then.
These past years in Jiutiao Li had been peaceful, and he maintained a tacit understanding with Min Baoyi, ensuring mutual peace.
(End of Chapter)
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