parentshiftbook Chapter 17: Yan Jun Asks the Diviner
Chapter 17: Yan Jun Asks the Diviner
Just as they were about to savor this newfound power, several steady yet swift footsteps, accompanied by a concentrated and powerful aura of blood and qi, rapidly approached from afar.
Xuan Tianyi raised an eyebrow and instantly suppressed the slight overflow of qi and blood around his body caused by his recent breakthrough, slowly drawing the five thousand jin of force back into his body like a sharp sword returning to its sheath.
However, deep within his eyes, a sharp and incomparably fierce edge, belonging to thunder, could not be concealed.
He straightened his wolf-skin armor, which was slightly covered in dust and blood, and walked out from behind the giant rock with composure.
Captain Yan Jun and female military doctor Liu Ruyan walked side by side, followed by two bodyguards with sharp eyes and solemn demeanor.
His stern gaze, like a searchlight, instantly locked onto Xuan Tianyi. As he scanned him from head to toe, his keen senses, honed through countless battles, immediately made him realize that this young man was different.
His steps were steady and his landings were silent. Although he was still rather thin, he exuded a restrained yet capable air.
What is particularly striking is the exposed skin—the neck and the back of the hands—which subtly shimmers with a warm, jade-like luster, yet also possesses a hidden resilience, contrasting sharply with the rough, dull skin of the surrounding refugees.
What alarmed him even more was that the faint fluctuations of qi and blood surrounding the young man, though deliberately concealed, still managed to detect the residual, explosive, thunderous aftertaste.
"Good lad!"
Yan Jun stopped a few steps in front of Xuan Tianyi, his voice booming, filled with undisguised astonishment and admiration:
"How long have we been apart? Half a day? Your aura... has broken through two barriers and reached the peak of the second level of Body Tempering? No, the luster of your skin... is clearly a sign that you have reached the perfection of tempering and have already touched the edge of flesh refining!"
Even the privileged scions of powerful clans in Tianxia City, who are built up with abundant resources, probably wouldn't have progressed this quickly!
Liu Ruyan stood quietly to one side, her simple dress fluttering slightly in the wind of the wilderness. Her cool gaze fell on Xuan Tianyi, as if she wanted to see through him from the inside out.
She spoke softly, her voice like a clear spring striking a stone:
"His vital energy surged like a babbling brook, with the faint sound of wind and thunder. His skin was taut, gleaming with a subtle, precious light, making him impervious to ordinary swords and blades. This was not merely an improvement in his cultivation level, but rather the refinement of his foundation to a flawless perfection. Moreover..."
She paused, a barely perceptible hint of inquiry flashing in her eyes:
"Your newly generated vital energy is fierce and sharp, carrying an extremely yang and intense charm, completely different from the weak vital energy you had when you were seriously injured. Xuan Tianyi, you always manage to give people... unexpected surprises."
Their gazes were almost tangible, filled with scrutiny, curiosity, and a hint of inexplicable inquiry.
Xuan Tianyi understood.
The surge of blood and qi during his breakthrough, which stirred up the surrounding stellar energy fluctuations, especially the explosive, thunderous intent naturally carried in his blood and qi after the tempering of his body by the "Mysterious Thunder Guiding Technique," was something he tried his best to suppress, but it still revealed itself in front of these two experts.
His expression remained calm. He bowed slightly, a perfectly timed expression of youthful weariness mixed with joy appearing on his face, and began to speak:
"Captain Yan, Doctor Liu. Perhaps it was because of his near-death experience and the repeated battles that he gained some insights from those life-or-death situations, coupled with the power of the pills you bestowed upon him, that he managed to break through and recover some of his previous cultivation level. You could say it was... a blessing in disguise."
He attributed everything to his insights into life and death and the aid of elixirs, which is the most vague, yet also the most difficult to disprove reason.
In this apocalyptic world, breaking through desperate situations is not uncommon, and a precious Body Tempering Pill is enough to explain most anomalies.
Yan Jun gave him a deep look, his tiger-like eyes flashing with a sharp light, as if trying to pierce through the boy's skin and see into the secrets deep within his soul.
But he didn't press the matter further.
In this precarious world, everyone has opportunities and pasts they don't want others to know. As long as they are loyal to humanity and willing to stand up at crucial moments, that's enough.
"Hahaha! What a stroke of good fortune from misfortune!"
Yan Jun laughed loudly, and patted Xuan Tianyi's shoulder forcefully with his large, fan-like hand. The force was not light, and it landed right on the edge of the limit that Xuan Tianyi's newly formed skin membrane could withstand. Feeling the strong rebound force coming from below, the admiration in his eyes deepened.
"Looks like I, Old Yan, have really struck gold with this temporary guard team! Kid, keep up the good work, there'll be plenty of room for you to shine in Tianxia City!"
He abruptly changed the subject, his eyes revealing undisguised curiosity and a hint of mockery:
"However, you've not only improved your cultivation, but your reputation is also quite impressive! Xuan Xiao Diviner? Hmm? In just a few days, your name has almost spread throughout the entire team."
"Well, I, Yan, would also like to share in this fortune and have my fortune told to see if our journey ahead will be auspicious or inauspicious?"
coming.
Xuan Tianyi felt a chill run down his spine, knowing that the real show was about to begin.
He displayed just the right amount of "difficulty" on his face, hesitated for a moment, and then solemnly clasped his hands in greeting:
"As Captain Yan commands, I will obey. However... to be honest, Captain Yan, my family's divination practice has some rigid rules. Divination is not done in vain, and rituals are not performed without purpose. A small fee must be charged, regardless of its value, but it is necessary to communicate with the unseen world and settle karmic debts. Please forgive me."
These words were partly due to the system's rules, and partly due to the rules he set for himself.
Unconditional gifts are most likely to attract trouble; appropriate thresholds are necessary to filter out genuine offers and avoid problems.
Upon hearing this, Yan Jun was not angry at all. Instead, a knowing look of "I knew it" flashed across his eyes, and he laughed heartily.
"Logical, well-founded, and in accordance with the rules! This is how a proper lineage should be passed down! Hesitation and indecisiveness are unseemly. Tell me, what do you require as divination gold? Star coins? Elixirs? Or something else?"
Xuan Tianyi shook his head, his expression calm:
"The amount of money for divination depends entirely on fate and the captain's intention. Ten star coins are not too little, and a hundred spirit pills are not too much. Sincerity brings results."
"Slippery!"
Yan Jun chuckled and cursed, but it only made him feel more at ease.
He suppressed his smile, his gaze fixed on the winding path through the wasteland that led faintly to Tianxia City in the distance, and said in a deep voice:
"In that case, let me inquire about the fortune of this journey. Will the route to Tianxia City proceed smoothly? Are there any precautions we should take?"
The atmosphere became subtly more somber with this question.
Even Liu Ruyan, who was standing quietly to the side, slightly raised her eyes, her cold gaze falling on Xuan Tianyi and the three bone coins in his palm.
The wind on the riverbank seemed to freeze for a moment in the face of the serious problem.
All eyes—the stern sharpness, Liu Ruyan's aloofness, and the unconscious breaths of several guards not far away—were focused on the three warm, lustrous wolf-eyed jade coins and the boy holding them.
Xuan Tianyi took a deep breath, and the air from the wasteland, carrying the smell of dust and blood, filled his lungs, quickly calming his mind, which was slightly agitated due to his recent breakthrough.
The "Eight Views of Mysterious Life Lamp Visualization Method" operates silently, and the central lamp flame in the sea of consciousness shines steadily, like an ancient well without ripples, reflecting both inside and outside.
He did not answer immediately, but slowly sat down cross-legged, put the three bone coins in his palm, and gently stroked the warm surface with a hint of coldness and killing intent.
Communicate with your spirituality, calm your mind and focus your thoughts.
"What Captain Yan asked concerns the lives and future of thousands of people; it is a matter of great importance. I will do my utmost to try and glimpse the secret."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange penetrating power that subconsciously silenced the slightly noisy whispers of the refugees around him.
His eyes closed slightly, and his aura suddenly changed.
No longer the guard with a touch of youthful vigor, nor the ruthless and decisive warrior who slew the rotten wolf, but a detached calm and focus.
It was as if everything around him—the sound of the wind, the voices of people, the crackling of the campfire—quickly faded away, and his entire mind was focused on the three small bone coins in his palm and on communicating with the unspeakable "Tao" in the darkness.
With a slight flick of the wrist.
Ding, dong, da.
Three wolf-eyed jade coins flew out of my hand with a strange rhythm, tracing three simple arcs in the slightly bleak afternoon sunlight, landing on the flat bluestone surface in front of me, spinning and bouncing, emitting a crisp and echoing impact sound.
All eyes were fixed on the three rolling bone coins, as if they determined the fate of thousands.
The bone coins finally stopped spinning and lay quietly on the bluestone.
Two coins are facing up with the dark side facing up, and one coin is facing up with the light side facing up.
The coin with the sunny side facing up rolled onto the edge of a small, protruding pebble, appearing tilted and unstable.
Xuan Tianyi opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the divination chart, his pupils contracting almost imperceptibly.
The trigram Kan (坎) above Gen (艮) forms the trigram Jian (蹶), which represents water and mountain.
The one with a limp is unable to walk and faces dangers ahead.
He stared intently at the image, especially the tilted yang line, rapidly deducing its meaning in his mind.
The vast knowledge of divination principles imparted by the system, combined with the sensation of the vague and oppressive "qi" in the area in front of him brought about by the "Eight Views Mysterious Life Lamp Visualization Method," allowed him to quickly and clearly interpret the divination symbols.
"Kan represents water, symbolizing danger, traps, and conspiracies. Gen represents mountain, symbolizing obstruction, stagnation, and difficulties."
Xuan Tianyi raised his head, meeting Yan Jun's probing gaze. His voice was steady, yet each word was clear.
"This hexagram is Water over Mountain (蹇), which is an ominous sign. The hexagram text says: It is advantageous to the southwest, but not to the northeast; it is advantageous to see a great person, and perseverance will bring good fortune."
He paused, then pointed to the northeast direction that the group had originally planned to travel, which was the "official road" leading to Tianxia City. Although it was abandoned, it was relatively familiar to them.
"Based on this hexagram and the text of the hexagram, which reads 'Xi Kan, entering a pit, ominous,' if we continue to proceed along the original northeastern route, we may encounter numerous dangers, as if we were wading into a deep mud pit."
Ahead lies a high mountain blocking the way, behind lies deep water trapping the retreating; a deadly predicament where neither can advance nor retreat. This "hurdle" is not a naturally occurring danger, but rather... a man-made trap, ambush and deadly!
"A man-made trap?"
Yan Jun's thick eyebrows suddenly furrowed, like two sharp blades drawn from their sheaths.
The two bodyguards behind him gripped their sword hilts tightly, their eyes sharp as eagles, scanning their surroundings, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
"Yes."
Xuan Tianyi nodded firmly, his finger pointing in the same direction, his voice low yet carrying a resounding, metallic quality.
"The divination indicates that the northeast direction is extremely inauspicious, with hidden dangers and the risk of annihilation."
He then changed the subject, pointing in another direction—southwest.
"on the contrary,"
Xuan Tianyi's gaze deepened, as if piercing through the space before him to see a scene further away.
"If you turn to the southwest, the southwest is the Kun position, which represents earth and compliance. The hexagram indicates that although this road is not smooth and may have twists and turns, it is advantageous to see a great person, meaning that you may encounter a benefactor or find a turning point, with a glimmer of hope hidden within. As long as you proceed cautiously, there may be hope of breaking the deadlock."
southwest?
Yan Jun and Liu Ruyan quickly exchanged a glance.
The southwest direction was not entirely unfamiliar; the patrol scouts had conducted a rough exploration there. The terrain was more complex, with many hills and ravines, far from the main road, but there were indeed faint traces of an old trade route, only it was more remote and the potential risks were unknown.
Detour?
Two words, yet they carry immense weight.
The team of several thousand people, nearly half of whom were elderly, weak, women and children, were running out of food and water, and the wounded needed a stable environment.
The original route was a safe path that had been surveyed multiple times, was relatively familiar to the group, and had fixed water source markers along the way.
The plans were changed at the last minute, and they headed to the unfamiliar southwest...
This means more unknown risks, more complicated marching difficulties, and may delay the arrival date in Tianxia City, consuming already scarce resources.
more importantly--
If a young man were to arbitrarily change the established military route based on a vague divination, and if this were to go wrong, causing the team to fall into danger or even delaying the deadline for escorting "that batch of goods," then this responsibility would be far beyond what a patrol squad leader could bear.
His stern fingers unconsciously rubbed the hilt of the knife at his waist, the rough skin rubbing against the cold metal, making a soft rustling sound.
His brows furrowed, his gaze shifting between Xuan Tianyi's calm face, the three strange bone coins, and the faintly undulating hills to the southwest.
Believe it or not?
This kid's previous warnings, whether it was the nighttime attack by the corpse dogs, the sudden attack by the rotting wolves, or even some trivial matters concerning refugees, were all alarmingly accurate.
But that was a small-scale, short-term prediction.
Now it concerns the very survival of the entire team, and military orders...
Is it credible?
If there really was an ambush... who set it up? Who was the target?
Was it that group of "things" in the team, or...? Yan Jun glanced at the bewildered refugees in the distance, his heart heavy.
Liu Ruyan's cool voice broke the silence, her gaze falling on Xuan Tianyi's face with scrutiny:
"Southwest direction, are you sure?"
Xuan Tianyi met her gaze without flinching or avoiding it:
"The divination indicates this, and I will speak frankly based on it. There is hope in the southwest, and there may be help from an 'adult.' But the northeast is extremely inauspicious."
Liu Ruyan stopped speaking and simply watched Yan Jun quietly.
This decision had to be made by Yan Jun, the supreme commander.
Xuan Tianyi saw their hesitation and knew that empty words were unreliable and hard to believe.
His mind raced, and his gaze fell on Liu Ruyan once again.
Based on the observations over the past few days, and what I've seen with the Qi Observation Technique, the strange aura of the blue lotus rising into the sky above Liu Ruyan's head amidst the wind and snow is like a torch in the dark night, dazzling and eye-catching.
Should I tell his fortune?
This is a potential "life source" giant delivered right to our doorstep!
Furthermore, if we could use Liu Ruyan's words to increase the credibility of the divination...