The burly man stood in place, utterly dumbfounded!
His newly cultivated physical body was gone again!
What was this nonsense?
After a long silence, the burly man turned and returned to the teleportation array.
He decided not to continue this trial!
Before coming here, he was the top prodigy of his universe, invincible among peers, effortlessly slaying those above his level!
But upon arriving, he realized he was far too weak!
Anyone could crush him in seconds!
How could he train like this?
Better to go back, develop for a while, and return later.
Soon, the burly man vanished into the teleportation array.
…
Gu led Ye Xuan to an ancient building with three floors, covered in eerie black runes.
Ye Xuan was curious. “What is this?”
Gu smiled. “Taking you to meet an old friend!”
She brought Ye Xuan into the building. As they entered, Ye Xuan frowned. The first floor was filled with various beast skulls.
The interior was dimly lit, exuding an oppressive atmosphere.
Gu led Ye Xuan to the third floor and pushed open a door. A ray of sunlight hit them, momentarily dazzling.
Ye Xuan looked inside. By the bed sat a woman in a wheelchair, dressed in peculiar clothing—half black, half white. Her back was to them, so Ye Xuan couldn’t see her face.
The woman suddenly spoke. “Gu, you actually made it out! Congratulations!”
Gu walked to her side, looked her over, and smiled. “Alan, I didn’t expect you to still be alive. Quite surprising!”
The woman named Alan turned to look at Ye Xuan, and he finally saw her face.
Stunning!
That was Ye Xuan’s first impression.
Alan’s features were exquisitely perfect, without a single flaw. Her large, soulful eyes seemed to see through people.
Alan smiled. “The former Chosen One!”
Gu nodded. “Indeed!”
She glanced at Ye Xuan and smiled. “Want your fortune read?”
“Fortune-telling?”
Ye Xuan was stunned.
Gu laughed. “Yes! You may not know, but our Alan is unmatched in divination. I dare say no one in the Four-Sided Universe can compare to her!”
Ye Xuan thought for a moment, then walked to Alan. “Alright, let’s give it a try!”
Gu looked at Alan, who remained silent.
Gu patted Alan’s shoulder gently and smiled. “Give me some face, will you?”
Alan looked at Ye Xuan. “It’s not about giving face. I can’t read your fate!”
Gu frowned slightly. “Can’t read it?”
Alan nodded. “His fate is so resolute, you can’t imagine.”
Gu’s eyes narrowed. “How resolute?”
Alan glanced at Ye Xuan. “Indescribable!”
Indescribable!
Gu fell silent.
Alan added, “Young Master’s fate is resolute, but his strength is weak. Clearly, there’s a supreme powerhouse behind him!”
Ye Xuan nodded. “There is.”
Alan was silent for a moment, then said, “Young Master could walk sideways in the Four-Sided Universe.”
Ye Xuan gave a wry smile.
Gu picked up an ancient book from Alan’s lap, glanced at it, and smiled. “Alan, you’re reading books on self-cultivation now?”
Alan looked at Gu. “What brings you to the Ancient Battle Realm?”
Gu pointed at Ye Xuan. “Accompanying him for training!”
Alan looked at Ye Xuan. “Young Master has a supreme powerhouse behind him, yet you want to rely on yourself. Unfortunately, many times, you’re powerless and must rely on those behind you to solve things, right?”
Ye Xuan nodded. “Yes.”
Alan shook her head slightly. “That’s fate! You have what others desperately want but don’t use.”
Ye Xuan smiled. “Do you believe in fate, miss?”
Alan smiled faintly. “Don’t you, Young Master?”
Ye Xuan nodded.
Alan shook her head with a smile. “You’re mistaken. You don’t disbelieve in fate; the people behind you are so strong they can change your fate! But not everyone has such powerful backing! Fate can be truly despairing, something you can’t understand.”
Ye Xuan fell silent.
Alan wheeled herself to the window, looking out, and said softly, “Young Master, a suggestion: live peacefully as a second-generation, carefree for life. That’s nice.”
Ye Xuan smiled. “You think I can’t be a first-generation?”
Alan looked at Ye Xuan. “You lack the heart of a true powerhouse.”
Ye Xuan frowned.
Alan continued, “Because you can always act without fear, you’ll never face true despair. Without true despair, your mindset and character won’t achieve a real breakthrough.”
Ye Xuan suddenly asked, “Miss, you said we differ on fate—you believe in it, I don’t. You lectured me about it. But what’s wrong with some believing in fate and others not?”
Alan looked at Ye Xuan, silent.
Ye Xuan continued, “I think one should be true to themselves. You believe in fate because you’ve felt despair and powerlessness. I don’t, as you said, because I haven’t faced despair. But is that wrong? I have the right to not believe in fate. Is there a problem with that?”
Alan was silent for a while, then said, “No problem.”
Ye Xuan nodded slightly and added, “You say I lack a powerhouse’s heart because my backing is too strong, so I’ve never faced despair. But miss, if my family gives me this advantage, why should I give it up?”
Alan looked at Ye Xuan. “I didn’t say you were wrong. I only suggested you could live peacefully as a second-generation.”
Ye Xuan shook his head with a smile. “Telling me to be a second-generation isn’t that subtly looking down on me? It’s not overt, but I can feel it. Of course, I understand.”
He glanced at the book in Alan’s hand and smiled. “You’re skilled in divination, reading fates all your life, yet here you are, wheelchair-bound. Clearly, you’ve felt despair and helplessness. When you saw me, someone who could defy fate—not by my own power but with others’ help—you probably felt some imbalance, right?”
Alan stared at Ye Xuan, silent.
Gu glanced at Ye Xuan, saying nothing.
Ye Xuan continued, “I get it. Many people dislike second-generations, thinking, ‘Without their parents, what are they?’ I used to be like that in Qing City, fighting for everything myself, looking down on those born with everything. But what can you do? Their parents worked hard for it.”
He shook his head with a smile. “Later, I became the kind of person I once despised. My dad’s invincible, my sister’s invincible, my big brother’s invincible. I have people, I have money… That feeling, honestly, is pretty great, heh heh…”
Alan and Gu’s expressions grew odd.
Ye Xuan continued, “I’m helpless too. What can I do? Not use these resources and play the fool?”
He looked at Alan. “If someone could solve your predicament now, would you rely on them?”
Alan looked at Ye Xuan. “There’s no one.”
Ye Xuan pointed at himself. “What if I could?”
Alan frowned. “Impossible.”
Gu said, “He can.”
Alan looked at Gu, who nodded slightly.
Alan was silent for a moment, then said, “Would Young Master help me?”
Ye Xuan looked at Alan. “Don’t you believe in relying on yourself? Fight your fate on your own.”
Alan looked at Ye Xuan, silent.
Gu shook her head with a smile. “Young Master Ye, don’t be upset. Alan meant no harm.”
Ye Xuan smiled. “I know.”
He looked at Gu. “Let’s go.”
Gu hesitated, then nodded. “Alright. We’ll come back another day.”
With that, she left with Ye Xuan.
In the room, Alan watched them go, silent.
After leaving the ancient building, Gu suddenly said, “She’s been through a lot. She was once the National Teacher of the Origin Empire. Later, for some reason, she offended the Master of the Great Dao Pen and was sealed here…”
She looked at Ye Xuan. “You’re upset?”
Ye Xuan smiled. “Getting denied right off the bat—would you be upset?”
Gu nodded.
Ye Xuan added, “Being a second-generation is a fact I can’t change. Not relying on my family… as you said, without them, I’d probably have been dealt with by the Master of the Great Dao Pen by now…”
He paused, recalling something. “You said she offended the Master of the Great Dao Pen… What did she do?”
Gu said, “She kept prying into the heavens’ secrets and tried to forcibly change her fate. Prying is fine, but defying fate disrupts the Master of the Great Dao Pen’s order. So, she was dealt with.”
Ye Xuan said gravely, “You all know you can’t beat the Master of the Great Dao Pen. Why provoke him?”
Gu thought for a moment, then said, “Your sister has killed plenty, right?”
Ye Xuan nodded.
Gu asked, “Why did they provoke her?”
Ye Xuan was stunned.
Gu laughed. “Some didn’t know how strong your sister was, so they provoked her. By the time they realized, it was too late.”
Ye Xuan nodded slightly. “I understand.”
Gu suddenly looked ahead. “That’s the Ancient City up there!”
She turned to Ye Xuan. “Take first place?”
Ye Xuan adjusted his collar and smiled. “Isn’t that a must? Time to let me sh—”
…
