The Quest for Immortality

The gaunt elder suddenly became spirited.

In his life, he had never undertaken such a ”wealthy” Heavenly Secret Calculation.

With the aid of these calculating tools, he might indeed stand a slight chance against Mr. Zhuang.

To part the fog laid out by Mr. Zhuang and glimpse that trace of the hidden Heavenly Secret.

The gaunt elder’s spirit was boosted.

After resting for a moment and waiting for his Divine Sense to replenish, he solemnly lit the Nourishing Spirit Incense, donned the Dry Wood Hairpin, seated himself on the Zen Viewing Mat, and on the heavenly secret disk, he arranged the Copper Coins of the Three Talents Divination…

With the support of so many Spiritual Artifacts, his Divine Sense was exceptionally full, his train of thought extraordinarily clear, his eyes as if glowing, seemed to peer through the past and infer the future.

The gaunt elder sat up straight and began the Calculation.

Despite being ”fully equipped,” he still took no chances.

He wasn’t greedy, not trying to calculate too much at once, only a little bit at a time, wishing to see the past of that Junior Formation Master shrouded in fog—to look at some momentary experiences, to find some clues, and to peer into the causes and consequences.

Even if the fog laid by Mr. Zhuang was profound, it still wouldn’t be without blind spots.

The gaunt elder sat patiently and calculated meticulously.

After an unknown period, he finally penetrated a layer of mist from within a sea of confusion and the unknown!

The gaunt elder was overjoyed and just as he was about to look, a sudden intense thump in his heart, a warning emerged.

As if beneath the fog lay something extremely horrifying.

Merely touching it made his heart pound with fright, cold sweat drenched him.

Even within the fog, there was a thread carrying a bloodlike, ferocious, chilling aura.

This aura, though obscure, exuded a hair-raising presence of death.

Like a bucket of cold water, poured over his head.

The gaunt elder snapped to a realization:

What am I doing?

Who gave me the courage to peer into the fog laid by Mr. Zhuang?

Am I worthy?

What is my ability?

And what level is Mr. Zhuang at?

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The gaunt elder’s hands shook, and his heart trembled.

”Damn that was close!”

”I almost let these Spiritual Artifacts deceive me, became overconfident, overestimated myself, and lost sight of my place.”

One must know one’s place as a person, and also in Calculation.

To calculate as much cause and effect as one’s abilities allow.

If you cannot calculate it, it simply means your abilities are not yet sufficient.

If you are not skilled enough and forcibly calculate, you will face retribution from causes and consequences beyond your abilities, and it wouldn’t be surprising if even death or obliteration ensued.

The gaunt elder took a deep breath.

However, his heart still fluttered wildly, seemingly not yet recovered from the shock of the warning.

The gaunt elder was filled with retrospective fear and a sense of relief as if he had narrowly escaped disaster.

Thankfully he knew his limitations, understood how ”inexperienced” he was; otherwise, he would have almost brought about a catastrophe.

Upon seeing a look of enlightenment on the gaunt elder’s face, other Cultivators approached and asked:

”Senior Wen, how did it go?”

”Did you figure it out?”

I figured out your mother’s big ghost head!!

The gaunt elder cursed inwardly.

Figured out nothing; I almost lost my life in the process.

But he couldn’t say that outright, as it would not only offend everyone, but also make him lose face.

So the gaunt elder sighed and said, ”Indeed, Mr. Zhuang is a prodigy; his methods... are beyond my comprehension...”

The crowd sighed in disappointment.

The lead had gone cold again.

Some questioned, ”With so many calculating tools to aid you, it’s impossible that you couldn’t figure it out, Senior Wen. You aren’t trying to keep this secret to yourself, are you?”

The gaunt elder looked coldly at him, ”How about I give you all the calculating tools, and you try?”

The man quieted down and shut his mouth.

It was just talk; if he were actually put to the test, he wouldn’t know how to do anything.

The gaunt elder returned the calculating tools, expressing his gratitude:

”I am insufficient in my abilities and have let down everyone’s kindness.”

An elder with white hair knew the difficulty and danger of the task and showed understanding, saying:

”Brother Wen has worked hard.”

The other Cultivators nearby also showed pity and said:

”We are grateful for Senior Wen’s effort.”

”Senior Wen, you’ve worked hard.”

...

They, too, were just trying their luck; if they couldn’t figure it out, it was expected, for there were few Cultivators in this world more skilled in Heavenly Secret Calculation than Mr. Zhuang.

This matter would need further long-term consideration.

Everyone went back to rest.

The gaunt elder also put away his Three Talents Divination Copper Coins.

But as he picked up the coins, he discovered that the edge of one Copper Coin... now had a tiny crack.

The gaunt elder was startled, then reflected quietly.

Suddenly, he was engulfed by immense fear.

He now realized, it wasn’t that he had the sense of his own limits.

It was the Copper Coin that had, at a critical moment, blocked a deadly threat, saving his life!

That’s why the warning arose!

That’s why he thought to retreat, that’s how he escaped the calamity!

His had truly been a close call!

The gaunt elder felt weak in his limbs, slumped onto the chair, his heart, which had just calmed down, was again pounding with terror, and his back soaked with cold sweat.

Fear lingered in his eyes.

What exactly lay beneath the fog?

How terrifying was this junior gentleman’s fate?

He had only tried to see a corner, no, not even managed to take a look, and was nearly obliterated?!

What exactly resides within his life’s destiny…