The Fortuity Mission Line Concerning Her Origins — He Had Tested Her Depths Many Times
The Fortuity Mission Line Concerning Her Origins — He Had Tested Her Depths Many Times
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Aboard the Ancient Battleship speeding toward the Vermilion Bird Empire, spiritual energy swirled within the palace hall, radiance soaring to the heavens.
Gu Changge asked casually, seemingly in quite a good mood.
“No, it’s just that, for some reason, a strange feeling suddenly welled up in me.”
Su Qingge leaned into his embrace, shifting into a more comfortable position, and gently shook her head. “Does Gongzi still remember what happened back in the Overworld?”
“What happened in the Overworld?”
Gu Changge raised an eyebrow slightly, recalling the time he had sent Yan Ji to ask about Su Qingge’s whereabouts, and she had said she was going to search for her mother.
Was she suddenly bringing this up now because of that matter?
“You mean your origins?”
Though a long time had passed, Gu Changge still remembered.
Su Qingge’s mother seemed to have been a noble lady of the Beyond who, by some twist of fate, ended up in the Overworld. After giving birth to Su Qingge, she was taken back to the Beyond.
Su Qingge’s father, meanwhile, had always hoped that once she came to the Beyond, she would be able to find her mother.
“So Gongzi actually still remembers.” Hearing this, Su Qingge was somewhat delighted. “I thought Gongzi had forgotten all about it.”
“If you hadn’t reminded me, I might really have forgotten.”
Gu Changge said casually, his expression somewhat peculiar, as he recalled the sudden notification from the System in his mind.
“Triggered Su Qingge’s Fortuity Mission Line?”
Random missions like this usually only appeared when encountering a Fortuitous One. Could it be that this trip to the Vermilion Bird Empire would bring him across some Fortuitous One?
And one connected to Su Qingge? Or perhaps connected to her very origins?
Two Souls in One Body, yet the other soul had not taken control of her body — this showed that Su Qingge’s own willpower was astonishing.
However, since the System had not elaborated, Gu Changge could not make a judgment. As things stood, Su Qingge could indeed be called a Daughter of Fortuity — her Fortuity Points rose considerably with each passing day.
Gu Changge had watched step by step as, back in the Overworld, her Fortuity Points climbed from just over three hundred all the way up to now — in the blink of an eye, they were about to break ten thousand.
Who could have imagined that the little number-one beauty of the Eastern Barren back then would now become the Successor of Demonic Arts who struck terror into the hearts of the entire Beyond?
“Truly a fellow blessed by heaven.”
Gu Changge couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Gongzi, what are you laughing at?”
Su Qingge’s eyes fixed on him. She felt that at this moment, he had much more human warmth than usual, no longer separated from her by that eternally untouchable distance.
“We’ve arrived at the Vermilion Bird Empire.”
Gu Changge did not answer. Instead, he rose to his feet, his divine sense vast as the sea, sweeping downward and taking note of the towering imperial capital below.
For this trial mission, Gu Changge felt things might turn out to be quite interesting. More than half of the Vermilion Bird Empire’s territory had fallen, and the same was true of the other ancient nations the other disciples had rushed to.
Although he was confident he could resolve the Absolute Yin Heaven calamity, he had no intention of doing so. After all, the fall of the Vermilion Bird’s lands would actually work in his favor.
The murkier the waters, the easier it would be for him to make his move against Heavenly Monarch Ziyang.
And if Jiang Chuchu could find the Source of the Eternal Overcast for him, that would be even better.
“Gu Changge.”
Seeing Su Qingge and Gu Changge emerge from the palace, Jiang Chuchu, who had been meditating not far away, opened her eyes. Her gaze carried a trace of shame and indignation, but even more so, coldness and a lack of courtesy.
“Did Chuchu Shengnü rest well last night?”
Gu Changge walked over, greeting her casually.
“You...”
The word “bastard” was swallowed back down by Jiang Chuchu.
After all, they were in front of everyone. Her expression quickly returned to calm, revealing nothing unusual.
“It seems you rested quite well.”
Gu Changge smiled casually. “For this trial, I’ll have to trouble Chuchu Shengnü to cooperate. As the Successor of Mortal Palace, I believe you must have quite a few methods for dealing with Yin Spirits.”
“Indeed, we’ll be troubling Chuchu Shengnü this time. From what we’ve seen along the way, this Eternal Overcast Crisis seems far from simple...”
“Quite a few Quasi-Sacred Realm Yin Spirits have emerged. When the time comes, we can only rely on Young Master Changge and Chuchu Shengnü.”
Hearing this, the other disciples chimed in one after another, completely failing to notice anything unusual between Jiang Chuchu and Gu Changge.
“Young Master Changge’s strength is immense. With him here, I’m afraid I won’t even have a chance to step in.”
“I at least have that much self-awareness.”
Jiang Chuchu shook her head, speaking calmly.
However, all the disciples took this as modesty. After all, her strength was universally acknowledged — not long ago, she had displayed the terrifying cultivation of the Sacred Realm.
Rumor had it that the two Successors of the Mortal Palace possessed cultivation that suppressed all of their generation.
“You shouldn’t say that. Chuchu Shengnü is truly too modest. Your depths — Gu has personally tested them many times.” Gu Changge said with a smile.
Hearing this, everyone took it as mere polite exchange between the two, though some fell into thoughtful expressions — could it be that the two had actually already crossed hands before?
Was that why Jiang Chuchu would say such a thing, knowing full well she was no match for Gu Changge?
At this thought, their admiration for Gu Changge deepened. So, without anyone knowing, he had already suppressed the Successor of Mortal Palace. Such strength... how could the word “invincible” even begin to cover it?
However, Jiang Chuchu, the person in question, did not see it that way.
She felt there was a hidden meaning in Gu Changge’s words, and couldn’t help but secretly grit her silver teeth. Tested her depths?
He actually dared to say such things in front of everyone?
Truly shameless!
...
Vermilion Bird Empire.
Before the gates of the imperial capital, many Cultivators and beings who had long since received the news had rushed over — all of them members of the various clans of the Vermilion Bird Empire.
Now aware of the Absolute Yin Heaven calamity, they had been discussing how to face it, when they unexpectedly learned of the Third Prince’s return.
“It’s the Third Prince! The Third Prince has really returned! This is wonderful!”
“In this time of crisis, the Third Prince has suddenly descended upon us. Perhaps we really can be saved, and won’t have to flee our homeland...”
For a time, everyone rushed over to welcome him.
At this moment, seeing the handsome man before the imperial capital, everyone was excited and stirred.
Anyone who had lived in the Vermilion Bird Empire would have heard of this extraordinarily talented Third Prince, Chu Hao.
It was said that on the day of his birth, the sounds of the Dao rang out in waves, golden lotuses bloomed one after another, clear springs gushed from the earth, immortal flowers blossomed, and the phantom image of an ancient grotto-heaven appeared above the imperial palace.
Immediately after, immortal cranes rose from all eight directions, riding immortal mist. Though no immortals rode upon them, each crane carried in its beak an immortal ganoderma over a million years old as a congratulatory gift.
This event caused a great sensation back then, stirring up a storm throughout the Vermilion Bird Empire. Many Cultivators believed the Third Prince was the reincarnation of an immortal, destined one day to ascend as a Flying Immortal, eternal and indestructible.
Even the prodigies born at the same time as him appeared dim and lackluster beneath the cover of his brilliance.
“I truly can’t imagine that Da Shixiong was actually born in a place like this — so remote, with even the nation’s Fortuity in constant decline. It’s hard to imagine how such a place could nurture and support a figure like Da Shixiong.”
The young woman was tall and slender, her skin white as snow, her features exquisitely beautiful, her temperament cool and serene.
She wore a long dress woven from silk spun by fire silkworms over a million years old, interwoven with all manner of laws, orders, and patterns, appearing mysterious and ancient.
She spoke, her words carrying disbelief and astonishment — she could not believe that a Da Shixiong with such powerful talent had actually been born in a place like this.
In their eyes, talent of Da Shixiong’s caliber would require at least a Cult of Immortality or a Longevity Family to properly cultivate.
However, Chu Hao did not mind her words. He merely smiled faintly and said, “I told you all before — when you came with me, don’t be too shocked, because the power behind me truly isn’t that strong. Even so, I remain very grateful to the Vermilion Bird Empire for raising me.”
“Even when the national treasury was running empty, Father Emperor still provided me with vast amounts of cultivation resources. But back then, it was still far from enough for me, which is why I left the Vermilion Bird Empire to travel the world.”
“Afterward, if not for encountering those immortal cranes from the day of my birth, I probably still wouldn’t have found where my sect is located even now.”
“So there was such a story behind it. You’ve never mentioned it before, Da Shixiong.”
“Da Shixiong’s Father Emperor must be a remarkable man.”
Hearing this, the young woman was slightly taken aback, admiration welling up in her eyes.
“So when you meet the people of the Vermilion Bird Empire later, don’t put on airs — especially in front of my Father Emperor.”
Chu Hao’s expression gradually grew serious. He worried that his junior brother and junior sister would think too highly of themselves and look down on the Cultivators and beings of the Vermilion Bird Empire.
“Rest assured, Da Shixiong. How could Shimei and I ever do such a thing? We didn’t come down the mountain this time to cause you trouble...”
The frivolous-looking young man hurriedly laughed upon hearing this, quickly giving his assurance — he still held considerable respect and awe for his Da Shixiong.
However, the young woman merely glanced at him indifferently, saying nothing.
Chu Hao knew their personalities well, so he could guess what they were thinking at this moment. He had a clear picture in his heart.
The young woman was named Ji Qingxuan. Behind her stood the Hidden Ji Family, a lineage of unimaginably ancient existence, yet mysterious and low-profile.
The world knew of Longevity Families and Cults of Immortality, but few had heard of the hidden ancient clans.
Hidden ancient clans were a mixed bag — even a clan that had merely spanned a single epoch dared to call itself a hidden ancient clan.
But the Ji Clan was different, for its origins could be traced back to the very dawn of humanity, and its ancestors had once been venerated by all living beings as a Human Ancestor.
This so-called Human Ancestor had nothing to do with cultivation — it was entirely because of great deeds rendered to heaven, earth, and all living beings.
Thus, the Hidden Ji Clan was also called the Human Ancestor Family. As for the young man, his name was Wang Xiao, a prodigy of the Hidden Wang Family.
The Hidden Wang Family naturally could not compare to the Hidden Ji Clan, but before the Vermilion Bird Empire, it was still a colossal entity, an existence not to be provoked.
Wang Xiao harbored pride in his heart, so it was quite normal for him to look down on the Vermilion Bird Empire. Moreover, the reason Wang Xiao had come along on this descent from the mountain was because of Ji Qingxuan.
Of this, Chu Hao saw everything with perfect clarity.
However, because of his Eldest Senior Brother’s presence, Wang Xiao had restrained himself somewhat.
“Hao’er, Hao’er...”
At that moment, on the central street of the imperial city, the Vermilion Bird Emperor, dressed in a vermilion bird robe, was hurrying over with a group of ministers, looking extremely excited and thrilled.
“Father.”
Chu Hao also broke into a smile and quickly went forward to greet him.
“A mere mortal emperor...” Wang Xiao curled his lip, inwardly disdainful.
“Do you really think Eldest Senior Brother can’t hear what you just said?”
Ji Qingxuan’s delicate brows furrowed, her expression turning icy cold. “Idiot.”
Wang Xiao hurriedly put on a smile and leaned closer. “Eldest Senior Brother won’t mind. After all, his shifu wants to take the position of Prefect this time, and he’ll need my Wang Family’s backing. Eldest Senior Brother will turn a blind eye.”
Hearing this, Ji Qingxuan gave him a cold glance and said nothing more.
Rumble!
Suddenly, a terrifying, trembling sound came from high up in the sky!
“An Ancient Battleship is heading this way...”
Ji Qingxuan’s gaze shifted slightly as she looked up, only to see a terrifying, sky-blotting phantom in the distant horizon, descending toward the Vermilion Bird Empire.
The commotion was tremendous, crushing across the firmament, leaving the many Cultivators and living beings below in the Vermilion Bird Empire utterly shocked.
Meanwhile, the Vermilion Bird Emperor and his party, who had been catching up with Chu Hao, lit up with joy.
“Father, this is?”
Chu Hao was somewhat surprised, his gaze also turning over, noticing the flamboyant banners on the Ancient Battleship.
The two characters “True Immortal” were ancient and grand, unfurling high in the sky, exuding an ancient, weathered aura.
The existence of the True Immortal Academy was known to virtually everyone in the Beyond.
Chu Hao was naturally no exception, so he couldn’t help but feel curious. Logically speaking, how would the True Immortal Academy ever take notice of a place like the Vermilion Bird Empire?
“It should be the prodigies of the True Immortal Academy arriving.”
The Vermilion Bird Emperor explained, “When the Eternal Overcast Crisis broke out this time, the True Immortal Academy heard of it and dispatched disciples, saying they would put a stop to this calamity.”
So that was it. So this was actually just a trial for the True Immortal Academy? To the True Immortal Academy, the only purpose this calamity served was to temper and train their disciples. The life and death of the Vermilion Bird Empire was utterly insignificant to them.
Chu Hao’s brows couldn’t help but furrow. He had been somewhat curious before, but at this moment, only disgust remained.
After all, the True Immortal Academy stood high above, aloof from worldly affairs.
The prodigies cultivating within it all had extraordinary backgrounds. Even a random outer disciple who walked out of it was absolutely not someone the Vermilion Bird Empire could afford to offend.
So although this trial sounded like it was for the Vermilion Bird Empire’s sake, to resolve the Eternal Overcast Crisis for them...
If any of those prodigies were to meet with mishap here, the forces behind them wouldn’t dare say anything to the True Immortal Academy.
In the end, the blame would only fall on the Vermilion Bird Empire. Even if the Eternal Overcast Crisis was resolved, the Vermilion Bird Empire would definitely not have a good time of it.
Not to mention that if those prodigies encountered danger, they could leave at any time, but the Vermilion Bird Empire could not. On the contrary, it would have to divert part of its troops and manpower to protect them.
Considering all these reasons, Chu Hao felt that this group of prodigies had come only to make trouble. Their statuses were exalted, and the Vermilion Bird Empire would have to carefully bear the burden.
“Truly a grievance we cannot voice.”
Chu Hao sighed softly. Looking at his father’s helpless expression, he also understood that none of this was something the Vermilion Bird Empire could decide.
“True Immortal...”
“Strange.”
Ji Qingxuan’s delicate brows knitted tightly. For some reason, when she saw that Ancient Battleship, a peculiar emotion arose within her.
An inexplicable sense of familiarity came from within her bloodline.
As if there was someone very important to her over there.
“Could it be that this generation’s prodigies of the True Immortal Academy would actually come to a place like the Vermilion Bird Empire for a trial?”
Wang Xiao also noticed that incomparably ancient and enormous Ancient Battleship, draped in Chaos Energy, and was deeply shocked.
With his status, entering the True Immortal Academy would not have been difficult.
But the place where he cultivated was an ancient Daoist lineage called the Supreme Cave Heaven.
The Supreme Cave Heaven was extremely mysterious, hardly ever accepting disciples from outside—only those with fate could go there.
Even the location of the Cave Heaven itself was very mysterious; few could ever find it.
Wang Xiao originally had no qualification to enter the Supreme Cave Heaven.
However, a member of his Hidden Wang Family who had once committed a grave error and been exiled had somehow transformed into an extremely powerful Elder of the current Supreme Cave Heaven.
And that clansman’s greatest wish was to return to the Wang Family.
For this reason, the Hidden Wang Family agreed to restore him to the family registry, and Wang Xiao was naturally able to join its ranks.
“I hear this generation of the True Immortal Academy is brimming with talent, prodigies emerging one after another—truly a golden age...”
“Many ancient freaks have come into the world, each one boundlessly powerful. Winds and clouds converge, dragons soar and tigers leap.”
Ji Qingxuan murmured softly, a trace of yearning in her gaze.
Although the Supreme Cave Heaven she had joined was in no way lacking in heritage or legacy, it simply had far too few disciples.
The prodigies she had encountered, apart from the members of the Hidden Ji Clan, were only the disciples of the Supreme Cave Heaven.
Wang Xiao’s strength was actually not weak among the disciples of the Supreme Cave Heaven.
But in Ji Qingxuan’s eyes, compared to those far-famed prodigies, he fell far short.
The only one worthy of her admiration was Eldest Senior Brother Chu Hao.
And although Chu Hao’s personality seemed perfectly normal, there was one thing about him that was exceptionally strange.
He always felt his strength was insufficient, yet he had clearly already crushed his many peers, and still he went into secluded cultivation.
And it was the kind of seclusion that lasted years—one could rarely see him even once.
An Elder had once said that unless the Supreme Cave Heaven faced a crisis of annihilation, Eldest Senior Brother Chu Hao would not easily emerge from seclusion.
This time, if not for the crisis in the Vermilion Bird Empire, Ji Qingxuan estimated that Eldest Senior Brother Chu Hao would have chosen to continue his seclusion.
But thanks to this opportunity, she too could leave the mountain gates and come to the outside world, to witness the many young prodigies.
The mystery and low profile of the Hidden Ji Clan was not without reason.
Members of the Ji Clan could rarely be seen in the outside world. Since Ji Qingxuan could remember, the number of times she had left the mountain gates could be counted on one hand.
“Eldest Senior Brother, do you dislike these prodigies?”
Soon, however, Ji Qingxuan noticed Chu Hao’s expression and was slightly puzzled.
“Eldest Senior Brother seems humble, but in truth he carries pride in his bones. He definitely dislikes those prodigies.”
Wang Xiao wore a see-through-it-all expression, speaking with some amusement.
“Shut up.” Ji Qingxuan gave him a cold look, terse and blunt, not bothering to hide her disgust.
Her voice seemed tempered by ten million years of frost, carrying a bone-piercing chill.
Although he knew Ji Qingxuan’s personality was just like this, Wang Xiao was still somewhat displeased at being berated by her so brazenly time and again.
“Ji Qingxuan, don’t forget—your Ji Family’s old Ancestor has already reached the final stage of the Five Immortal Decays. Once he passes away in meditation, your family’s enemies... heh heh...”
He smiled smugly.
“You’re courting death!”
In an instant, Ji Qingxuan’s killing intent surged to its peak.
But she forcibly suppressed it.
Wang Xiao smiled smugly, not surprised in the slightest.
“Hao’er, you need not come with me to welcome these prodigies. I know your temper—who knows what conflict might erupt in a while.”
On the other side, the Vermilion Bird Emperor saw things clearly and laughed frankly.
After all, when he met those prodigies shortly, he would inevitably have to be humble and ingratiating.
As his son, how could Chu Hao possibly endure such a sight? If conflict broke out, the ones to suffer in the end would still be them.
“I understand, Father.”
Chu Hao said in a deep voice, fists clenched tight, somewhat hating his own powerlessness.
If his strength were sufficient, the Vermilion Bird Empire would not need the True Immortal Academy’s charity-like attitude.
Nor would his father need to bow and scrape, fawning before other prodigies.
Sure enough, he still needed seclusion. Once he broke through to the Sacred Emperor Realm, no one would ever dare look down on the Vermilion Bird Empire again.
“I’m very close to touching that level now...”
At this moment, if anyone knew Chu Hao’s true thoughts, they would surely be shocked speechless.
The Sacred Emperor Realm!
That was a realm even old monsters who had cultivated for millions of years could not break through.
And he was already about to touch that realm—how old was Chu Hao? Only a few hundred years!
Such talent could no longer be described as merely world-shaking.
“Let’s head to the imperial palace first.”
Afterward, Chu Hao led Ji Qingxuan and Wang Xiao in another direction, deliberately avoiding the Ancient Battleship descending upon the Vermilion Bird Empire.
...
“I thought this Vermilion Bird Empire would be related to the Vermilion Bird Clan, but it turns out it can only count as a small nation.”
“What a waste—I thought something big would happen when I came. This Vermilion Bird Empire doesn’t even seem to have a Perfect Prodigy; their strongest is at most at the Sacred Lord Realm.”
“No wonder most of their territory has fallen...”
Aboard the Ancient Battleship, a group of prodigies gazed down at the scene below, unable to hide their disappointment.
Compared to the backgrounds behind them, the Vermilion Bird Empire before their eyes was like an emperor suddenly arriving at a tiny mountain village—naturally, their disappointment was as great as could be.
“This Fortuity...”
“When I saw it from high above earlier, it wasn’t like this. Could it be that the so-called Fortuitous One is closely tied to the Vermilion Bird Empire?”
Gu Changge couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.
“Greetings to the prodigies of the True Immortal Academy.”
“I am the current ruler of the Vermilion Bird Empire.”
Below the Ancient Battleship, the Vermilion Bird Emperor, along with a group of ministers and several young, beautiful princesses, waited anxiously and uneasily.
Many kept their heads lowered, appearing cautious and fearful, without the slightest trace of delight or joy.
Even the Vermilion Bird Empire’s most powerful ministers and great generals were trembling with trepidation at this moment, as if walking on thin ice, not daring to even breathe loudly.
They did not know who the leading prodigy heading to the Vermilion Bird Empire this time was, and thus had no idea of their temperament.
If they offended the other party through disrespect, that would truly be a crime deserving ten thousand deaths.