Could She Have Met a Benefactor? What Are the Requirements for Cultivation?
Could She Have Met a Benefactor? What Are the Requirements for Cultivation?
Before this, Gu Changge actually had no particular thoughts about Xiao Ruoyin, Jiang Chen, and the others. At most, he planned to see whether Jiang Chen, this Fortuitous One, could bring him any surprises.
Fatten up the leeks a little, then harvest them once they’ve grown nice and sturdy.
But for people like these—able to transmigrate from a distant Overworld all the way to the Beyond, and bringing a whole crowd along at that?
One Transportation Array, a few Spiritual Stones, and that’s all it takes?
Is that possible?
Anyone with half a brain would know it’s impossible—unless some power was secretly helping them.
This could only mean that Jiang Chen was hiding some kind of Golden Finger, one that could help them traverse the many Overworlds and arrive at the Beyond.
And the altar within the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent happened to be connected to the Overworld where Xiao Ruoyin and the others came from, serving perfectly as a spatial coordinate.
That way, everything made sense.
“It seems the memories related to this Demon Lord persona of mine all need to be triggered gradually. At this point, the System’s usefulness to me is barely better than nothing.”
Gu Changge’s eyes were slightly closed, his expression calm as he sorted through the memories surfacing in his mind.
Of course, the reason these memories were triggered was still the new Fortuity Mission the System had mentioned earlier.
Because Gu Changge had encountered the Fortuitous One Jiang Chen, part of Xiao Ruoyin’s information was naturally drawn out along the way.
Nihility Destiny Physique.
This was the hint the System “Nine-Five-Zero” had given him about Xiao Ruoyin.
Otherwise, with Gu Changge’s current knowledge alone, he might not necessarily have been able to identify it—he would have needed time to look it up.
It was a physique that existed only within the concept of nihility, extremely ethereal, involving nothingness, fate, causality, and more—unfathomably complex.
Anyway, all Gu Changge needed to know was that this physique was useful to him.
And the Nihility Destiny Physique—only one person in this world could possess it.
During the Forbidden Era, the Immortal Palace ruled over the countless realms of the heavens, governing through the ages, standing immortal and indestructible.
The Immortal Palace was divided into four palaces—east, south, west, and north. Besides the Master Immortal, there were also four Sovereign Immortals and various Immortal Divisions, each governing portions of the countless realms.
Beyond that, there was the extremely mysterious Sanctum of Destiny, responsible for supervising the fate of the Immortal Palace, deducing the direction of the Heavenly Path, and wading through the River of Time.
The High Priestess of Destiny within the Sanctum of Destiny was the one who possessed this very physique.
It was precisely because of this connection that Gu Changge immediately suspected Xiao Ruoyin.
Back then, when the Demon Lord destroyed the world, the Immortal Palace collapsed, ten thousand immortals perished in blood, and even the Master Immortal fell. Though the High Priestess of Destiny was mysterious, in the end she too likely fell to the calamity, ending up reincarnated.
“The High Priestess of Destiny once relied on the Celestial Boat of Creation to travel back through the ages, journeying to before the creation of heaven and earth, seeking the Genesis of the Heavenly Path, in order to answer the calamity of later generations...”
Gu Changge murmured softly, these memories naturally surfacing in his mind.
Soon after, sensing footsteps approaching from outside the hall, Gu Changge’s expression returned to normal.
He looked over. His expression had been as still as an ancient well, but at this moment he revealed just the right touch of appreciation—three parts’ worth.
The newcomer was, of course, Xiao Ruoyin, freshly bathed.
She wore a simple, elegant long dress, her black hair draped loosely, her face bare of makeup yet flawless, her legs long and slender. Describing her as a natural beauty would not be an exaggeration in the slightest.
“Greetings, Young Master Gu.”
Noticing the appreciation in Gu Changge’s expression, Xiao Ruoyin didn’t know why, but her face flushed slightly and her heartbeat quickened for no reason.
She had already asked Hei Yanyu for Gu Changge’s name.
And from her, she had also vaguely learned what kind of status Gu Changge held in this world—describing him as an emperor among immortals would not be an exaggeration at all.
This was also her first time wearing the clothing of this world.
Although it was just something Hei Yanyu had casually found for her, it was more comfortable than any clothing Xiao Ruoyin had ever worn in her previous world.
Even the pendants faintly radiated light, quite miraculous, cascading with divine glows of various colors, even giving her a feeling of being as light as a swallow.
All of this gave Xiao Ruoyin a dreamlike sense of unreality. Before this, she had been nothing more than a prisoner who couldn’t even predict her own life or death.
“Xiao guniang needn’t be so courteous.”
Gu Changge responded casually with a smile on his face.
Xiao Ruoyin looked at him, suddenly seeming to want to say something but hesitating, as if there were words she didn’t know how to voice.
“Does Xiao guniang have something to say?” Gu Changge smiled, asking as if he didn’t know.
Xiao Ruoyin felt that Gu Changge shouldn’t be a bad person, judging from all his behavior so far.
He gave off an otherworldly, gentle and refined feeling, like a true enlightened immortal.
So after thinking it over, she still spoke up. Although she knew this request might be somewhat rude and rash, and might even damage that tiny bit of familiarity that had developed between her and Gu Changge.
“Young Master Gu, my companions are actually the same as me—they also stumbled into this place by accident, without any ill intent. You can rest assured of that...”
Hearing this, Gu Changge waved his hand to interrupt her. Sitting there, his immortal aura transcendent, his voice still as gentle as ever, unchanged, “Rest assured, I have no grievances with them, so naturally I won’t make things difficult for them.”
“Thank you, Young Master Gu.”
Xiao Ruoyin’s face couldn’t help but show delight. She was very happy, not expecting Gu Changge to agree so readily.
“No need to thank me. It’s been a long time since I’ve met such interesting people and heard such interesting things,” Gu Changge said.
Hearing this, Xiao Ruoyin’s expression shifted slightly, and because of these words, a bold idea suddenly formed in her heart.
Since Gu Changge was so interested in matters of that world, could she take this opportunity to tell him about those things?
If he was in a good mood, perhaps she might even have a chance to glimpse this so-called path of cultivation.
“If Young Master Gu still wants to know about the world I come from, I can actually tell you about it...”
Xiao Ruoyin spoke with some apprehension, not knowing how Gu Changge would react to her saying this.
Besides this reason, she really couldn’t find any excuse to stay by Gu Changge’s side.
Although in her previous world, she had countless suitors because of her looks, in this world, her appearance didn’t seem to offer much of an advantage.
Someone of Gu Changge’s status couldn’t possibly have any thoughts or ideas because of her looks.
“These things are fine to hear once or twice, but if I hear them too often, I might get tired of them.”
Gu Changge smiled, tactfully rejecting her reasoning.
Hearing this, Xiao Ruoyin was somewhat disappointed, but not surprised. For the Cultivators of this world, what they pursued was completely different from what her people pursued.
At first, Gu Changge might find it interesting to listen, but hearing too much of it would indeed become tiresome.
“Young Master Gu, I’d like to ask—if I wanted to cultivate, what conditions would I need?” Xiao Ruoyin asked again, her gaze carrying hope and longing.
Becoming a Cultivator had always been her dream and pursuit, and at this moment, that dream was magnified infinitely, letting her see hope.
She also knew that asking questions again and again would annoy anyone, but faced with this kind of opportunity, Xiao Ruoyin truly didn’t want to let it slip away...
“Cultivation, huh?”
Hearing this, Gu Changge seemed to pause for a moment, then actually considered it seriously before patiently explaining to her, “Besides having a physique and Spiritual Root capable of cultivation, cultivation techniques, and a large amount of resources, the rest, in my view, is just time.”
“Physique and Spiritual Root, cultivation techniques, a large amount of resources, and time?”
Xiao Ruoyin repeated these words, and the light in her eyes gradually dimmed.
She had none of these. Even if she had a physique and Spiritual Root, there was no way she would have techniques, resources, and the like.
She could be considered a Transmigrator, but having arrived in this strange world, without family or friends, what chance did she have of obtaining such things?
“Actually, if Xiao guniang wants to cultivate, I can help you. But the premise is that you must have a Spiritual Root and physique suited for cultivation—otherwise, even I can’t help.”
Watching the hope in her eyes gradually fade, Gu Changge suddenly smiled, his voice gentle as he said this.
Hearing these words, Xiao Ruoyin froze, her eyes widening in disbelief, hardly able to believe her ears.
Though she was incredibly overjoyed, as if struck by a pie falling from the sky, she also couldn’t understand—why would Gu Changge choose to help her out of nowhere?
Could this be the legendary encounter with a benefactor?
“Young Master Gu, for you to help me like this, I really don’t know how to thank or repay you...”
At this point, Xiao Ruoyin couldn’t continue. She truly didn’t know how to thank Gu Changge.
Could it be the old cliché—offering herself in marriage? But would he even be interested?
“Offering yourself won’t be necessary.”
Gu Changge smiled, seemingly knowing what she was thinking, and jokingly waved his hand to interrupt her. “Perhaps it’s because I feel we share a fateful connection. Things like techniques and resources are nothing worth mentioning to me—they don’t amount to anything at all.”
“...Thank you, Young Master Gu.”
Xiao Ruoyin’s face took on a barely perceptible blush as she raised her eyes to look at him.
Then she fell silent. Even a fool could understand the importance of techniques and resources in this world.
Yet Gu Changge was still willing to help her, without even asking for compensation.
Perhaps to him, this really was just a trivial matter not worth mentioning.
“Don’t thank me too soon. If it turns out you have no Spiritual Root or aptitude, then even I won’t be able to help,” Gu Changge smiled.
“Mm-hmm.”
Xiao Ruoyin nodded rapidly like a chick pecking at rice, her heart already filled with joy and gratitude.
Who would have thought that after such twists and turns, she would one day truly be able to set foot on the Path of Cultivation?
If her companions locked up in the dungeon saw her current state, their eyes would pop out—was this still the Ice Goddess Xiao from their memories?
Afterward, Gu Changge brought Xiao Ruoyin to the place for testing talent and physique. Of course, with his discernment, he could already tell whether Xiao Ruoyin could cultivate.
The Nihility Destiny Physique.
But considering his subsequent plans, he needed to make arrangements.
Soon, an open area was cleared out. The Mystic Mountains gleamed with brilliant radiance, immortal pools swirled with divine glows of every color, incomparably splendid, and off to the side were several stones brimming with divine light, dazzling beyond measure.
Gu Changge had long since instructed Hei Yanyu to arrange all of this. Now they only waited for Xiao Ruoyin to come test her talent.
Upon arriving here, Xiao Ruoyin also grew nervous, sweat unconsciously seeping from her jade-like cheeks.
“Xiao guniang, I hope you won’t disappoint me,” Gu Changge said with a smile.