Chapter 350: Sign of Fortune Drawing, Mandating Destiny and Upholding Precepts
Jiangnan, Hidden Sword Manor.
Lü Yang's immortal spirit remained concealed within the stone sword, while before him lay a page from the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes and a bamboo divination tube.
"Lucky draw... I need a lucky draw!"
Widening his eyes, Lü Yang watched as the tube on the book's page trembled before spilling out three radiant fortune sticks.
Upon closer inspection, delight spread across his face.
[Event: Final Step in Cultivating the Resonant Mysterious Spirit Scripture]
[Minor Auspicious: Though your comprehension is lacking, today's state is excellent—you'll soon overcome this final hurdle.]
[Marginal Auspicious: Due to insufficient comprehension, you'll struggle at the last obstacle before perseverance leads to enlightenment.]
[Minor Omen: Your talent falls short—failure.]
"Auspicious sign!"
Without hesitation, Lü Yang grabbed the Minor Auspicious stick. The other two dissolved into nothingness as the chosen fortune merged into his being.
After months of experimentation, he'd fully mastered this Sign of Fortune Drawing talent.
'First, this ability can't be used indefinitely. Each activation requires accumulated fortune—only when sufficient can a draw commence.'
'However, greater fortune reserves increase the odds of favorable outcomes.'
'Second, these draws mostly serve as aids. They can't accomplish theoretically impossible feats.'
For instance, were he to challenge Ang Xiao now, even with heaven-defying fortune reserves, the result would only be Catastrophic Omen. Strictly speaking, this talent merely reveals future possibilities—the choice remains Lü Yang's.
Conversely, anything theoretically achievable...
Through Sign of Fortune Drawing, he could bypass processes to predetermine outcomes, ensuring success!
"Pity it's not Great Auspicious..."
Nostalgia colored Lü Yang's expression as he recalled the divine assistance from his sole Great Auspicious draw two months prior.
Truly heaven-sent!
He'd been cultivating the Resonant Mysterious Spirit Scripture—a second-grade true skill created by Sword Pavilion for Mystic Spirit Realm, profoundly abstruse.
Unlike Heavenly Dome's Omnipresent Dharma Body which merely required resources, this demanded elusive comprehension.
Thus, Lü Yang had repeatedly hit walls with this scripture.
Yet on that Great Auspicious day, his mental state became improbably sharp—every problem solved effortlessly.
Like blindly guessing multiple-choice answers yet scoring perfectly.
In that moment, he'd even fancied his comprehension rivaling Ancestor Nether Whisper's—such was the staggering enhancement.
"Never mind—Minor Auspicious suffices."
Focusing, Lü Yang recognized he'd reached the scripture's final barrier—this fortune would see him through.
"Whoosh!"
With a thought, flames materialized in his palm—the Six Ding Divine Fire, one of three ultimate treasures from Southern Heavenly Gate that he'd secretly retained for qi gathering. Now mostly refined.
"This Six Ding Divine Fire is a gentle flame."
"Less a furnace fire for alchemy than wisdom-fire born from human thought—sharpening intellect..."
As absorption progressed smoothly under the Minor Auspicious effect, soon prismatic light shimmered in his sea of consciousness.
"Resembles divine abilities..."
This iridescence—the scripture's culmination—hovered between divine ability and spiritual treasure.
Its name: Mandating Destiny and Upholding Precepts.
Through it, Lü Yang learned Mystic Spirit Realm's fruit position: Controller of Fate, signifying all existence follows predetermined destiny.
Indeed, Mystic Spirit Realm's structure reflected this—celestial court overseeing orderly immortal ranks.
Yet since this court never truly governed all creation, the fruit position likely retained growth potential.
Alas, before maturation, the Saint Sect struck.
Thus ended this venture midway—now with heaven's court fragmented, its fruit position slowly consumed by this world.
As for Mandating Destiny and Upholding Precepts, it derived mystical effects from this Controller of Fate foundation.
What is mandating destiny?
What is upholding precepts?
"Mandating destiny means weaving fortune—channeling limited luck toward maximal effect in a specific direction."
"Upholding precepts constrains this fortune."
"After mandating, accepting a precept maintains the blessing until violation brings karmic backlash."
Similar methods existed in Mystic Spirit Realm, albeit differing—while cultivators there lacked Bi Wind's soul erosion, they faced "Dao transformation calamities," necessitating precepts to counterbalance, partly explaining their strict celestial laws.
"If I mandate destiny for myself..."
The prismatic light shifted as realization dawned, bringing joyous revelation:
"...It shall be Pomegranate Wood Destiny!"
This became Lü Yang's ordained fate.
"With this destiny, I can connect to the Pomegranate Wood fruit position—crucial for awakening my Life Essence and future golden pursuits!"
The sole condition: strictly upholding the corresponding precept.
"Henceforth, I must forsake chastity—never practicing self-restraint, requiring daily dual cultivation... How... how troublesome!"
Despite his chaste disposition, for cultivation's sake, personal reluctance must yield to greater purpose!
Thousands of days later...
Lü Yang emerged from meditation, eyes flashing with anticipation: "At last... My patience bears fruit!"
True Person Dangmo had arrived!
This Sword Pavilion's perfected Foundation Establishment Grand True Person had indeed traced karma across vast distances to locate Lü Yang's reincarnated soul fragment—now eight years old.
Meanwhile, Lü Yang hadn't idled—intensive cultivation and digesting Southern Heavenly Gate's gains had brought him to a critical threshold.
"Mid Foundation Establishment—after Law Holding comes perfection!"
"Next: transcending Heavenly Thunder Tribulation to officially breakthrough into late-stage Foundation Establishment! Another monumental trial..."
Heavenly Thunder Tribulation!
Mending Heaven Peak's master had perished thus—no trivial matter, with ninety percent mortality. Determined to prepare thoroughly before attempting, having come too far to restart over tribulation failure.
"...Hmm?"
Suddenly, Lü Yang's eyebrows arched as consciousness touched his soul fragment. A grin spread: "Fascinating—my previous arrangements take effect."