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Chapter 436 The Pass to the Underworld (Three-in-One)

The combination of "No Emotional Annoyance" and "Auspicious Star Shining in the Hall" creates a new destiny pattern, with "Auspicious Star Shining in the Hall" taking precedence.

The name is: Enjoying Misfortune and Seeking Good Fortune.

It retained the main abilities of the original two destinies, but underwent some changes due to Xu Yuan's temperament.

Its main function is to use the "life" of an enemy to influence the future development of a certain event in a direction that is favorable to oneself.

Simply put, it's about using "ruthlessness" towards the enemy to gain "good fortune" for oneself.

However, this destiny has a requirement: the enemy's "destiny" must be at least cyan.

The more valuable the "life" (or "life"), the better the effect.

If one possesses a "destiny," that would be even better, as different destinies will produce different additional effects.

This fate is useless to ordinary people and seems to have some "restrictions".

But it is precisely because of these restrictions that the effect will be better.

But all things considered, it is certainly not as good as "ruling the world".

Xu Yuan was already very satisfied.

The most important reason is that "the absence of emotional distress" was also utilized.

Xu Yuan finally managed to "hunt" Bai Huahun, but wasting a life point for nothing was truly painful.

This destiny is not something that can be crafted and given away to others.

Now it's finally perfect, and Xu Yuan's obsessive-compulsive tendencies have been satisfied.

Of the remaining "Heavenly Favor" and "Mountain Fire Mist," the former automatically merged into "The Mandate of Heaven," but this did not cause any significant changes.

Xu Yuan felt that it seemed to be...

The "destiny of the thief of heaven" has not yet been digested.

New capabilities will inevitably emerge in the future.

However, the influence of "Heaven's favor" on "the fate of those who defy Heaven" will certainly not be significant.

The "mountain fire" took root in Xu Yuan's "fate".

"Ruling the World" is closely associated with Xu Yuan because it is a fusion of "Eight Directions of Injury".

However, "Feasting for Good Fortune" and "Mountain Fire and Mist" will need some time before they can perfectly merge with Xu Yuan.

All of Bai Huahun's destinies actually share a common theme: to continuously strengthen one's own fortune.

There appears to be some overlap in functionality.

But in reality, this is a way of thinking about cultivating one's destiny.

Moreover, it is one of the mainstream approaches.

By continuously layering similar destinies, one's destiny cultivation will become terrifyingly strong in a certain aspect. Once all the destinies take effect simultaneously, it becomes "unstoppable".

If Bai Huahun hadn't been killed by Xu Yuan, once he reached the upper third class, all those who opposed him would have felt that "everything was going wrong for him."

I can't do anything I want to do.

Bai Huahun doesn't even need to deal with it; all his enemies' plans will fail due to various unexpected accidents.

Even a top-tier hero would feel a sense of "heroes not being free" when encountering him.

However, Xu Yuan's previous fate did not overlap with those of others, which is also one of the approaches to fate cultivation.

That is: complementary and comprehensive capabilities.

With this approach, even if one cultivates to the upper third rank, the suppression against cultivators from the other six major sects will not be as domineering as that of Bai Huahun.

Often, it's necessary to "respond to each move as it comes" and utilize different aspects of one's destiny to deal with the situation.

However, its advantage lies in having an edge over other cultivators of similar skill levels.

The ability to accumulate from a single destiny has an advantage in dealing with the six major sects because they do not understand destiny cultivation.

However, since both are cultivation methods, a single ability is easily countered.

A more comprehensive set of destiny attributes, when combined, often produce unexpected results.

However, now, Xu Yuan's various destiny charts show some similarities in the abilities of "Mountain Top Fire Mist" and "Overcoming Misfortune and Turning to Good Fortune".

Therefore, Xu Yuan is now pursuing two approaches simultaneously, walking on two legs.

Xu Yuan is sorting out his destiny.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, without needing any orders from the adults, Lang Xiaoba grabbed Asmru and said in a deep voice, "I say you do it!"

Asmru looked completely bewildered: "Why should I listen to you?"

You're just a mere seventh-rate player, while I'm a fifth-rate one!
Lang Xiaoba said without any politeness, "I want to do things for you, sir—there are some things that you shouldn't have to worry about. We, your subordinates, should take the initiative to solve them for you!"

Asmru clearly did not understand the meaning behind Lang Xiaoba's words.

He still had that "cold and arrogant" look on his face.

But Lang Xiaoba added, "If you don't agree, I'll speak ill of you to the adults and get you kicked out!"

"You—!" Asmru was speechless with anger.

He had also realized during this time that Lang Xiaoba was one of Xu Yuan's most trusted subordinates.

Asmru is now increasingly certain that Xu Yuan is definitely the "protagonist" of his new story!
When that "sixth-order" person appeared just now, he was in despair, but unexpectedly he was saved from his dead end!

Therefore, Asmru absolutely does not want to be driven away.

But Lang Xiaoba really could drive him away—at least Asmru believed Lang Xiaoba had that ability.

“Alright,” Asmru knew there was an old saying in the Ming Dynasty: “A wise man submits to circumstances.” “Tell me what you want me to do.”

Lang Xiaoba looked at the group of "headhunters" with a sinister gaze.

After Xu Yuan finished sorting out all the destinies, he looked around and saw that the twelve elite soldiers of the demon-slaying army had all knelt on the ground, smashing everything on their bodies that could prove their identities.

He even slashed his face with a short knife.

Lang Xiaoba stepped forward, clasped his hands, and reported: "My lord, these bandits have repented and are willing to join my Exorcism Division as the lowest-ranking White Guards."

They have turned over a new leaf; their past is no longer relevant to them.

Xu Yuan was taken aback. When he turned his head again, he saw the foreign devil next to him with a look that said, "Praise me quickly."

Understood.

Asmru used his abilities to "change the mind" of these twelve people.

It was clearly Lang Xiaoba who was behind it all; Asmru would never have imagined such a thing.

"Little Ba," Xu Yuan praised, "you've grown up."

"It's because the adults taught us well."

These people will never be let go.

But if it were the old Lang Xiaoba, he would have killed them all without hesitation to silence them.

But this time, they managed to use Asmuru's abilities to turn them into laborers for the Exorcism Division.

Asmuru is a fifth-order being, while these twelve are all eighth-order being, and there is absolutely no way they can escape Asmuru's control.

It can keep secrets and also get a group of powerful, low-level thugs!

Asmru scoffed to himself.

Why is that guy the one who gets praised?

He just moved his lips.

I'm the one who actually does the work!

Xu Yuan looked at him at that moment and said, "Your ability is very useful."

This wasn't even praise, but because of the disappointment he had just experienced, Asmru was overjoyed to receive a word of affirmation, and he grinned widely.

Then I realized that Lord Xu was a good boss; he saw and remembered my work!
Much better than Richard!
Lang Xiaoba has already cleaned up the battlefield.

"The bodies of those men have all been disposed of, and the spoils of war are all here."

The "corpse" that Lang Xiaoba mentioned included Bai Huahun.

Besides their personal belongings, the spoils of war also included... the souls of Bai Huahun and his fifth-rate subordinates!
Each one was placed in a fist-sized earthenware jar.

The earthenware jar was sealed with three layers of mulberry paper soaked in black dog blood.

“These people do not have the magic of binding threads in their souls, so I had my brothers arrest them.”

Xu Yuan nodded in satisfaction; this kid had indeed grown.

"Let's leave this place first." Xu Yuan waved his hand.

It's getting dark, and there's no time to get to the county town before then.

So the members of the Exorcism Division turned around and returned to the town.

The inns at the east end of the town were full, so everyone hurried to the inn at the west end where Bai Huahun and the others had originally stayed.

There was only one courtyard left in this inn—the one that Bai Huahun and his group had vacated after checking out.

The innkeeper remained silent, trembling with fear.

He personally carried a lantern and led Xu Yuan and the others into the courtyard.

He kept his head down the whole way, not daring to utter a single word.

He had long since realized that the mysterious people who originally lived in this courtyard had followed Xu Yuan and his group out of town.

But now, it is Xu Yuan and the others who have returned.

Bai Huahun and the others were always dressed casually.

Xu Yuan's group was wearing the official uniforms of the Exorcism Bureau!

A single charge of "failing to report a crime" can plunge an entire family into an abyss of ruin.

Xu Yuan noticed the shopkeeper's nervousness and couldn't help but ask, "Is the shopkeeper afraid of us?"

"Ah?!" The landlord was startled, thinking he had been found out, and hurriedly shook his head: "No, no..."

Xu Yuan smiled slightly and didn't press the matter further.

Once inside the courtyard, the host lit lamps for them, and they quickly took their leave.

Lang Xiaoba couldn't help but complain, "It's all the fault of our colleagues. They've ruined the reputation of our Exorcism Bureau. People are afraid of our official robes now."

"You think he's afraid of the clothes we're wearing?"

"Isn't that right?" Lang Xiaoba asked, puzzled.

Xu Yuan then prompted him: "Bai Huahun and the others caught up with us from behind. What does that mean?"

Lang Xiaoba pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized: "They live in town and are waiting for us!"

“That’s right,” Xu Yuan said. “This is the only way we can get back to Champa. Bai Huahun must have arranged for people to keep watch on the official road.”

After spotting us, they followed us out of town. The shopkeeper clearly knew something; he was afraid and nervous when he saw us return alive.

Lang Xiaoba flew into a rage and turned to rush towards the front yard: "You scoundrel! You knew but didn't report it! I'm going to get him right now..."

Xu Yuan raised his hand: "Come back!"

"My lord?" Lang Xiaoba was unwilling: "Are you just going to let him go like this?"

"If it were you, and you encountered a group of fierce and intimidating people like Bai Huahun, would you dare to report them?"
If we can't defeat Bai Huahun after we report him, the entire family of the shop owner will surely perish.

Even if we defeat Bai Huahun, we may not be able to capture them all. If even one or two escape, they will surely come to retaliate. Even if we can capture them all, who knows if Bai Huahun has any other accomplices?
Regardless of the method, they will kill everyone, leaving no one alive!

Xu Yuan said earnestly, "So it's understandable that the shopkeeper didn't report it."

Lang Xiaoba was very frustrated because what the adults said made sense, and he couldn't refute it, but he was also unwilling to just let it go.

About half an hour later, the owner came with several employees to deliver dinner.

After everyone finished eating, they cleared away the bowls and plates.

As the owner was leaving the courtyard, he suddenly tripped over something and fell flat on his face, smashing the seven or eight bowls and plates he was carrying to pieces with a crash. "Hahaha!" Lang Xiaoba's loud laughter came from the courtyard: "Let you know, you shrewd merchant, that we, the Exorcism Bureau, are not to be fooled!"

The owner dared not say a word, hurriedly picked up the broken pieces on the ground, and led his employees away in a panic.

Back in the inn's lobby in the front courtyard, he breathed a sigh of relief.

A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Lang Xiaoba's attitude has already shown that the officials of the Exorcism Department have indeed seen through his "secret".

But only a slight punishment was given, and the matter was considered closed.

The man who went with him was indignant and whispered, "Boss, these officials are really bullying people..."

The landlord quickly waved his hand: "Words can be dangerous!"

"They're bullying us, can't we even complain?"

The landlord smiled wryly and said, "You're wrong this time. These officials are indeed good officials."

"This is supposed to be a good official?!"

The owner dared not speak openly, and stammered, "We were in the wrong first."

……

Xu Yuan laid out all the spoils of war in the room.

The most valuable items are those few crafted artifacts.

The martial arts practitioner's armor could have fetched a good price.

Unfortunately, it was poked in a big hole by Lord Xu.

Of course it can be repaired, but Xu Yuan was very certain that his stepmother would never take on this job.

For Lin Wanmo, this was a complete waste of time.

The stepmother wouldn't even look at this armor.

If Xu Yuan asked her to fix it, she would definitely get a lecture.

"Let's just sell it like this, it should be worth quite a bit of money."

Xu Yuan didn't even like the Nine Linked Rings crafted by the old craftsman, because its practicality was inferior to his own Tendon Elixir.

However, these fifth-rate craftsmen's items were actually quite valuable. They were temporarily placed in the government's private treasury and hung there as a "reward" to encourage the subordinates.

Currently, apart from Xu Yuan, no one in the entire Champa government can use fifth-rate craftsmen.

They simply couldn't control it.

But there was a piece of fifth-rate craftsmanship hanging there, and the subordinates were told: "Cultivate your skills well, and when you have enough merit, I will reward him with this piece of craftsmanship."

My subordinates will certainly be brave and diligent.

Not only will they be extra diligent in their duties, but they will also never slack off in their spiritual practice.

Xu Yuan decided to stay behind and keep the inkstone.

This artifact has a single function, but its power is considerable.

Although Lao Jing had crafted this artifact, Xu Yuan disagreed with his method of using it.

The ink line is powerful, but the ink line is not fast enough.

Therefore, it is not suitable for direct combat.

This thing is designed to be used to trick people.

For example, hide in the dark, then quietly let it out and draw a line on your neck...

Alternatively, in a completely dark environment, you can first draw a line with ink, and then remain motionless and wait for the target to run into you.

In addition, there was another piece of fifth-rate craftsmanship, namely Bai Huahun's ancient zither.

Xu Yuan picked it up and studied it for a while, and quickly figured out its function.

Unfortunately, only one ghost remains in the scroll on the back of the guqin.

By controlling this ancient zither, one can gain complete knowledge of the ghosts in the painting.

"There's another destiny!" Xu Yuan exclaimed in surprise, "Sheng Sheng Man?"

Thinking back, Bai Huahun did indeed use this fate.

This destiny's ability seems incredibly powerful, but it only postpones calamities; it cannot truly avert them.

Otherwise, this wild cultivator wouldn't have died at Bai Huahun's hands.

This "delay" works imperceptibly, without even warning the cultivator of destiny that calamity is imminent.

It seems like a life-saving skill, but its effectiveness is actually limited.

Xu Yuan analyzed it himself and felt that this "fate" had many drawbacks... But Master Xu had made the same mistake again, and even with all the bad things, it was still a fate!
If it's your destiny, you can't bear to let go.

Xu Yuan thought for a moment, then gently stroked the scroll on the back of the guqin with his palm.

A ghostly spirit was released from it.

It was young and retained its appearance before it died.

Seeing that the musician had changed, a look of realization crossed his eyes: "Bai Huahun lost?"

Bai Huahun summoned all the other spirits in the ancient zither painting, but they never returned, leading Bai Huahun to guess that something had happened to him.

"They lost, and they died."

It was surprised, and then looked at Xu Yuan more closely.

Xu Yuan readily admitted, "I am also a cultivator of destiny. How shall I address you?"

Xu Yuan's attitude surprised it somewhat, but it still cupped its hands and replied, "My name is Liao Zhixian."

"Liao Zhixian?" Xu Yuan murmured the name and glanced at the other person.

Liao Zhixian said helplessly, "My father was a scholar who passed the county-level imperial examination. His lifelong wish was to pass the provincial-level imperial examination and then find a way to become a county magistrate. That's why he gave me this name."

Xu Yuan did not comment on this.

Having been in the Bureau of Purification for more than half a year, Xu Yuan had gained some understanding of the ways of officialdom.

The Ming Dynasty did indeed have county magistrates who were successful candidates in the imperial examinations, but none of them were from humble backgrounds.

Even if one passed the imperial examination, without spending money to bribe officials, it might take ten years to get a position as a county magistrate.

Xu Yuan asked him, "How did you become a cultivator of destiny?"

"In the countryside, there was an elderly man who was blind in his right eye, deaf in his left ear, lame in his right leg, and had a broken left arm. He was riddled with illnesses and destitute."

I took pity on him and often provided him with some rice and grain.

After the old man passed away, I bought a thin coffin to bury him.

Unexpectedly, when the coffin was being closed, the already deceased old man suddenly stretched out his right hand and grabbed me—everyone present was so frightened that they scattered and ran away, thinking that the corpse had undergone a strange change.

But the hand only grasped briefly before slipping away, and something new appeared inside my body, thus becoming a life cultivator.

Xu Yuan frowned secretly as he listened.

Liao Zhixian was telling the truth.

He could not lie to himself now that he was controlling the guqin.

But Liao Zhixian's journey to becoming a cultivator of destiny is just like the legendary stories fabricated by storytellers in the teahouses of the Ming Dynasty.

Most of those who were destined to cultivate their talents were supported by prominent families or employed by relevant government offices in the Northern and Southern Capitals.

Wild cultivators are extremely rare; if one or two do appear, their fate is the same as Liao Zhixian's.

This old man was clearly a lifelong practitioner, and in the final moments of his life, he was trying to express his gratitude to Liao Zhixian for guiding him into the path of cultivation.

However, the existence of such an old cultivator is inherently unreasonable.

Xu Yuan thought to himself, "This old man's body is so incomplete, and he is also plagued by diseases. He must have had many near-death experiences."

Wild life cultivators are extremely rare, and wild life cultivators who live to that age are even rarer.

"I'm afraid he was once a life-sustaining cultivator supported by a powerful family, but I don't know why he's fallen to such a state..."

Xu Yuan had several guesses in his mind.

This also made Xu Yuan wary of those prominent and aristocratic families.

It's nothing more than the old trick of "when the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked."

After Liao Zhixian finished speaking, she noticed that Xu Yuan was frowning and deep in thought, and for a moment she couldn't figure out Xu Yuan's attitude towards her.

Of all the cultivators he had ever encountered, there was only one: Bai Huahun.

Although Xu Yuan seems kinder than Bai Huahun, Bai Huahun has a destiny called "Victory Over Slowness," and Bai Huahun suspects that Xu Yuan's request for the map is nothing more than this destiny.

But there's absolutely no way I'll just hand it over willingly.

If you don't hand it over... you're likely to suffer a lot.

After thinking it over, Xu Yuan raised his head and said to Liao Zhixian, "Your destiny is extremely slow..."

Liao Zhixian's expression immediately changed, and he shook his head without hesitation: "You want my destiny? Absolutely not! Unless you kill me and take it yourself!"

Even with "Heaven's bounty," Bai Huahun could only devour one aspect of his destiny.

I failed when peeling the second layer.

If Liao Zhixian's soul were to be scattered, his destiny would also dissipate, which is why his soul was collected into the guqin.

Liao Zhixian guessed that Xu Yuan also lacked the means to forcefully seize the goods, so he deliberately tried to appease him and get him to cooperate and hand them over.

Unexpectedly, Xu Yuan nodded and said, "Alright."

Then he activated the "Destiny of the Thief of Heaven".

Liao Zhixian was shocked to discover that her destiny was being ripped away!
"Ah? This, this..." he exclaimed in surprise, but he could not hold onto his fate.

Liao Zhixian had already given up hope, but then Xu Yuan returned the fate to her.

Xu Yuan spread his hands: "Just to prove that I can take it."

"Your Excellency..." Liao Zhixian asked, puzzled, "What exactly do you want to do?"

"I want to have an honest conversation with you. Being trapped in the guqin by Bai Huahun is like living a life worse than death."

The reason Bai Huahun kept you alive is because of this 'Slow and Steady' fate. Why don't you destroy your fate and seek liberation?"

Liao Zhixian looked at him suspiciously: "You don't know?"

Xu Yuan shook his head.

“Destiny is like…” Liao Zhixian pondered how to phrase it: “It’s like a talisman or a pass for those who cultivate their destiny. It can protect the soul of those who cultivate their destiny, preserve all their memories as they walk the road to the underworld and cross the Bridge of Helplessness, and preserve the memories of this life to be reincarnated in the next life.”

Xu Yuan exclaimed in surprise: "Doesn't that mean that if someone kills a cultivator, they'll have to worry about him seeking revenge in his next life?!"

"That's exactly right. That's why cultivators from the other six major sects are usually unwilling to provoke life cultivators. It's just that those at a lower level only know that life cultivators are not easy to mess with, while only a portion of those at a higher level know the root cause."

Those in the upper echelons of society naturally know this, and the core members of those prominent families should also know it.

If they were to deal with a cultivator specializing in life cultivation, they would surely obliterate his soul.

Liao Zhixian added, "Only when one's destiny is cultivated in accordance with their birth chart can such an effect be achieved; it's not possible for ordinary people."

Liao Zhixian clings to this destiny for the sake of that last glimmer of hope.

If I have the chance to escape from Bai Huahun, I will endure hardship and cultivate to a high level in my next life, then return to seek revenge on Bai Huahun.

Xu Yuan couldn't help but ask again, "You said that after the old man died, he grabbed your hand and led you into the door, but how do you know these basic facts about cultivating destiny?"

Liao Zhixian cannot lie, but he can conceal certain things; he only answers Xu Yuan's questions.

"The old man grabbed my hand, and the others thought he had gone mad and scattered in fright. But I felt something was amiss, so I examined the old man's body and found several pieces of paper in his arms."

Everything I know about cultivating destiny comes from those few sheets of paper.

Xu Yuan smiled and said, "Tell me everything you know about life cultivation."

(End of this chapter)