In the Wang Mansion, the Red Mansion and Yellow Jade, fragrant warmth filled the air.
Songstresses danced gracefully, playing the pipa with elegance, while the nobles were dressed in silk and satin.
Zhao Feng did not take his usual prominent position, instead sitting like a guest with a handsome and elegant smile on his face, appearing approachable and flattering.
In front of him was a woman in white.
Her slender hands were as delicate as jade, and under the light veil of her bamboo hat, her beautiful jawline was faintly visible.
Her every move exuded elegance, giving off an image of a secluded goddess.
Her eyes were lowered, as if the prince's words were miles away.
Even the wealthy and noble descendants of the Zhao family did not dare to meet her gaze.
The more this was the case, the hotter Zhao Feng felt inside.
This was a true immortal, a true fairy.
She had no imposing manner, but the awe of the numerous nobles around her gave her an unparalleled sense of oppression.
"Can immortals eat the grains of the mortal world?" Zhao Feng asked.
"Practitioners usually consume simple grains before cultivating, such as miscellaneous grains," she replied.
"That's good, that's good," Zhao Feng smiled apologetically, lacking his usual noble demeanor, but the family members present saw nothing wrong.
Perhaps only Gu Wen, this oddity, would secretly mock him.
In the past, Zhao Feng had always upheld the "legacy of the founding emperor," portraying himself as a prince with the ability of a wise king.
There was a folk prophecy, "When the nine sons stand, the world will be at peace."
But now, bowing and speaking softly in front of the immortal, his noble air ultimately stemmed from his background, which could be described as relying on others' power.
The woman in white seemed extremely aloof, sitting quietly and speaking little.
Zhao Feng thought that immortals disliked noise, so he waved his hand for everyone to leave before the family finished eating, leaving only a eunuch Feng Xiang by his side.
He offered tea and asked, "May I know the honored title of the immortal?"
"Under the title of my master..." The fairy's melodious voice hung in the air, setting down the teacup.
Although her tone remained unchanged, the timely pause and movement made it solemn, causing people to subconsciously hold their breath to listen.
"Qing Cang."
Zhao Feng's breath hitched.
He was no longer an ordinary person, having some knowledge of the outside world.
The mortal realm and the outside world had always been connected, but it was just unknown to ordinary people.
As the ruler of the world, the Zhao family naturally had contact with outsiders.
A title could not be casually chosen, as it involved fate.
Calling oneself too grandly could lead to being crushed by the weight of the title.
Many people chose moderate titles.
Qing Cang, meaning to uphold the heavens.
He was the legendary venerable who moved mountains and chased the moon.
Even the most powerful beings, closest to the existence of 'immortals,' and the ancestor of the sect behind this fairy.
She dared to bear this title.
Sweat beaded on Zhao Feng's forehead as he wiped it and said, "The name of the immortal is awe-inspiring."
"This name is indeed too grand. You may call me Yu Hua," the fairy said.
Yu Hua was indeed a common title, neither oppressive nor vulgar.
Zhao Feng breathed a sigh of relief and bowed, "Then Zhao Feng pays his respects to Immortal Yu Hua."
"You with the jade pendant..."
The woman in white raised her jade-like finger, pointing directly at the jade pendant on Zhao Feng's chest.
It was palm-sized, made of stone with mottled patterns, and a shallow circular groove around the edge.
"Three years ago, I obtained this opportunity under the guidance of a senior," Zhao Feng replied.
"Seizing opportunities is not always a good thing," the woman in white said frankly, her ears twitching as wisps of thoughts lingered like smoke.
She did not need to seek confirmation or guess; the heavens and earth revealed to her the law of cause and effect.
Under the heavens, there were no unowned opportunities; they were all sown by predecessors, reaped by descendants.
The opportunity on Zhao Feng's body did not originally belong to him, but somehow fell on him.
At first, Yu Hua was not sure, wondering why the Zhao surname was guiding her instead of the Gu surname set three thousand years ago.
"Regarding this matter, I cannot explain it in a few words," Zhao Feng took out a jade silk from his sleeve that had been prepared long ago and handed it to the woman in white. "Please have a look. Three years ago, the elders of your sect had already changed my fate."
The woman in white picked up the jade silk and saw elegant characters embroidered with golden threads, indeed from an elder of the sect.
However...
"Three thousand years ago, the established cause and effect cannot be changed in just three years?" she dropped the jade silk, landing silently on the ground but causing Zhao Feng to feel uneasy.
"It was a decree from Master Huayang," Zhao Feng explained, "and I did not forcefully take it. The descendants of the Gu family had already become beggars on the roadside, with their lineage dwindling over thousands of years, leaving only a solitary son with blocked meridians. That's why the elders of the immortal sect gave me the opportunity, and I will bring prosperity to the descendants of the Gu family."
"But it is not the opportunity of Master Huayang's disciple. The opportunity to become an immortal is vast, each with its own master. The opportunity sown by the Gu family ancestor three thousand years ago should have blessed their descendants. How does prosperity compare to the opportunity of transcending worldly affairs?" Yu Hua's eyes behind the light veil seemed to penetrate the heart, her calm and elegant voice turning deep.
She knew that the Great Qian Dynasty must have given some benefits to the sect internally to allow the Zhao family to deprive the Gu family of their opportunity.
But how could the sect, with its long-term plans, tolerate personal gain?
Zhao Feng sweated even more, saying, "Master Huayang said that the overall situation should take precedence. My Zhao family, as the noble family, should be more capable of helping your sect than beggars. Having Gu Wen as my servant is already my blessing. How can he compete with me for opportunities?"
Moreover, the internal discussions of the sect had already reached a conclusion, and the benefits of the Great Qian Dynasty had already been distributed.
Could they still go back on their word?
Prioritize the overall situation.
"..." Yu Hua fell silent for a moment before saying, "Summon the descendant of the Gu family. I need to confirm in person."
"Summon Gu Wen," Zhao Feng ordered the eunuch by his side, confident in this matter.
A servant had no capital to resist him.
Besides, he believed in Gu Wen's loyalty.
After training the servant for so long, he would not dare to refuse.
This was a matter of course.
After half an incense stick burned, footsteps approached from afar, and Gu Wen hurriedly walked in.
Crossing the threshold of the study, his gaze met two piercing gazes, and his eyes instantly fixed on the woman in white inside the room.
This was not Gu Wen being attracted by her appearance but rather the stark contrast of her plain white attire against the splendid Wang Mansion, indicating she was an immortal without needing to guess.
Setting aside other matters, how could Zhao Feng, this fool, compare to a real woman?
The woman in white raised her head slightly, her eyes behind the light veil resembling the stars in the sky.
She gazed at Gu Wen, her voice melodious.
"What is your name?" she asked.
Gu Wen hesitated for a moment.
His good mental composure did not allow him to linger too long on a woman whose face he could not see.
Lowering his head respectfully, he replied, "I am a commoner, nameless, with the surname Gu and the given name Wen."
Then, silence fell, creating an eerie atmosphere.
The starry eyes behind the light veil made Gu Wen feel a bit uneasy.
Yu Hua fell into silence, looking at the commoner in front of her.
Was it a good thing to help him regain his opportunity? Although the ancestor of the Gu family three thousand years ago was supposed to be his guardian, times had changed, and he was clearly inferior to Zhao Feng.
Moreover, could she really help him regain it? And what would he do after regaining it?
Zhao Feng observed coldly.
While it was said that everyone had their own fate, and the founder of the sect was a remarkable figure, not everyone could become like him without relying on fate.
Now that the path to immortality had opened, it was the greatest opportunity in millennia.
If Gu Wen still held onto his opportunity, in ten years, Zhao Feng might have to bow to him.
On the other hand, now that he had completely lost his opportunity, it was impossible for him to catch up with Zhao Feng.
Even with his noble destiny, it was something Gu Wen could never aspire to in his lifetime.
Having Gu Wen as a servant was already a blessing for Zhao Feng.
How could he compete with him for opportunities?
"In the end, it is my survival strategy to be humble. But if I can establish a place to settle, who would choose to be humble to survive?" Gu Wen laughed self-deprecatingly.
"I am Gu Wen, not the Gu Wen of the commoners and beggars. I am unique in the world... even the immortals are not as good as me, hahaha."
He laughed heartily, pouring the wine into the water under the moonlight, as if inviting the bright moon to drink with him.
Suddenly, as if the tide receded to make way for a greater wave, then gathered back into his mind, it seemed to trap a primordial beast endlessly crashing against it.
Breaking through the feudal customs, tearing apart the shackles of the old cocoon, the departure of fate could no longer conceal that glimmer of brilliance.
The so-called departure of the opportunity of becoming an immortal was just wiping away the dust, the shell of a precious stone.
What remained was the essence of auspicious light, the resonance of the Dao, and the original fate of being on par with the heavens.
A thought, a golden light, a line of text, a message...
Things that could not be spoken, seen, or guessed ultimately transformed into something he could understand.
Fate in the Mortal World Immortal
After countless years of heavenly essence and imperial essence, experiencing the mortal world, understanding fate to become an immortal, one will live as long as the heavens and earth, transcending all beings.
What is heavenly essence, what is imperial essence?
A faint white light flickered, conveying a subtle message.
Heavenly essence for ten years.
That spirit pill was the heavenly essence.
The thought looped continuously, deepening the memory with each repetition, leaving Gu Wen with only one extremely clear thought.
As long as he could gather the heavenly essence of countless years and the earth's essence, nurturing it until he turned eighty, he would be able to ascend to immortality!
He would break free from all constraints, be carefree, and seek longevity!
Gu Wen seemed like a person who had been thirsty for years and suddenly found a clear spring, greedily and madly licking it without end, willing to drown in it or sacrifice everything for it.
To hell with prosperity and wealth, the Dao Lord wanted to become an immortal!
Splash!
He plunged his head into the river, letting the cold water wash away the turbulent emotions and distractions.
On the twenty-ninth of April, under the bright moon of the Grain Rain day, he felt as if he had gained a hint of immortality by submerging his head in the moonlit water.
Many books are now hard to find, so cherish them while you can.