The Ending Was Predetermined

As his voice fell, the storyteller turned to step down from the high platform, hiding his merit and fame.

"Sir, please wait!"

The richly dressed young man abruptly stood up, abandoning all etiquette, and rushed to the front of the stage in three quick strides, bowing deeply to Su Ji.

"Sir! Is the story of Immortal Venerable Su... true?"

Su Ji paused his steps, glanced back at him, and his face returned to its usual lazy expression.

"Take a guess?"

After saying this, he paid no more attention and walked into the backstage without looking back.

He left behind a hall full of unsatisfied listeners who were sighing and wringing their wrists.

As well as that richly dressed young man, who stood in place looking at Su Ji's retreating back, deep in thought.

A teahouse waiter leaned in, his face full of smiles. "Sir, was this story satisfying to listen to?"

The richly dressed young man did not answer, only muttering to himself.

The light in his eyes flickered uncertainly.

"Will the storyteller come again tomorrow?"

The waiter first nodded, then shook his head. "I'm not sure."

"But he has already been telling stories here for five days, so he should probably come tomorrow too."

In the backstage, just as Su Ji was about to slip away through the back door, the teahouse manager trotted after him, holding a heavy money bag in his hands.

"Mr. Su, Mr. Su, please slow down!"

Su Ji took the money bag, weighed it in his hand, and didn't take it to heart.

"Manager, is there something you need?"

"Sir, look at this... tomorrow..." The manager rubbed his hands together, his face full of anticipation.

"I'm not coming."

Su Ji refused cleanly and decisively.

"Ah?" The manager was instantly dumbfounded. "Sir, you've only told half of this story! If you don't come, my teahouse will definitely be torn apart by those listeners!"

Su Ji waved his hand. "The story is finished."

The manager wanted to persuade him further, but Su Ji directly tossed a silver ingot back into his hand.

"This is called leaving a blank space."

"Everyone has their own answers in their hearts."

"Why must they listen to the answer from my mouth?"

"Thank you for your hospitality these past few days."

The teahouse manager held that silver ingot, and when he looked up again, there was no sign of the gentleman in the green shirt.

He opened his mouth, but ultimately just smiled bitterly, shook his head, and tucked the silver ingot into his robes.

...

In the alleys of Suhang, the bluestone paths had been worn smooth by time, and the high walls on both sides isolated the noise of the streets.

Su Ji walked at a leisurely pace.

He suddenly stopped.

"Friend."

"You've been following me all the way, are you still not going to show yourself?"

The alley was dead silent, with only the rustling of the wind blowing through the fallen leaves.

Su Ji did not urge them.

A moment later, a figure slowly walked out from the shadows at the entrance of the alley.

A moon-white palace dress, a cold and aloof temperament; who else could it be but Su Jiu.

Su Ji saw the person clearly, her appearance completely unchanged.

"Are you here for my money or my body?"

Su Jiu ignored his frivolousness and simply walked quietly in front of him.

She just looked at him without speaking.

In those clear, fox-like eyes, the emotions were somewhat complex and hard to read.

Su Ji felt a bit creeped out by her stare and was the first to concede defeat.

"What is it."

Su Jiu still did not speak.

Just as the atmosphere began to change.

Su Jiu finally spoke, her voice flat.

"The rift has already appeared..."

Su Ji nodded. "So you came to bid me farewell?"

Su Jiu also nodded. "Originally, yes."

"Be careful on your way."

He waved his hand, turning around to leave.

"Originally."

Su Jiu's voice sounded from behind him again.

Su Ji's footsteps paused, and he slowly turned around, looking at her with some confusion.

Su Jiu's gaze moved away from his face and landed on the mottled wall behind him, her voice very light.

"After hearing your story, I suddenly don't want to go anymore."

Su Ji was stunned.

He opened his mouth, only to find that he actually didn't know how to respond.

"Uh..."

Su Jiu raised her eyes, those pupils carrying a hint of imperceptible resentment.

"Senior Brother also didn't tell me that there were two Soul Formation cultivators behind the rift..."

"Last time, the phantom of that senior said that one must have the ability to fight above their realm against Nascent Soul cultivators to pass."

She paused, as if muttering to herself, and also as if explaining to Su Ji.

"I thought about it carefully. If it was only Nascent Soul, I would still have a twenty or thirty percent chance of winning..."

"But if it's Soul Formation cultivators..."

Su Jiu shook her head, and for the first time, a hint of helplessness appeared on that cold, beautiful face.

"Whether I go or not, I won't be able to fulfill the mission I bear."

"So why throw my life away and make a meaningless sacrifice?"

She looked up, looking at Su Ji again.

"There must at least be a glimmer of survival for it to be worth fighting for, right."

Su Ji looked at Su Jiu's serious expression of having figured it out, and for a moment, he was left speechless.

He felt his brain was a bit messy.

Why was this script different from what he had imagined?

He had thought Su Jiu was the kind of person whose will could not be changed once she had set her mind on something.

"Senior Brother?"

Seeing him remain silent for a long time, only looking at her with a strange expression, Su Jiu couldn't help but call out.

"Ah?"

Su Ji snapped back to reality and coughed dryly twice to cover up his awkwardness.

"Well... it's best that you could figure it out."

Su Ji forced a smile on his face, trying to make his tone sound a bit more sincere.

"Staying in Great Xia is quite nice too. Beautiful scenery, outstanding people, and you have such a handsome, dashing, and romantic senior brother like me to accompany you. Isn't that better than going out to fight and kill?"

Su Jiu looked at him, her pretty brows furrowing again.

Although Su Ji was a bit shameless.

But it was indeed the truth.

She just didn't quite understand what the point of Su Ji coming here to tell stories was.

At this moment, Su Ji also didn't understand what Su Jiu was thinking.

He only silently chanted in his heart.

Glimpse of Heaven's Will.

The world before his eyes lost its color once again.

The bustling Suhang, the mottled walls, the bluestone paths... everything instantly turned into a monotonous grey and white.

He wanted to look one more time.

To see if that predetermined future would show even the slightest turning point.

In the grey and white world, the scene began to shift.

It was still that golden-robed man.

Su Ji didn't even see the other party's movements clearly before he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He looked down.

His chest had been completely pierced by that golden longsword.

No blood flowed out; at the wound, there were only clusters of golden flames that were frantically devouring his life force.

The golden-robed man stood opposite him. On that handsome face, not a single expression was offered, and in those golden eyes, there was only indifference.

What he crushed was nothing more than an insignificant bug.

His consciousness plunged into eternal darkness.

The grey and white world shattered with a boom.

...

The afternoon sun was still warm.

The alley was still quiet.

The ending... was already destined.