Do You Want to Live

The Great Wilderness, Third Mining Area.

The figures of the Pavilion Master of Tingfeng and Zhao Wuji quietly appeared on this wasteland.

This was the Pavilion Master of Tingfeng's first time setting foot in this place.

He was accustomed to seeing immortal mountains, seas of clouds, and magnificent jade pavilions.

Upon encountering this gloomy and oppressive world, he could not help but frown.

The environment here was even harsher than he had imagined.

A faint scent of decay lingered in the air, and even the meager spiritual energy carried a lifeless, stagnant flavor.

However, this had little to do with him.

He was just here to go through the motions, getting paid to do a job.

Zhao Wuji's expression, however, darkened at this moment.

He looked around. Aside from the howling wind on the empty wasteland, there was not the slightest sign of movement.

"Such a blind fool!"

He cursed in a low voice, then immediately put on a humble smile and explained to the Pavilion Master of Tingfeng beside him, "My useless subordinates have made a fool of themselves in front of the Pavilion Master."

"Just because I didn't notify him in advance, he didn't even know to wait at the entrance."

After saying that, he took a deep breath, channeled spiritual energy into his throat, and let his voice explode across the dead wasteland like rolling thunder.

"Zhao Tianyang! You disgraceful thing, why haven't you come to greet me?!"

The sound waves rolled out, traveling a great distance.

In less than a moment.

A scrawny figure stumbled and crawled out from a shack in the distant mining area, sprinting madly in their direction.

It was none other than Zhao Tianyang.

As soon as he reached the two of them, without a word, his knees gave way and he fell straight to the ground, knocking his forehead heavily against the dry, cracked earth.

"Patriarch! And this lord... This lowly one deserves death! I will lead the way right now..."

Zhao Tianyang groveled, not even daring to lift his head, as he scrambled up from the ground and hunched over to lead the way.

He led the two directly to his own sparsely furnished shack.

"Patriarch, my lord, please wait here for a moment."

Zhao Tianyang respectfully cupped his fists toward the two.

"I will go bring the person right now, I will be right back."

With that, he turned and hurried away, his back looking panicked.

Inside the room, only the Pavilion Master of Tingfeng and Zhao Wuji remained.

Zhao Wuji offered another apologetic smile. "Pavilion Master, my arrangements were inadequate. I've made a fool of myself in front of you."

The Pavilion Master of Tingfeng waved his hand casually.

"It doesn't matter."

He looked completely at ease, even pouring himself a cup of long-cold tea, taking a slow sip, and then setting it down in disgust.

Eventually, it was Zhao Wuji who lost his patience first.

"Pavilion Master."

He spoke cautiously.

"If the commotion gets too big later, will you... be able to control the situation?"

The Pavilion Master of Tingfeng put down his teacup, lifted his eyelids, and glanced at him with an expression that clearly said, "Isn't that a stupid question?"

"Otherwise?"

He asked in return.

"Do you think the reputation of my Tingfeng Pavilion is just for show?"

Zhao Wuji choked on his words, momentarily speechless.

The Pavilion Master of Tingfeng couldn't be bothered to pay him any more attention, simply casting his gaze out the window at the hazy gray sky.

...

Meanwhile, on the other side.

In Su Ji's private courtyard.

"Senior Brother."

Su Jiu propped up her upper body, her waterfall-like long hair slipping down to cover half of her alluring figure.

"Senior Brother, that method of yours to glimpse into the future, can you use it now?"

Her voice carried a hint of hoarseness, along with a trace of barely noticeable curiosity.

"Could the one buried deep in this mining area be that ancient ancestor of our clan?"

Hearing this, Su Ji didn't even bother to lift his eyelids.

Right now, he didn't even have the strength to move a single finger. He felt completely drained.

"I can't use it."

He replied weakly.

"Why?" Su Jiu pressed.

"It's on cooldown," Su Ji made up an excuse casually.

Hearing this, Su Jiu blinked her watery, fox-like eyes.

She leaned in, her warm breath brushing against Su Ji's ear.

"Senior Brother, how about... I help you?"

Su Ji's body suddenly stiffened.

He suddenly opened his eyes, which were filled with unprecedented panic.

"You... what do you want to do?!"

"Help you 'cool down', of course."

Su Jiu's face bore an expression of pure, innocent naivety.

Su Ji: "..."

Like hell he'd believe her!

This little vixen was getting more and more lawless!

"Alright, alright, I yield."

Su Ji flipped over and sat up. His movements were so swift that he didn't look like a completely drained person at all.

"I'll use it, I'll use it, okay?"

He gritted his teeth.

Seeing this, Su Jiu finally revealed a smug smile. She slowly lay back down, shifting into a more comfortable position.

"You should have done this earlier."

With a dark expression, Su Ji sat cross-legged.

[Peering into Destiny]!

Following a shift in his thoughts, the familiar world before his eyes began to lose its color.

Everything transformed into monotonous gray and white lines.

The scene before him instantly shifted.

It was still that familiar battlefield.

It was still that man wearing a luxurious golden robe, his face blurred.

It was still that casual yet supremely powerful kick.

"Bang—!"

Su Ji's body, like a ruined sack, was ruthlessly kicked flying, drawing an arc in mid-air before smashing heavily into the ground, kicking up a cloud of blood-colored dust.

In the final moment before his consciousness dissipated, he could still see that the golden-robed man didn't even bother to turn his head. He just impatiently tapped his boots, which had gathered a bit of dust, as if he had merely stomped a bothersome stray dog to death.

The image came to an abrupt halt.

Su Ji's consciousness returned to reality.

He sat on the bed, expressionless.

"Senior Brother?" Su Jiu's slightly worried voice sounded by his ear.

Su Ji did not reply immediately.

It was still this ending.

Nothing had changed at all.

His "efforts" over these seven days... everything seemed so ridiculous and powerless in the face of this absolute strength.

A sense of powerlessness overwhelmed him.

But it only lasted for a moment.

Su Ji's slightly unfocused eyes regained their luster.

No.

What was the meaning of that inconspicuous line of small text beneath [Peering into Destiny]?

[To be a great cultivator pushing against the current? Or a puppet on the strings of destiny?]

This was the key!

They wanted him to see despair, wanted him to give up struggling, wanted him to accept this prearranged fate?

Since he had already come this far.

Then he must firmly believe that his judgment was correct.

He didn't really believe that his life was worth so many people setting up a scheme.

Thinking of this, Su Ji's somewhat wavering heart became resolute once again.

He turned his head, looked at Su Jiu's pretty face filled with worry, and broke into a bright smile.

"Don't worry." He reached out and rubbed Su Jiu's soft, long hair. "With your Senior Brother taking action, what kind of scene haven't I seen?"

"I didn't see the process, and I don't know what's inside, but it's not a big problem."

His expression was relaxed and carefree, as if what he had just seen wasn't the image of his own tragic death.

"The process was a bit twisted, but the ending is good."

"A close call, but no real danger."

Su Jiu looking at his completely confident appearance, the heavy stone hanging in her heart finally fell to the ground.

Although she still felt that something was slightly off, out of her trust in Su Ji, she chose to believe him.

"That is good then," she muttered softly, a rosy blush quietly creeping up her cheeks.

Right at that moment.

Thump, thump, thump!

Three deep, forceful knocks echoed without any warning.

Su Ji and Su Jiu exchanged a glance, both catching a flicker of solemnity in the other's eyes.

They were here!

Without a second of hesitation, Su Jiu's figure blurred, transforming into that familiar streak of flowing light before sinking seamlessly into Su Ji's body.

Su Ji finally understood.

This little fox had learned how to lie.

Taking on this form did not drain her energy at all.

She was simply terrified that he would not bring her along, or perhaps afraid of being constantly dragged out to perform healing...

Su Ji smoothed out his wrinkled robe. Then, dragging his still somewhat unsteady footsteps, he made his way toward the door.

Creak—

The courtyard door was pulled open.

Standing at the threshold, Zhao Tianyang's deeply wrinkled, weathered face appeared before Su Ji.

Zhao Tianyang paid no mind to Su Ji's questioning gaze. Instead, he simply fixed his cloudy eyes dead on Su Ji.

A moment passed.

His hoarse voice finally broke the silence.

"Su Hao."

Zhao Tianyang's tone was flat, yet it carried an unquestionable, absolute resolve.

He looked at Su Ji, pausing after every single word.

"Do you want to live?"