"Karma is the foundation of fate. If karma becomes disordered, fate will also become chaotic, and the Heavenly Destiny is no exception."
"Are you saying the Heavenly Destiny of the Present Era is a chaotic one?"
"Exactly."
"What kind of Heavenly Destiny is a chaotic Heavenly Destiny?"
"I do not know."
"Truly you do not know?"
"Truly, I do not know."
"A chaotic Heavenly Destiny..." Gu Qingfeng murmured. "The Heavenly Destiny Great Dao of the Primordial Era, the Heavenly Destiny Emperor Seals of the Ancient Era, the Heavenly Destiny Thrones of the Archaic Era... there were only a handful, not many at all. At least, many of the Heavenly Destinies recorded in ancient texts never appeared. If the Heavenly Destiny is chaotic, then the Present Era might also give rise to a Heavenly Destiny Great Dao, or perhaps Heavenly Destiny Emperor Seals, or Heavenly Destiny Thrones?"
"I do not know."
Ignoring the Old Monk's response, Gu Qingfeng continued, "Or perhaps I should say, if the Mysterious Era reappears in the Present Era, then the Heavenly Destiny of the Mysterious Era will also reappear in the Present Era?"
"I do not know!"
"And what was the Heavenly Destiny of the Mysterious Era?"
"I do not know."
The Old Monk truly knew nothing of what he was asked. Gu Qingfeng didn't mind and asked, "I've heard that during the Mysterious Era, that legendary figure, the Lord of No Dao, opened the veins of heaven and earth, causing Heavenly Destinies to fly everywhere. Among them were so-called Heavenly Destiny Laws, Heavenly Destiny Origins, and even Heavenly Destiny Gods?"
"I do not know."
"Ha!"
Gu Qingfeng laughed. "Old Monk, oh Old Monk, you know I originally had no interest in the Heavenly Destiny. Yet you deliberately bring up this so-called chaotic Heavenly Destiny before me. If a chaotic Heavenly Destiny truly appears in the Present Era... well, I must say, I am actually a little interested."
This time, the Old Monk did not respond, choosing to remain silent.
"What's this, Old Monk? You tell me all this, is this your aim? To make me seize the Heavenly Destiny?"
"The Venerable Gu misunderstands. This humble monk has no such intention."
"Is that so? Then what do you mean? Usually, when I ask you for advice, you always keep your mouth shut."
"It was merely casual conversation."
"Casual conversation? Hahaha!"
After a hearty laugh, Gu Qingfeng said, "Alright then, rest up. We'll talk again later."
With that, he left the Bone Jade of Annihilation.
It was only long after Gu Qingfeng had left that a sigh echoed once more from within the ethereal temple: "Karma is, in the end, karma. It cannot be avoided, cannot be escaped. Even through a thousand cycles of karmic reincarnation, a billion instances of karmic chaos, it cannot be changed. What is destined to come will always come... What is destined to happen will always happen..."
...
Another day, another sunset in the west.
At Xiao Zhe Manor, only Qian Shan, Ouyang Ye, and Xiao Jinr remained.
Han Dong had long since returned to Yaoyue Palace to assist her master with sect affairs. The group led by Second Elder Fei Lu had been completely slaughtered by Gu Qingfeng, and Yaoyue Palace had returned to its former peace. With the return of several ancestral elders like Feng Hua and Feng Lie, no one else dared to cause trouble.
Ouyang Ye sat on a chair, staring blankly at the evening glow of the sunset, lost in a daze.
For several days in a row, it had been like this. She neither ate nor drank, neither slept nor rested, just sat there in a daze, as if she had become a fool.
No matter how Qian Shan tried to persuade her, Ouyang Ye remained unmoved. Qian Shan was very worried that Ouyang Ye might collapse from this or suffer some severe mental shock.
Perhaps because of Ouyang Ye's mood, the weather had been gloomy for days, with a fine, misty drizzle and a gray, overcast sky that weighed heavily on one's spirits.
In contrast to them, Xiao Jinr ate and slept as usual, practicing her music with great enthusiasm every day.
Suddenly.
Xiao Jinr cheered excitedly, "Elder Sister Hua is here!"
Elder Sister Hua?
Su Hua?
Hearing this, Qian Shan was startled, and even the despondent Ouyang Ye couldn't help but blink and look around, though she saw no sign of Su Hua.
"Jinr, where is the Fairy?"
Qian Shan also scanned the surroundings but found no trace of Su Hua. However, she didn't think Xiao Jinr was joking, because she knew Xiao Jinr possessed such miraculous abilities.
"Look, right there!"
Xiao Jinr pointed excitedly towards the eastern sky. Qian Shan looked over and gradually saw a shooting star flying towards them.
No!
That wasn't a shooting star, but a streak of light.
To be precise, it wasn't a streak of light either, but a person.
A woman.
A peerlessly beautiful woman of transcendent grace, one whose beauty could topple cities and kingdoms.
She was dressed in pure white robes, her long, dark hair cascading naturally. Her flawless features bore no imperfections. Her appearance was like the descent of a celestial maiden from the Nine Heavens, or a holy saintess of light—so beautiful it stole one's breath, so sacred it made one want to kneel in worship.
Who else could it be but Su Hua!
"Elder Sister Hua!"
As soon as Su Hua appeared at Xiao Zhe Manor, Xiao Jinr was the first to run over and throw herself into her arms.
"Little Jinr, it's been a long time. Have you missed your elder sister?"
Su Hua stroked Xiao Jinr's hair, her eyes filled with affection.
"Elder Sister Su Hua!"
Immediately after, Ouyang Ye also rushed over, wrapping her arms around Su Hua and bursting into tears on the spot. Perhaps she had suffered great grievances, or perhaps the shock had been too severe. Upon seeing Su Hua again, Ouyang Ye could no longer hold back her sobs.
"Wah! Elder Sister Su Hua, why did you only come now... Wah, I feel so terrible! Wah... Elder Sister Su Hua, I'm almost dying, wah..."
Whoosh!
Influenced by Ouyang Ye's emotions, the sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds. Wind and rain raged, thunder and lightning crackled, and a torrential downpour began.
"Wah... Elder Sister Su Hua, do you know... he's still alive... Wah... He never died... He's been alive all along... Wah..."
"Why is he still alive... Why! Didn't you say he was dead?"
"Wah... Elder Sister Su Hua, tell me why... Why!"
"Why does it have to be like this..."
Su Hua let Ouyang Ye cling to her and weep bitterly, patting her shoulder in comfort.
Although Ouyang Ye didn't say who was still alive, Su Hua already knew. A few days ago, she had received Qian Shan's message talisman, in which Qian Shan had detailed the events that had transpired in the Great Northwest. If not for that, she wouldn't have rushed over so quickly.
To be honest.
Upon learning the news that Gu Qingfeng was still alive, Su Hua had also been extremely shocked.
Three years ago at the Taixuan Stele, she had also witnessed Gu Qingfeng turn to dust with her own eyes.
Because the matter was too bizarre and inexplicable, Su Hua had even stayed in the Four Great Domains for a full year afterward.
Unfortunately, even now, she didn't know why Gu Qingfeng had turned to dust beneath the Taixuan Stele.
Yet she never could have imagined that the person who had turned to dust had truly died and come back to life.
A person who had turned to dust, whose body and soul had turned to ashes, could still die and be resurrected.
Even though Su Hua's previous life was that of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, she still had no idea how Gu Qingfeng had accomplished this. She couldn't even begin to imagine it.