Chapter 411: Tied Fate

Shen Ling Shu and Zhu Xuan Ji stood side by side, gazing at the sky where Ning Zhuo had departed. Shen Ling Shu sighed and said, "The results are still the same as before. His destiny and luck are unremarkable."

Zhu Xuan Ji furrowed his brow. "His gains in Misty Mountain and the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect were so astounding, his destiny must be incredibly prosperous. How can it be unremarkable?"

"Does this mean the Myriad Buddha Heart Demon Seal has the power to suppress and disguise destiny?"

At the final moment of the struggle for the Lava Immortal Palace, Zhu Xuan Ji had personally witnessed the Myriad Buddha Heart Demon Seal embracing Ning Zhuo.

Shen Ling Shu replied, "It's hard to say."

Zhu Xuan Ji said, "Since the Sovereign sent Senior to perform these calculations and detections, he must have considered this point. Please speak frankly about your findings, Senior. Are you worried that I am too deeply entangled with Ning Zhuo, to the point of abandoning my family and nation?"

Shen Ling Shu sighed again. "I am not concealing anything. The calculation results are indeed as I said."

"Before I left, I specifically retrieved a spiritual treasure from the national treasury to guard against the Myriad Buddha Heart Demon Seal."

"I have now discovered that the Myriad Buddha Heart Demon Seal does have the effect of suppressing destiny, but it cannot disguise it."

"Suppressing destiny allows Ning Zhuo's luck to maintain a relatively high floor, preventing him from falling too low and suffering dreadful misfortunes."

"However, as his Ning branch family grows larger and stronger, the suppression effect of the Myriad Buddha Heart Demon Seal on his destiny will be spread thinner and thinner."

Zhu Xuan Ji nodded. "That is to be expected. Treasures that can suppress destiny are rare in the first place. It is already quite fortunate for Ning Zhuo to possess one."

"According to the grade of the Myriad Buddha Heart Demon Seal, although the Ning branch family is developing rapidly, it has only just begun. Their destiny can be suppressed for a long time and will not fluctuate too drastically."

"Ultimately, does this Ning Zhuo possess a King's Mandate, or the Divine Ability of Human Fate Threads?"

Shen Ling Shu spread his hands, indicating his helplessness. "The results of my calculations are precisely as they are, and I have told you everything."

"Regarding this question, my answer is - hard to say."

"Hard to say?" Zhu Xuan Ji raised an eyebrow.

Shen Ling Shu stroked his beard and said, "Let's first discuss the King's Mandate. This type of immortal potential encompasses many different varieties, but they often share a common characteristic. Before the King's Mandate manifests, their performance is ordinary, even low. As the saying goes, 'a white dragon in a fish's clothing, a hidden dragon not to be used'."

"Only after the destiny surges and the King's Mandate appears will their extraordinary talents be revealed. At that point, we diviners can confirm it."

"It is precisely because of this that the King's Mandate is difficult to detect in advance, and true dragons are hard to find."

After a pause, Shen Ling Shu continued, "Next, let's talk about the Divine Ability of Human Fate Threads."

"This divine ability can connect with other sentient beings, forming a connection in terms of destiny. If a person's fate and destiny are likened to water in a cup, someone with a strong fate and prosperous destiny has a large cup filled with much water. Someone with a strong fate but weak destiny has a large cup with little water. And so on, for situations where fate is weak but destiny is strong or weak."

"Then, the Divine Ability of Human Fate Threads is like connecting the bottoms of many cups."

"As a result, the water level in all the cups connected is mutually level, with the same water height."

"This has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that the destinies are interconnected, preventing them from falling too low, thus stabilizing the lower limit, which is equivalent to suppressing destiny."

"The disadvantage is that it is also very difficult for individual destiny to become prosperous, as it will be dragged down by others with ordinary or even weak destiny."

"But overall, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages."

Zhu Xuan Ji nodded, indicating his agreement with this assessment.

Destiny, destiny. The superficial meaning of this term is the number of breaths, representing survival. Destiny always maintaining a stable lower limit means being able to breathe consistently, which is to say, being able to survive.

Life and death are of great importance!

As long as one is alive, there is hope for everything.

Shen Ling Shu said, "I do not possess the Divine Ability of Human Fate Threads. According to the information left by the Grand Sovereign, only by mastering this divine ability can one see the Human Fate Threads with their own eyes."

"Therefore, deducing whether Ning Zhuo possesses the Human Fate Threads primarily relies on inferring from the effects of Human Fate Threads on destiny."

"I have calculated for you, Ning Jiu Fan, and Lin Shan Shan, and also secretly investigated Han Zhou and Hua Gu Zi. I found that your destinies are quite closely intertwined with Ning Zhuo's."

"I calculated for Lin Bu Fan, Yuan Po, and Ling Hu Jiu, but found that their destinies were not closely connected."

Zhu Xuan Ji remained silent, listening attentively. Divination has been a hidden art since ancient times and has always been quite mysterious among the hundred arts of cultivation. In this regard, Zhu Xuan Ji had little knowledge and could only wait for Shen Ling Shu to continue.

Shen Ling Shu analyzed, "If Ning Zhuo has planted Human Fate Threads on you, Ning Jiu Fan, Lin Shan Shan, as well as Han Zhou and Hua Gu Zi, then the signs of destiny entanglement and close connection would be evidence."

"The problem is that these people are currently closely associated with Ning Zhuo. Ning Jiu Fan is Ning Zhuo's ancestor, and he values the latter most, relying on him for the family's future. This time, Ning Zhuo's single letter summoned him to assist."

"The two women, Lin Shan Shan and Hua Gu Zi, are close to Ning Zhuo. The former helped Ning Zhuo to the point of being confined, and the latter's infatuation is quite evident. Destiny entanglement is also normal."

"Your close association with Ning Zhuo in the Lava Immortal Palace and Misty Mountain also makes sense for destiny entanglement. As for Han Zhou, he has always sparred with Ning Zhuo, and this time he was persuaded by Ning Zhuo to arrange for him to go to Jade Steel Mountain. This can also explain the appearance of destiny entanglement."

"As for Lin Bu Fan and Yuan Po, both are at the Nascent Soul stage. According to the information left by the Grand Sovereign, Human Fate Threads cannot cross two major realms, at most one. After cultivating to a high level, they can only cross minor realms."

"Ning Zhuo currently only has Foundation Establishment cultivation, and can at most plant threads on Golden Core stage cultivators. Therefore, it is reasonable that his destiny is not closely connected with Lin Bu Fan and Yuan Po."

"Finally, there is Ling Hu Jiu. His... destiny is not deeply entangled with Ning Zhuo's."

Hearing this, Zhu Xuan Ji raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

Golden light flickered in his eyes. "If I were Ning Zhuo, and I possessed the Divine Ability of Human Fate Threads, I would definitely plant them on the important figures on the other side for cooperation with the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect."

"Lin Shan Shan and Ling Hu Jiu would definitely be included."

"Ling Hu Jiu's destiny not being closely connected with his suggests, at the very least, that even if Ning Zhuo possessed the Divine Ability of Human Fate Threads, he did not plant them on Ling Hu Jiu."

"I have also read the information left by the Grand Sovereign. Back then, she planted them on anyone she met and quickly prospered. Ning Zhuo is young, and if he did not plant them on Ling Hu Jiu, it goes against human nature."

"Based on this reasoning, the possibility of Ning Zhuo possessing the Divine Ability of Human Fate Threads is not high."

Shen Ling Shu smiled slightly. "Zhu Xuan Ji, have you noticed that you are defending Ning Zhuo? Whether it was in Fiery Persimmon Immortal City, or just now."

Zhu Xuan Ji frowned and immediately shook his head. "I am merely analyzing, and I am quite rational and calm."

Shen Ling Shu said, "Of course. I am not denying that."

"It's just that once a person is planted with Human Fate Threads and their destinies are connected, all the actions of the person who has been planted will subtly benefit the main subject, even if the subject with the threads is seeking revenge on the main subject."

"Your deduction regarding Ling Hu Jiu is in line with human nature, but your own behavior here is proving that you have been planted with Human Fate Threads by Ning Zhuo."

Zhu Xuan Ji shook his head again and laughed. "I am more inclined to believe that I was planted with threads by the Venerable of the Three Sects."

"Regarding this point, Senior, I have also had my doubts before. To the extent that for a period of time, I found it difficult to sleep and was suspicious of everything."

"Now I have come to realize that regardless of whether I have been planted with threads, and whether the threads exist, I only need to act according to my own way."

"If it were the former me, the situation with Ling Hu Jiu would also be evidence that Ning Zhuo does not possess, or at least has not used, the Human Fate Threads!"

"As for myself, this is easily proven."

"Ning Zhuo has now left the country, and the entanglement of my destiny with his will inevitably plummet. At that time, if I ask Senior to observe again, won't the truth be revealed?"

Shen Ling Shu nodded. "Precisely. This is my plan. To detect the answer to this question, these few days are not enough; it requires longer observation."

"However, at present, there is a better subject for detection than you."

Zhu Xuan Ji showed surprise. "Oh?"

He thought for a moment, and this renowned divine investigator of the Southern Bean Nation immediately thought of someone and blurted out, "Are you talking about the Deputy Mountain God of Misty Mountain? Oh no, He is now the true Mountain God, and the sole Mountain God of Misty Mountain."

Shen Ling Shu nodded again. "Indeed."

"This Fox God did not interact with Ning Zhuo for a long time, but under Ning Zhuo's extortion, He actually gave the Spirit Concealing Willow!"

"This action is quite peculiar."

"After all, a treasure of such importance as the Spirit Concealing Willow would be of significant help in cultivating His power on Misty Mountain. If the Fox God were to offer this item to the Southern Bean Nation, He could also exchange it for atonement and protection. Yet, He directly handed it over to Ning Zhuo. Upon closer examination, it is somewhat strange."

"But if Ning Zhuo had influenced the Fox God through Human Fate Threads at that time, then it would make sense."

Zhu Xuan Ji nodded. "Very well, then next, we will go to Misty Mountain."

"Ning Jiu Fan is also going there."

"However, we do not need to reveal our true forms. We can secretly and independently investigate the Mountain God of Misty Mountain."

Near Jade Steel Mountain.

A formation had been secretly laid out.

Three cultivators, all with Golden Core cultivation, were hidden within the formation space, sitting quietly in meditation.

A flying message entered the formation with ease, bringing news - Ning Jiu Fan had departed from Ten Thousand Medicine Valley yesterday. In a few days, he would arrive at Jade Steel Mountain.

"The divination result comes from Master Zhuge, it won't be wrong."

"Damn it, that old fellow is finally coming!"

"Much faster than I expected. I thought I would have to meditate and wait here for a year or two."

"Not necessarily! He has already agreed to Lord Meng Kui to go and围剿 the Myriad Year Fire Spirit. If he goes out to avoid battle, it will be a significant blow to the Ning family and his reputation!"

"Good, let's take Ning Jiu Fan's life, complete this task, and then we will flee the country."

The three Golden Core cultivators exchanged messages with their divine senses for a while and then fell silent again.