Chapter 1336: Bu Lian

"Thus." After a period of jesting, Yu Beidou said, "The Outer Tower level mystic art I promised you was initially a single art chosen at will, which may not have been suitable. Now, I shall customize it for you. You may request any type of mystic art you desire, and this condition shall be offset against those pieces of Dao Origin Stones. What say you?"

"They are Yuan Stones," Jiang Wang reminded. "And not a few pieces, but several dozen."

"I merely spoke a rough, abstract number. Do you understand abstract numbers?" Yu Beidou glared at him.

"I understand abstract numbers," Jiang Wang nodded. "They are words that, if I don't object, transform into concrete numbers."

Yu Beidou became exasperated. "Just say whether you agree or not! If not, then let's delay for a few days!"

"Very well," Jiang Wang said, pinching his nose.

"You're indeed good at choosing!" Yu Beidou instantly shed his anger, his tone lightened with a laugh. "Young man, you have great foresight. You've absolutely profited!"

"I have a business in Qi," Jiang Wang stated.

"Hmm?" Yu Beidou didn't understand why he suddenly mentioned this.

"In business, you meet all sorts of people. Not everyone keeps their word, and contracts cannot regulate everything. Regarding bad debts, I have witnessed much and have come to terms with much."

Jiang Wang sighed. "Retrieving even a little is better than nothing. What else can be done?"

"Indeed, the world is deteriorating, and hearts are no longer as they were!" Yu Beidou seemed utterly oblivious to the hidden meaning, even echoing with a heavy sigh. "In this world, those like you and I, whose promises are worth a thousand gold, are rare. That's why I appreciate you so much and am so generous with you, do you understand?"

"..." Jiang Wang decided to be direct. "I desire a tracking type mystic art, preferably one that originates from the power of the soul. Do you possess a suitable mystic art?"

Examining all that he controlled, he now had the Cloud-Stepping Immortal Technique for movement, swordsmanship, Fire Realm, and Five Divine Abilities for offense, and his soul attacking methods had also been considerably supplemented. His state-enhancing mystic arts included the Sound-Hearkening Immortal State and the Five Secret Vaults...

In truth, he had few real weaknesses. What Jiang Wang most desired to mend at present was his ability in tracking and stealth.

This way, the next time he tracked an opponent like Yang Xuance, he wouldn't easily fall into an ambush. If pursued by an opponent like Zhao Xuanyang, he might also be able to delay for a longer time.

Tracking and stealth abilities complement each other. He leaned more towards tracking, which was essentially another form of offensive defense.

Tracking, in most cases, originated from the five senses, grasping clues from them to trace the source. Of course, there were many top-tier secret arts within this domain, but inevitably, many were similar and easily countered. If possible, Jiang Wang still hoped to leverage his advantages in the soul aspect.

Based on these considerations, he proposed quite specific requirements.

Yu Beidou did not make things difficult. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "What tracking mystic arts do you currently possess? Why not demonstrate them for me to see?"

Jiang Wang directly flicked his finger, and wisps of smoke condensed at his fingertip, forming a simulated Remembrance Grass, swaying in the air.

"The rank is even lower than I imagined," Yu Beidou quipped casually. "It seems Captain Jiang lacks experience in apprehending criminals, and the Azure Guards of Qi have no standards!"

Jiang Wang remained silent, accepting the mockery. Having handled few cases since joining, he indeed had little confidence in claiming he truly deserved the Azure Guard badge on his waist.

While speaking, Yu Beidou's hands did not stop. With a gentle reach, he grasped the Remembrance Grass formed by the mystic art, gazing at it quietly for a moment.

"The foundation of this mystic art is quite good, with decent room for evolution. I can add some of my ideas into it, and a portion of a secret art can also be integrated."

He described it thus, then slightly opened his five fingers upwards, forming a "round bowl".

The Remembrance Grass, formed by the smoke, quietly floated above his palm.

It seemed only to be floating, yet there was a subtle difference.

Jiang Wang focused his gaze and noticed that above Yu Beidou's palm, there was a transparent罩, covering the Remembrance Grass.

With this transparent罩 as the dome and the palm as the earth, it儼然 formed a small world, reflecting the concept of a circular heaven and square earth. It was independent within this cavern, distinct from elsewhere.

Within the confines of this palm-sized space, things began to change.

The verdant grass turned withered and yellow, withering and then reviving.

From a single grass seed to a wisp of decay.

Life and death cycled in an instant.

Within the palm-sized small world, the life of the green grass unfolded.

From beginning to end, repeating ceaselessly.

This was a scene that was novel at first glance but became monotonous after prolonged viewing. Yet, Jiang Wang watched with unwavering attention.

He vaguely seemed to perceive something, but that spark of insight was always elusive, impossible to grasp. He simply didn't want to miss any detail, and he instinctively felt he shouldn't miss it.

Then Yu Beidou flipped his hand.

Thus, heaven and earth were overturned.

This small world, where the green grass evolved, vanished within his palm.

Yu Beidou extended his hand towards Jiang Wang, saying softly, "Catch."

Jiang Wang, following the instruction, reached out his hand, and a translucent sphere landed in his palm.

Within the sphere, a wisp of smoky green grass was solidified.

This translucent sphere had a tangible feel, smooth and cool. But after landing in Jiang Wang's palm, it surprisingly fell "downwards," clinging to his palm and sinking inwards, as if falling into water.

And Jiang Wang's palm was exactly like the surface of a lake.

The small sphere continuously sank, thus disappearing into his palm, submerged in the "water."

At the same time, within Jiang Wang's mind, lines of mystic art incantations flowed quietly.

This was already a brand new "Remembrance," an Outer Tower level tracking mystic art!

"How is it?" Yu Beidou looked at him with considerable self-satisfaction. "This art is peerless at the Outer Tower level. With just one clash and a spiritual trace, it endures within three days and can track even thousands of miles! You've hit the jackpot, young man!"

In Jiang Wang's view, this mystic art was quite similar to the "Thought Dust" passed down in Lin Youxie's family. However, the core principle of the Thought Dust art was like binding dust to the heart, its essence being to leave a mark on the target. The re-evolved Remembrance art by Yu Beidou, on the other hand, was to engrave the knowledge of the tracking target at the level of one's own soul, thereby forming a spiritual resonance.

Relatively speaking, the Thought Dust art was more precise and could last longer, while the Remembrance art was more concealed.

After careful consideration, Jiang Wang nodded and said, "It's not bad."

He rose resolutely. "True Man Yu, farewell for now."

"Hey, wait!" Yu Beidou reached out and pulled him back down to sit beside him. "Young man, how can you burn bridges after crossing? I haven't finished speaking!"

In front of Yu Beidou, Jiang Wang naturally had no room to resist.

Being held down, he could only sit. But his voice was quite calm, neither humble nor arrogant. "I believed we had concluded our transaction, owing each other nothing."

"Alas!" Yu Beidou wore a distressed expression. "It seems you still hold a grudge against me, harboring resentment!"

"'Resentment' is too strong a word," Jiang Wang said seriously. "Jiang Wang merely knows his limitations and believes he is unable to participate in your esteemed affairs, nor does he wish to risk his life again. You may have your mission and burdens, perhaps great and profound, but I too have my path to walk."

Yu Beidou's actions in suppressing the Blood Fiend and executing the diviner were undoubtedly righteous.

But Jiang Wang also had his own life. He had no elders, no backing; he had to be responsible for himself.

"Understood." Yu Beidou ceased his jesting, his gaze fixed on a spot not far ahead. "I actually had no other business with you; I just wanted to chat for a bit, perhaps due to old age... or are you in a hurry?"

Jiang Wang recalled that the spot Yu Beidou was looking at was precisely where the Blood Fiend and the diviner had previously lain. Of course, now no trace remained, all vanished within Yan Chunhui's sword strike.

At this moment, Yu Beidou seemed to have shed the aura of a powerful expert, instead giving off the impression of a lonely old man.

"What do you wish to chat about?" Jiang Wang relaxed his physical resistance, and his posture also eased. He said frankly, "I am now chatting with you with the goodwill of a junior towards a senior. If during the process I hear anything I believe I should not, I will leave immediately. Please understand."

"Once bitten by a snake, one fears the well rope for ten years, eh?" Yu Beidou chuckled self-mockingly. "People like me are indeed very annoying. Because we can see a glimpse of the future, we arbitrarily manipulate the chessboard, doing what we believe is right while disregarding others' feelings... Very annoying, isn't it? It's inevitable that you avoid me like the plague."

Jiang Wang thought to himself, this True Man Yu is not entirely lacking in self-awareness.

On the surface, he merely said, "It is my timidity and caution that have caused True Man to laugh."

Yu Beidou continued to gaze at the empty patch of ground, unsure if he was looking at the vanished Blood Fiend or the diviner.

He seemed equally indifferent to both.

Yu Beidou did not continue this topic, but began his story with a question:

"Do you know what Fate Divination is?"

Jiang Wang thought for a moment, then shook his head.

Aside from knowing it was a very ancient form of divination and that Yu Beidou had inherited it, he knew nothing else. He truly didn't know what he could possibly discuss with Yu Beidou about it.

"Fate Divination is the art of gazing into the future.

In that very ancient, very ancient era, there was actually no future to speak of, at least not for humanity.

Innumerable humans propagated in this world.

For millions of years, they lived in ignorance, their lives and deaths like those of plants.

The spring wind brought forth growth, and wildfires consumed all.

Generations of humanity lived and died, bringing nothing to this world upon arrival and leaving nothing behind upon departure.

Their coming and going were without trace, for millions of years.

Among countless ordinary humans, there was one who was different, who looked up.

He saw a faint heavenly light and a slightly different path ahead.

So this person said, 'Can we perhaps try to walk in this direction...'

This is the origin of Fate Divination."

Yu Beidou spoke slowly. "That person was named Bu Lian. He was one of the Eight Sages of the Human Sovereign Suiren, overseeing matters of witchcraft and prayer, praying to heaven for blessings. Because he was the earliest to enlighten the Human Sovereign, he was also called the Human Sovereign's Teacher."

Dividing history by grand eras, the river of time flowed thus: the Primordial Era, the Ancient Era, the Middle Ages, the Recent Era, and the Present Age.

Each of these grand eras was vast and magnificent, boundless and profound. They could also be specifically divided into many smaller eras based on time and events.

For example, the Flying Sword Era and the Immortal Era are both categorized under the grand era of the Recent Era.

The Primordial Era was the age when the demon race ruled heaven and earth, and it was also the longest era to date. Its beginning is untraceable, and its exact duration cannot be verified.

At that time, humanity generally had blocked Dao meridians, and only a very few geniuses could cultivate.

The first generation Human Sovereign Suiren rose from hardship, protecting humanity and struggling for survival. Beneath him were eight virtuous ministers who assisted him in resisting the evil age.

Bu Lian was one of the Eight Virtuous Ministers, renowned for his virtue and called the Human Sovereign's Teacher.

Although information from that ancient era was scattered, and many deeds were like smoke, Jiang Wang still knew the name of such a great figure as Bu Lian, and couldn't help but feel a shock.

The origin of this Fate Divination was truly astonishing!

No wonder Yu Beidou could divinely calculate the Blood Fiend, Yan Chunhui, and lower down, the diviner and himself, Jiang Wang, determining everything in this Soul Severing Gorge and controlling the overall situation...

This series of divinations could certainly be called miraculous, but compared to Bu Lian's divination of humanity's future and enlightenment of the Human Sovereign, what did they amount to?

Viewing it this way, the weight of True Man Yu also needed to be re-examined.

After all, Fate Divination, with its ancient history, had persisted through several grand eras!

"Senior is a descendant of the ancient sages, inheriting this supreme art. This junior has been disrespectful," Jiang Wang cupped his hands.

"The ancestors were wise, but the descendants are not necessarily alike. What is there to respect?" Yu Beidou said very casually. "Fate Divination is too ancient and has experienced too much. It certainly has a glorious past... but we must face the present."

Jiang Wang was puzzled. "The present?"

"It's time for it to end," Yu Beidou said lightly.

These words made Jiang Wang particularly confused.

Yu Beidou had divined for half a lifetime, calculated everything under heaven, and was among the strongest True Men in the world. Fate Divination was so powerful that even the Dao-Deriving True Monarch Yan Chunhui could be avoided. How could it be said... that it should end?

"Why?" Jiang Wang asked.

Yu Beidou smiled. "Since the ancient sages divided the star domains, consolidated the constellations, connected karma, harmonized fate, and evolved to the present, Star Divination has become the orthodox path, flourishing widely. And Fate Divination, long before this, was already the dust of history."

Star Divination's achievement of orthodox divination completely replaced the position of Fate Divination.

This was a secret history that Jiang Wang had never heard of, an undercurrent flowing in the river of time.

It was the reform of divination and a grand corner of this world.

But Yu Beidou's smile, although utterly lacking in bitterness and even quite cheerful, inexplicably made one feel sorrow.

"It shouldn't be this way," Jiang Wang honestly expressed his inner feelings. "Fate Divination has made great contributions to humanity; it shouldn't be the dust of history. Moreover, it has been passed down to this day; how can it not continue to be passed down? True Man, your divination is divine; how can you not promote this path?"

"Youth is truly wonderful!" Yu Beidou laughed happily.

After laughing for a while, he said, "Throughout the ages, how many heroes and valiant figures have perished, body and soul destroyed?

How many great achievements have vanished like smoke?

How many divine arts and treasured scriptures have been lost in the human world!

What should go will always go, what should perish will always perish.

Why should Fate Divination be an exception?"

Jiang Wang thought for a moment and said gently, "After all, the ancient sages once enlightened the Human Sovereign with Fate Divination, making great contributions to humanity..."

"Do you know how Bu Lian, the founder of Fate Divination, died?" Yu Beidou countered.

Involving great figures from the Primordial Era, Jiang Wang naturally couldn't possibly know.

He could only shake his head.

"History books won't tell you, and your predecessors won't tell you, but the river of destiny remembers."

Yu Beidou's face held a strange smile as he declared the truth of history. "Bu Lian was ultimately killed by the Human Sovereign. This is known as the Human Sovereign slaying the Human Sovereign's Teacher!"