273: My destiny is in my own hands!

Hong Yi's expression was incredibly calm, as if she was speaking of trivial matters.

The Shu Mountain lineage has always believed in concepts like 'the natural way of Heaven.' The ancestor's prophecy back then was merely to prevent most people from interfering too much with the changes of all things, to avoid a chain reaction.

Now, Hong Yi had spoken this prophecy, but she didn't say what Xia Fan needed to do, only quietly waited for his reaction.

"What destiny?"

Hearing her words, Xia Fan shook his head, his eyes filled with determination, and his voice became domineering and bold, "My fate is up to me, not Heaven!"

"Besides, it's just a prophecy from countless years ago. This King has never thought of conforming to the Way of Heaven, or to nature. Otherwise... this King wouldn't have made it this far!"

He was right.

If he had trusted the Way of Heaven from the beginning, then what was the meaning of his rebirth?

If he had conformed to nature, he would have long become the remains in the bellies of other fierce beasts, and would not have had so many opportunities, fighting for his present, and even pursuing his future!

Didn't the Descendant of the Earth Mother also say that the Way of Heaven would not acknowledge his cultivation path?

And he never gave the Descendant of the Earth Mother a good look.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh—

Suddenly, just as his voice fell, large black clouds surged in the sky above Shu Mountain. The clouds rolled incessantly, and lightning seemed to flash within them.

Such a huge commotion naturally attracted the attention of many Shu Mountain disciples, some of whom exclaimed, "What's happening?"

"It was a clear day, and suddenly it changed, and with ominous black clouds!"

"Could the arrival of the Tiger King and his group bring disaster to our Shu Mountain?"

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Another voice, seemingly admonishing, said, "The Tiger King's might shakes the four seas, and he is also the Surgery God of our Great Xia. How could he bring disaster to our Shu Mountain?"

"Didn't you see the lightning flashing in the clouds? That's a sign of an impending celestial phenomenon, which might bring a turning point to Shu Mountain, and to all the people under Heaven, who knows."

"But... black clouds are ominous."

"Shhh..."

"Have you forgotten that the Tiger King is right here in our Shu Mountain?"

"..."

Various discussions, like the sudden change in the celestial phenomenon, came quickly and went quickly. The anomaly only lasted for a moment before disappearing without a trace.

However, this anomaly, in Hong Yi's eyes, was a great ill omen.

After a moment of contemplation, she still whispered to Xia Fan, "Right now, the consciousness of that being should have recovered somewhat!"

"Of course, it's precisely because only a little has recovered that there was only a momentary anomaly just now!"

"If that being were to fully recover, a heavenly punishment might truly have descended just now!"

After speaking, Hong Yi looked at Xia Fan with a serious expression, "Tiger King, I know you act freely and unrestrained, and you cannot endure the constraints of the Way of Heaven, but there are some things, with your current strength and status, it's better to say less. Otherwise, you might bring disaster upon yourself."

Because of the ancestor's prophecy, Hong Yi's attitude towards Xia Fan was still polite; she was now earnestly reminding him.

Hearing this, Xia Fan nodded slightly, expressing some gratitude to her, but did not mention anything related to the anomaly just now, "Thank you for clarifying my doubts today. This King will take his leave now!"

With that, he rose and leaped, taking the Magic Cat with him, and left the palace, preparing to depart.

At this moment, Xia Fan stood on the peak of Shu Mountain, looked up at the exceptionally calm sky, and couldn't help but sneer in his heart, "You, the Way of Heaven, are truly dictatorial and petty."

"I merely showed a hint of dissatisfaction with you just now, and you, not yet fully awake, became enraged because of it."

"In the future, if you fully awaken, I'm afraid you won't tolerate any disrespectful words towards you, will you?"

"But... what does that have to do with this King?"

Xia Fan sneered, and unknowingly arrived before the Black Dragon King and Centipede Qian Zu, saying softly, "Let's go, this place isn't worth staying. This King has other places to visit."

"Your Majesty, did you not get the answer you wanted?"

The Black Dragon King knew some of Xia Fan's purpose for coming here, and seeing his displeased expression, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "If Shu Mountain prevaricates and refuses to speak, Little Black will surely cause a scene here to vent Your Majesty's anger."

"Me too!"

Facing these two who were dedicated to him, Xia Fan felt no anger, only a faint smile, shaking his head and saying, "It's not Shu Mountain's business. It's certain beings who dislike this King's ideas."

"Don't overthink it, especially you, Centipede Qian Zu, don't deliberately make things difficult for Shu Mountain disciples in the future."

"After all... this trip to Shu Mountain has helped this King a lot."

"Yes."

A moment later, Xia Fan stepped onto the Black Dragon King's back, taking the Magic Cat and Centipede Qian Zu with him as they departed.

All the way, he pondered matters related to the celestial phenomenon and the prophecy, but ultimately couldn't make sense of it.

After leaving the Shu Mountain territory, the Black Dragon King pondered for a while before asking, "Your Majesty, where are we going now?"

"Central Plains District."

Xia Fan came back to his senses, instructed the Black Dragon King, and continued to close his eyes and rest.

He intended to meet the Evil Soul who had emerged from Kunlun Mountain.

Previously, the clones he had spread everywhere had gathered relevant information, learning that the Evil Soul had appeared in the Central Plains District and wanted to possess the body of the Disciple of the True Lord.

Just as the Evil Soul was about to succeed, the Descendant of the Earth Mother and the guardian god of Great Xia, the Willow God, intervened and saved the Disciple of the True Lord.

After this, the Evil Soul had frantically searched for him.

Therefore, after Xia Fan learned of this news, he decided to go and meet the other party, "Since that's the case, this King will grant your wish!"

"This King wants to see what important matter you have for finding this King."

"If you can't give a good reason, hmph..."

After traveling for a moment, Xia Fan suddenly remembered that due to the great changes in the world, the distance between Shu Mountain and the Central Plains District was already very far. If they flew all the way, who knew how much time would be wasted.

Therefore, he directly conjured the eastern emperor bell, and after a spatial rift was opened, he ordered the Black Dragon King to step into it.

Through void traversal, Xia Fan arrived in the Central Plains District in just over a day.

This time, he did not sense the Evil Soul's trace, so he was not in a hurry. He began to search the surroundings and instructed the Black Dragon King, "Pay attention to the changes around you. This King needs to sense those clones."

"Yes!"

"Hmm?"

But soon after, Xia Fan suddenly sensed that something seemed to be peeking at him.

He opened his eyes with a look of suspicion, but found nothing. He only knew that this power was exceptionally special, and immediately guessed in his heart, "Could it be... the Willow God of Great Xia?" (End of chapter)