320: Destiny Academy

[As for this time,]

[The reason you caught the Venerable Tianming's eye this time is because his plan to acquire the “immortal artifact fragment” inside the Immortal Palace encountered an unforeseen variable.]

[And you are that variable.]

[Because of your appearance, the Immortal Palace suddenly vanished ahead of schedule, preventing him from finding anything.]

[Actually, the Venerable Tianming was also present during the ruin expedition—he was not there in his main body, so he dared not act rashly unless he saw the “immortal artifact fragment” with his own eyes, allowing him to seize it immediately.]

[Last time, he only noticed you as a variable because of the immortal slaying sword.]

[This time, he realized it later—he learned from True Lord Piaomiao that you possessed the Immortal Palace Spirit Treasure, the “soul-eroding pearl,” and thus knew you were the one taken away by the Immortal Palace this time.]

[Thus, he began to use the dao of heavenly fate to calculate your destiny.]

[What shocked him was that he couldn't clearly see your other fates.]

[The only thing he knew was that you shared a master-Disciple relationship with Venerable Yuqing.]

[And because of this master-Disciple fate—]

[During the twelfth simulation, he discovered the Karma between you and the Liu Clan, so he used the Liu Clan to scheme your destiny.]

[During the thirteenth simulation, he did not hesitate to expose a chess piece hidden for many years by the Lu Clan—Grand Elder Lu Bihe.]

[He just didn't expect you to be so difficult to kill last time, nearly escaping, which forced him to personally strike you down.]

[And this time, he wondered what method he would use to set a trap for you.]

Qin Chen sat on the bed, looking at the simulated information before him, and his entire body trembled violently.

“Venerable Tianming... so he was the one pulling the strings all along.”

“Those who follow the dao of heavenly fate are truly adept at concealing themselves.”

“It seems many things in the Immortal Realm are calculated by him behind the scenes.”

Qin Chen immediately communicated with the System:

“System, can the simulation see even this now? Also... can it see the content of their voice transmissions?”

[With your brain, if I didn't let you see this, you would likely be calculated to death by him.]

“Thank you, you're so kind!”

[This System merely doesn't want you to take too many detours.]

“Then why didn't you show me before?”

[I can only achieve more incredible things after your strength increases.]

“Then can you let me select multiple rewards simultaneously?”

[Once the simulation ends and you choose a reward, everything in that simulated world will vanish.]

[Those three categories of rewards come from three different sources, and this System is temporarily unable to extract them simultaneously.]

[As for why this is the case, you will know after your Ascension.]

Qin Chen nodded, suddenly remembering something, and asked telepathically:

“System, is the Venerable Tianming the mastermind behind Langgan Pavilion?”

[You are truly smart. He is the true controller of Langgan Pavilion.]

Qin Chen suddenly thought that the Immortal Realm contained countless Shattered Star Continents, and every continent possessed a World Origin.

What exactly are so many World Origins being stolen for?

“System, what is the use of World Origin?”

[Did you not read the previous explanation regarding the power of Cultivation?]

[The Power of Origin also comes from World Origin.]

[Of course, its uses are far more than this; it has many other wonderful applications.]

[You will naturally know a thing or two once you reach the Mahayana Realm.]

Qin Chen nodded, and a sudden idea struck him. He tried asking the System:

“System, can you help me disguise my Physique in the simulation? I need a Physique suitable for the dao of heavenly fate.”

[It can be disguised, but it will have no actual effect!]

Qin Chen was delighted and immediately replied:

“That's enough.”

He calculated silently, hoping that his simulated self would understand the intent behind this arrangement.

[Simulation continuing...]

[Year twenty,]

[During your time at the Kunlun Dao Academy, you have been troubled by one matter—]

[You noticed that you possess a strange Physique: the Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo.]

[However, it seems to have no practical use; it neither boosts Cultivation Base nor grants special Divine Abilities, existing as if in name only.]

[You repeatedly examined it but still couldn't understand why.]

[Therefore, you did not rush to become a Disciple of Venerable Yuqing, nor did you dare to find your younger sister Qin Yu to enter the Desolate Heaven Continent.]

[After multiple investigations, you discovered that this “Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo” is most suitable for cultivating the dao of heavenly fate.]

[Although you don't understand why, you always felt that you should go and join the Heavens Mandate Academy.]

[Without hesitation, after receiving your identity jade token at the Registry Hall of the Heavens Mandate Academy, you officially became a Disciple of the Heavens Mandate Academy.]

[After enrolling, you gained a comprehensive understanding of the Heavens Mandate Academy.]

[The Heavens Mandate Academy's motto is: Peek into the secrets of heaven, predict fortune and disaster, obey and respond to fate, and protect all living beings with the Dao Heart of divination.]

[Its main Techniques are as follows:]

[The Entry-Level method is the 《Divination Art》: using Magical Artifacts like Copper Coins as mediums to cast hexagrams. According to the displayed hexagrams, one can calculate the short-term fortune, misfortune, and risk directions for specific events such as traveling, searching for objects, or searching for people.]

[The Entry-Level Spell is the 《Qi Gazing Art》, which observes the target's “Three Fates Qi” above their head—Wealth Luck, Health Luck, and Opportunity Luck. Based on their color and vitality, one can judge their recent trends.]

[The Elementary Spell is the 《Feng Shui Art》, which casts hexagrams based on observed objects like time, direction, mountains and rivers, terrain trends, and all things, to calculate the fortune and misfortune trends of specific matters.]

[The Advanced Spell is the Auspice Seeking and Calamity Avoiding Art. It can not only glimpse the path of fate but also be used to draw Talismans or create Magical Artifacts like Jade Ornaments, slightly altering a certain aspect of the wearer's Luck.]

[The Profound Spell is the Heavenly Fate Deduction, which can deduce the major life fluctuations, crucial turning points, and the Karma trajectory of a person's entire life.]

[The Supreme Secret Art is the Heaven Peering Art. It requires a Lifebound Treasure, such as the “Heaven Peering Mirror,” as a guide to visually observe the invisible trajectories of “Luck,” “Destiny,” “Karma,” and other factors for a realm, a place, a sect, or a person.]

[In addition, there are several forbidden Heaven-Defying arts that change fate, such as:]

[Marrow Stealing and Root Shifting Art—can transform trash into a Prodigy, completely reversing their future.]

[《Reversing Yin and Yang—stealing everything from another and living in their stead.]

[Fate Reversing and Luck Altering Art—using a living person's Fate Structure to replace a dead person's Luck, allowing the deceased to resurrect.]

[Changing Heaven and Earth—can tamper with the veins of mountains and rivers, steal the Luck and World Origin of a region, and even wield the Law authority of a world, sharing the same fate as Heaven and Earth.]

[Such Forbidden Arts all involve Karma and Destiny. A slight carelessness can lead to a Backlash, and may even attract punishment from the Heavenly Dao—]

[As for what the punishment entails, no one fully knows.]

[However, if used correctly, one can “leverage a small advantage for a big gain,” even overthrowing a nation, a clan, a sect, or a world.]

[Although the dao of heavenly fate is powerful, there are also inviolable Iron Laws. Once violated, the lightest consequence is a Backlash; the heaviest is certain death.]

[Iron Law One: Never calculate one's own fate.]

[Iron Law Two: Never speak the whole truth.]

[Iron Law Three: Never reverse destiny.]

[Heavenly Fate Cultivators have another notable weakness—they are not skilled in direct combat.]

[This weakness appears to be a flaw, but it also serves as a form of protection, making it difficult for them to get involved in life-or-death battles.]

[Of course, this weakness is only relevant among those of the same realm.]

[In reality, few Cultivators are willing to choose this Dao.]

[Because—those who know fate are often lonely; those who peer into heaven often die young.]

[Since they possess the ability to peer into heaven, they inevitably witness many things that should not be seen.]

[If their will is not firm and they cannot resist temptation, they can easily fall into a path of eternal damnation.]

[Precisely because of this, the threshold for performing the many Techniques of the dao of heavenly fate varies greatly.]

[For example, for the Entry-Level Qi Gazing Art, anyone with a slight Root of Wisdom—even a Mortal—might be able to glimpse the basics.]

[As for Forbidden Arts that reverse the cosmos, such as the Changing Heaven and Earth, they not only require the caster to possess at least Mahayana Cultivation Base, but also need to meet specific conditions.]