476: Answering questions

Outside the Royal Capital.

Five colossal Flying Ships spanned the sky outside the Vermilion Bird Gate. Their hulls were built with thousand-year-old Spiritual Nanmu as a frame, covered with Gilded Profound Iron, shimmering with a subdued dark glow under the sunlight.

Layers of clouds swirled around the sides and masts, seemingly condensed yet ethereal, making the Flying Ships appear like immortal mountains and jade pavilions, contrasting with the bustling Tianqi Royal Capital below.

The colorful glazed bells hanging from the eaves were gently stirred by the sky-wind, and a clear, crisp chime broke the silence of the sky. The lingering sound, however, only emphasized the profound stillness within the ships, where a pin drop could be heard.

Cang Wu stood by the rail of the main ship, his wide sleeves flowing like clouds. His ink-colored robes blended with the sea of clouds behind him, save for a jade tortoise shell at his waist, carved with star patterns, occasionally emitting a faint, pure white glow.

His gaze pierced through the layers of clouds, lightly falling towards the gilded-tiled palaces deep within the Royal Capital. His eyes seemed to hold the vastness of the Milky Way, making his emotions inscrutable.

Those palaces were hidden in the mists, with Dragon Qi coiling around them, representing the accumulated Luck of the Tianqi Dynasty over thousands of years. Yet, in his eyes, they were merely tripods confining a region; even with their splendor, there would eventually be an end.

After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet possessing a penetrating steadiness that seemed to overcome the howling sky-wind:

"Set course for the Great Moon Kingdom."

"Yes, Elder!"

A silver-armored soldier, appearing to be a captain, stepped forward, bowed, and clasped his fists. The clinking of his armor made a soft sound, then he turned and strode away, his steps steady, not daring to show any slack.

Moments later, the five Flying Ships simultaneously trembled slightly. The spiritual rune arrays at the bottom of the ships lit up one after another, emitting a faint green glow.

The previously static Flying Ships slowly began to move, at first as slow as flowing clouds, but as they ascended higher, their speed became increasingly swift. White cloud-waves trailed from their sides, leaving the outline of the Vermilion Bird Gate further and further behind, until it became a mere speck on the horizon.

Before long, Cang Wu retracted his gaze and turned back into the ship's cabin.

The cabin's furnishings were simple, all made of dark Nanmu wood. On the table lay a bronze tortoise shell and several scrolls of ancient astrological texts. The four walls were carved with dense star patterns, and Spiritual Qi subtly flowed within them.

As soon as he entered the cabin, the two Disciples standing on either side immediately rose, bowing their heads in attendance. Only after Cang Wu was seated in the main position did they slowly return to their seats. One of them raised a hand to pick up the purple clay tea stove on the table and poured a cup of hot tea for Cang Wu. The tea was clear and green, its fragrance wafting into the quiet atmosphere of the cabin.

At this time, the white-robed Disciple on the left was Yun Feng, a newly registered Disciple of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. He was twenty-two years old, with a face like polished jade and clear, bright eyes. However, his Heart-Nature was still straightforward, unable to hide his thoughts.

Sitting before the table, he finally could not suppress the surprise in his heart. He rose and cupped his hands, his posture tall and straight, his tone carrying a hint of earnest confusion:

"Revered Master, this Disciple has a question."

Cang Wu turned his gaze, showing no impatience, only a faint nod. He gently tapped the rim of his teacup with his fingertip, indicating that he could speak freely.

"In the Royal Capital, noble families and powerful clans abound, and the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers wield immense power in the court. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau, moreover, bears the Mandate of Heaven, controlling the world's astrology and Luck. Revered Master has always had discerning taste; even when Emperors of various kingdoms sent envoys with precious treasures to invite you, Revered Master mostly politely declined, never easily involving yourself in secular banquets. Why today do you show such a desire to befriend a mere City Lord of a small Tianqi Kingdom?"

As Yun Feng's words fell, the other Disciples of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in the cabin also looked over, their eyes filled with similar confusion, and even a hint of curiosity.

They had followed Cang Wu across the land for several years, accustomed to seeing the Dragon-like and Phoenix-like talents from all over the world.

Whether they were kings and generals or exceptionally talented immortal Cultivators, in their Revered Master's eyes, they were merely ordinary people among the masses, never given a second glance, let alone actively sought to form good relations.

That Situ Jun was merely a City Lord under the jurisdiction of the Tianqi Dynasty. In terms of status, he was far inferior to the aristocratic youths of the Royal Capital. In terms of Cultivation, he was just an ordinary Golden Core Cultivator. Their Revered Master's actions were simply too abnormal.

Upon hearing this, Cang Wu's lips curved into a faint smile. He picked up his teacup and took a sip. After the warm tea slipped down his throat, he slowly began to speak:

"Originally, when passing through Tianqi, I merely felt that the Luck of this Tianqi Royal Capital was like a coiling Dragon and crouching Tiger, a rare spectacle in a hundred years. So, I decided to stop and investigate, but I didn't expect to find such a young talent."

He set down the teacup, which made a soft clink as it touched the table, further deepening the quiet atmosphere in the cabin.

"Our Qintian Division governs astrology and observes the world's Luck. We have a specialized technique for cultivating Luck, the 'Zhou Tian Wang Qi Jue,' and this Elder also has some Cultivation in this Dao. The world's Luck is divided into various grades: there is the fleeting Luck of prominent families, which is like a flash in the pan and difficult to achieve greatness; there is the Dragon Court Luck bestowed by Emperors, which is profound and vast, but constrained by the rise and fall of the Dynasty; and there is also innate Life Luck, inherent in one's bones and blood, which determines one's life's destiny."

"The people in the Royal Capital, some have extremely prosperous Luck that is exposed, easily inviting heavenly jealousy. Others have a deep Foundation but follow conventional paths, making it difficult to break through shackles, thus their achievements are limited. But all of them are within the Imperial Astronomical Bureau's calculations, and within my sight."

Cang Wu paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over the Disciples in the cabin, starlight seeming to flash in his eyes:

"But Situ Jun is different. His Luck is dispersed yet condensed, hidden yet sharp. When I first observed him, there seemed to be a thin mist enveloping his Qi Meridians, appearing unremarkable, no different from an ordinary official of the Dynasty, with no outstanding qualities. But upon closer inspection, within that thin mist, golden light was faintly visible, dazzling in its brilliance. That golden light did not belong to the Dragon Qi of the Royal Capital, nor was it tainted by the patronage of any prominent family. It seemed to have condensed spontaneously from heaven and earth, pure and boundless."

"Even stranger, the trajectory of his Qi Meridians was untraceable, actually able to evade our Imperial Astronomical Bureau's 'Wang Qi' technique, which has been passed down for tens of thousands of years. If I hadn't cultivated the 'Zhou Tian Wang Qi Jue' for hundreds of years, with meticulous attention to detail, I too would have been deceived by his superficial appearance."

Yun Feng's brows furrowed slightly, his confusion deepening, and he couldn't help but press further:

"Could it be that some supreme treasure is obscuring his Luck? This Disciple once heard that in ancient times, there were supreme treasures like the Heaven-Shrouding Pearl and the Hidden Luck Jade, which could conceal one's Luck and prevent others from prying."

"No."

Cang Wu gently shook his head, his fingertips lightly tapping the Nanmu table, producing soft thudding sounds:

"Although a supreme treasure can obscure one's Qi Meridians, it will leave traces of the item's Spiritual Qi. Even an ancient supreme treasure can hardly be completely flawless. However, there was no trace of any exotic treasure on Situ Jun. That thin mist was not caused by an external object; it was a barrier formed by his own Luck, a heaven-bestowed appearance of hidden sharpness. Such Luck has been rare throughout history; either he carries a great Opportunity from heaven and earth and is destined to become a giant figure, or he bears a great tribulation of the world, experiencing a difficult life but rising through breaking the situation. Or perhaps, his destiny is simply not within the Luck of this Royal Capital's tripods, unbound by the Tianqi Dynasty."

A silence fell upon the ship. All the Disciples were shaken, their bodies unconsciously straightening as they sat before the tables.

They were all Disciples of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, well-versed in books of astrology and Luck, so they naturally understood their Revered Master's meaning—a destiny not within the Royal Capital's tripods meant stepping out of the Tianqi Dynasty's Luck framework, unaffected by its rise and fall.

Such a person is by no means an ordinary being in a shallow pond; they are either a hegemon who overturns heaven and earth, disrupting the world's order, or a sage who saves the world and its people, ushering in a new era.