Chapter Eighty-One: The War God Armor

“But are you really Gu Changqing, Young Master Gu himself?”
“I am Bai Ling’er, the last disciple of the Divine Seer from Celestial Pivot Pavilion…”
“Celestial Pivot Pavilion? The old Divine Seer?”
“Yes, that's my master.”
“Ah?! What business do you have with me?”
“It’s like this, Young Master Gu. The decree of the Heavens has been revealed.”
“My master’s disciples, including myself, seven in all, have left the mountain to seek out those destined by the heavens for each of us…”

Gu Xiaopang, in a particularly sour mood, had just exited the palace when he was met by a beauty whose grace seemed almost otherworldly, as though she had stepped from a painting. Her eyes were limpid, as if able to pierce through all mysteries; her fingers slender, her skin lustrous and delicate as porcelain; she casually gathered her hair, and, with a gentle smile, introduced herself to him.

Though Gu Xiaopang found the whole story rather far-fetched, he could hardly refuse when she continued to follow him. Resigned, he brought her back to the Southern Yan residence, found her an empty room beside his own, and allowed her to settle in.

“Master, what should I do next?”
“What’s there to worry about? Just marry the little princess and be done with it.”
“Now you’re making fun of me too!”
…
“By the way, Master, what’s this business about the disciples of Celestial Pivot Pavilion searching for people of destiny?”
“I don’t know the exact details. Too much has changed in the ten thousand years I’ve slumbered. It’s probably much as the young lady said earlier. In times of great upheaval, those who can glimpse the future are sent down the mountain to find their so-called people of destiny. By supporting them, the disciples not only fulfill their duty but also share in the benefits of that destiny.”

“Never mind, the truth of it will reveal itself in time—I’ll just have to observe her closely.”
“Now, take out that dark, unremarkable bracer you picked last time.”
“Master, I’ve been meaning to ask about that. I kept getting distracted and never had the chance. Why did you have me choose this bracer? Is there something special about it?”
“The War God’s Set!”
“The War God’s Set? What on earth is that?”
…

After Old Qin’s explanation, Gu Xiaopang drew in a sharp breath, silently marveling at his good fortune. Ten thousand years ago, there lived a grandmaster smith known as Supreme Refiner Ji, who vanished from the world for centuries. In seclusion on a solitary island amidst the endless sea, he poured his life’s work into forging a set of peerless armor, naming it the War God’s Set. On the day it was completed, storms raged and lightning struck. To protect his creation during its heavenly tribulation, the master sacrificed his life. At that very moment, the armor split into several pieces and scattered to the four winds…

This seemingly ordinary and dull bracer was, in fact, one of those fragments. Besides its apparent sturdiness, as Song Wuji believed, it was at the very least a lower-tier spiritual artifact. And this was but one part of the War God’s Set; as Old Qin described, if one could somehow gather the entire set, its collective power would rival that of the finest celestial artifacts.

Yet, throughout the vast Wind God Continent, no one had ever managed to complete the set in all these millennia. To Gu Xiaopang, the thought of collecting them all was a pipe dream. But this single piece alone could offer tremendous benefits in the future, even up to the formation of his golden core or nascent soul—it was no exaggeration to call it a life-saving treasure.

So, following Old Qin’s instructions, Gu Xiaopang dripped his blood on a hidden part of the bracer to forge a bond, and from then on, his new daily task was to nourish it ceaselessly with his five-element spiritual energy.
…

The next morning, as soon as Gu Xiaopang finished his meditation and opened the door, he found Bai Ling’er of the Celestial Pivot Pavilion waiting quietly outside his courtyard.

“Good morning, Young Master Gu.”

“Miss, if you keep this up, people will get the wrong idea.”
“What sort of wrong idea?”
“That we… Never mind, forget it.”
“Are you certain I’m the one you’re meant to find? What if you’re mistaken?”
“There’s no mistake. I’m absolutely sure you’re the one my omen pointed me to.”
“Alright then. But don’t keep calling me Young Master Gu—it feels awkward. Since you’re a little older, I’ll call you Sister Ling’er, and you can call me Little Gu, or… how about Xiaopang?”
“Xiaopang? Very well.”
“I have to head out for a bit. What about you, Sister Ling’er?”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Oh, Xiaopang, I was idle just now, so I cast a divination for you. The hexagram shows that a relative or friend of yours is currently in grave danger—perhaps even facing mortal peril.”
“What? A relative or friend in danger? Their life’s at stake?”
“Sister Ling’er, tell me everything you saw!”
…