Chapter 84: The Forest Without Taboos

“Third Brother, that scoundrel has come to the palace again, and he can’t even spare a glance for me?”

“Little Sister, you’re not officially married yet. It would be awkward for the future consort to come see you.”

“I don’t think he’s embarrassed at all—he simply doesn’t want to come, hmph!”

“How could that be?”

“How could it not? Didn’t you hear the maids talking? Every time he comes to the palace to give Eldest Brother a beating, there’s always a stunning beauty at his side.”

“Well, about that…”

While countless people whispered and gossiped, a beautiful princess dressed in violet sat in the palace, cheeks puffed out, endlessly complaining to the Third Prince.

The timing could not have been more apt.

The young princess, Zi Yao’er, would come of age in half a year, at which point she was to be formally wed to Gu Xiaopang.

Meanwhile, the jade slip from Old Fifth Gu relayed that the grand disciple tournament, organized by the Asura Hall of the Upper Sect, was also set to take place in half a year’s time.

Five days later, a total of 180,000 soldiers drawn from the nine prefectures assembled outside the Vermilion Bird South Gate of the imperial capital and were formally received by Song Wuji, the governor of Nanyan Prefecture.

Thanks to Bai Ling’er’s persistent persuasion, Gu Xiaopang did not return to Nanyan with Song Wuji.

After bidding farewell to Ouyang Shuai, Li Haisong, and the others, a young man and woman—handsome and graceful as a pair from a painting—headed toward the heart of the southern region.

According to Bai Ling’er’s plan, they would hone their skills in the central territories, traversing the Endless Forest, arriving at Asura Hall in roughly half a year, just in time for the grand tournament.

The Endless Forest marked the outer reaches of the Profound Beast Forest on the Fengshen Continent.

The continent itself was divided into east, south, west, north, and central domains, their borders separated by the sprawling expanse of the Endless Forest. Where the forest thickened, high-grade profound beasts and fierce birds gathered in great numbers—this place was known to human cultivators as the Profound Beast Forest.

Although high-grade profound beasts were fewer in the Endless Forest than in the Profound Beast Forest proper, they were by no means rare.

Thus, for generations, the Endless Forest had been the training ground of choice for countless sects’ most promising disciples.

To struggle against the heavens brings boundless joy; to pit oneself against the earth brings endless delight; but to contend with beasts is the height of exhilaration.

“Ling’er, what are the criteria for choosing a Child of Destiny?”

“There are no criteria.”

“What?”

“We disciples—seven in all—each possess the secret arts handed down directly from Master Divine Calculator.”

“And since each of us interprets or comprehends the arts of fate differently, the Tianji Pavilion will ultimately select at least seven Children of Destiny.”

“I chose you. The other senior and junior disciples will each choose someone else.”

“In the end, you seven chosen ones will be drawn by fate to compete for each other’s fortunes…”

“I have no interest in that.”

“Besides, my fate is mine to command, not heaven’s. Why should I believe in your so-called destiny?! That’s utter nonsense.”

“By the way, Ling’er, can you divine how many girlfriends I’ll have in my life?”

“Girlfriends? You mean Dao companions?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I won’t divine that.”

“Why not? Can’t you, or won’t you?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to be one of them, and that’s why you refuse to divinate?”

“Ling’er, to be honest, with your looks... well, fine, I suppose I’ll reluctantly accept you.”

“You... hmph!”

“Ling’er, we’ve been walking for ages and haven’t so much as glimpsed a single profound beast’s fur.”

“Could you divine where they’re all gathered?”

All along the way, Gu Xiaopang’s mouth never stopped running.

Though Bai Ling’er often paid little heed to his endless “Divine it, won’t you divine it?” nonsense, nothing could shut him up.

What should have been a long journey, in their hearts, seemed not long at all. Or perhaps, time simply passed too swiftly for them.