Chapter 248: Chapter 106: The Azure Wanxiang Card
As the voice ended, Shi Yunjing had not yet responded when he saw the surrounding crowd looking over like they were staring at a fool.
“What’s wrong? Did I say something incorrect? Even if they weren’t the ones who caused it, there must be some connection, right?” The elder was puzzled.
Shi Yunjing shook his head with a face full of sympathy, “Elder Chen, you’ve also been through the Fate Master assessment. So let me ask you, when you entered the River of Destiny, could you move fast?”
“Destiny cannot be obstructed; when in its midst, even moving a step is hard, let alone swimming fast!” Elder Chen nodded.
“Exactly! Since even you can’t move swiftly, the same applies to others. Amidst the tides, one can mostly only seek opportunities and perceive destiny. Even if one wanted to damage the testing hall, they wouldn’t have the capacity or the chance to do so!”
“Heavenly Destiny Hall Master is wise!”
Elder Chen suddenly realized.
No wonder the hall master didn’t suspect them. The root of the issue was here all along.
Hearing this explanation, the rest of the crowd looked back at Hall Master Shi with expressions full of admiration; no wonder he could be a hall master. This insight alone was far beyond their own.
In the crowd, only Yan Sansan looked troubled, twisting like a twisted dough strip.
Was it truly not fast? Why was it that in his memory, both Kong Shiyao and Little Chick had been running around in the River of Destiny?
However, although it was unbearable, in the end, he did not speak out.
To mention nothing of whether they would believe him, even if they did, he wasn’t willing to betray Kong Shiyao. After all, without her, it would have been good enough for him to have received a silver opportunity once, let alone the present when he had acquired a golden opportunity and obtained a higher level of heavenly fragments.
Not bothering with those elders deep in their wild thoughts, Hall Master Shi Yunjing strode towards the Wanxiang Sect of the Zhou Yi Dynasty.
The Wanxiang Sect not only issued various kinds of lists but sometimes also released missions for cultivators or Fate Masters to earn Origin Currency or Destiny Plates. Therefore, they also possessed special celestial treasures for testing the Fate Masters.
These were used to assess the specific tier of those coming to accept missions and then evaluate feasibility.
Of course, they could only test the tier. As for what heavenly fragments they practiced, it remained undetectable.
…
In a corner of the spacious hall of the Wanxiang Sect, a middle-aged man sat quietly with a straw hat half-covering his face, concealing his identity. At the moment, he was cautiously watching Zhang Xuan not far away.
“Min Jiangtao returned from Han Yuan City with this guy…”
His gaze flickered.
If Min Jiangtao were here, he would certainly recognize him as his senior brother… Mo Hong! It was surprising that he wasn’t in his sect but had secretly followed them here.
With the influence of the Mo Blade Sect, it was not too difficult to find out who Min Jiangtao had returned to Zouyi City with, but his master had instructed him not to disturb anything prematurely, which is why he had remained still.
“First, let’s see if this guy is a Fate Master, and what level he is…”
He picked up a cup of tea from the table and quietly took a sip, patiently waiting on the spot.
Earlier, he had blended in with the crowd and heard the conversation between the other party and Shi Yunjing. He knew they had come for testing.
If he were just a newly-advanced Fate Master, then the person who taught Min Jiangtao saber art wasn’t him. But if he was strong… that would be another story.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, young friend Zhang Xuan…”
As he pondered, Hall Master Shi Yunjing and an elder walked over side by side, laughing apologetically even before they reached him.
“Please, Hall Master, no need to be courteous!” Zhang Xuan greeted with a cupped fist.
Shi Yunjing waved his hand and pointed to the elder who had come with him, “Let me introduce him. This is Qian Yuhuan, Qian Old Master, the leader of the Wanxiang Sect branch in Zouyi. Old Master Qian, this is Young Master Zhang who just participated in the Fate Master assessment.”
Zhang Xuan glanced over at Qian Old Master.
Around sixty years old, although he did not reveal his cultivation or any imposing presence, the occasional sternness between his brows still startled people.
Just from his appearance, one could tell he was not an easy person to get along with.
“Hmm!”
As expected, Qian Yuhuan gave Zhang Xuan a look and nodded indifferently, his face devoid of much expression.
Shi Yunjing seemed used to this and smiled slightly, “Brother Qian, I’m here to borrow your Wanxiang Card, to test these few to see if they have perceived any heavenly fragments…”
He explained the situation just now.
The collapse of the Heavenly Destiny Hall could not be concealed, and since it was right across the street and visible to anyone with eyes, it was better, to tell the truth rather than embarrass themselves.
The Wanxiang Card was a special celestial treasure within the Wanxiang Sect, possessing the ability to tally lists and test heavenly fragments, very similar to some of the functions of the Heavenly Destiny Wall in the Heavenly Destiny Hall.
“A million per person!”
Qian Yuhuan stated plainly.
“This…”
Not expecting that even after personally asking, he would still be charged, Shi Yunjing showed a trace of embarrassment, “Brother Qian, it’s because the Heavenly Destiny Wall in my hall was damaged that I had to come here to borrow it. I will lend it to you when it’s fixed if you have someone who wants to test. It’s unnecessary to charge a fee really!”
Qian Yuhuan shook his head, “It’s not personal! It’s a rule, as you know, our Wanxiang Sect values regulations dearly. You’ve shopped and helped here many times, making you a Hongyuan Tier-1 customer. Testing heavenly fragments is usually free for you, but this Young Master Zhang is quite unfamiliar and has had no dealings with the Wanxiang Sect. Of course, we can’t lend out for free!”
Shi Yunjing fell silent.
The Wanxiang Sect was good in many ways, but this was its one flaw—it was too commercial!
Everything had a value.
Whether it’s the Hunting List, the Potential List, or the Mission List… each corresponded to a certain price. Even using their artifacts to check or comprehend missions cost money.
To avoid payment, one either needed a status or had to contribute to the Wanxiang Sect.
Like himself, as the master of the Zouyi Heavenly Fate Palace, he had enough status and had also accepted multiple missions from the Wanxiang Sect and even purchased a great deal of intelligence and resources. As a customer at a certain tier, he had free access to many devices.
But Zhang Xuan before his eyes was clearly a newcomer wanting to use a celestial treasure, he was bound to pay.
Hearing their conversation, Zhang Xuan smiled.
He had already experienced these traits of the Wanxiang Sect when he was in Han Yuan City. In fact, it was not much different from the high-end malls and clubs of his previous life—only prestigious members could enjoy special treatment, not anyone else!
This was also a way to target the high-end crowd.
“Hall Master Shi, if we need to pay, then we will pay… It’s no trouble,” Zhang Xuan said, knowing it was difficult to ask the other party to break the rules.
A million per person, for a little over ten people, would amount to more than ten million. If he could get the money back from the assessment of everyone, that would suffice for dozens of tests…
“Alright then!”
Seeing him speak this way, Shi Yunjing, though frustrated, could only nod.
“Everyone, come over!”
With the promise of payment, Qian Yuhuan walked to one side of the hall and arrived by a stone pillar. He pressed lightly on it, and immediately a pure white light flowed from it.
“To test your heavenly fragment tier, simply place your palm on top. Red denotes Tier 1, orange denotes Tier 2, yellow indicates grade-3… and so on with the seven colors.”
Qian Yuhuan looked at everyone indifferently, his gaze settling on Zhang Xuan and the others, “Who will go first?”
“I’ll start!”
After some hesitation, Zhang Xuan stepped forward.
Since it was all tests, he decided to try first and set an example for his disciples.
“Pay first…”
Seeing him come forward, Qian Yuhuan was expressionless.
Zhang Xuan frowned slightly and gestured, and Sun Qiang immediately approached with a thick stack of Origin Notes, “This is for all of us, count it!”
Qian Yuhuan nodded satisfactorily, his expression becoming much friendlier, “Since you’ve spent money, why not get a Wanxiang Card? There’s no need to carry Origin Notes in the future; all income can be deposited, which is very convenient…”
“Wanxiang Card?”
Startled for a moment, Zhang Xuan remembered something, “I think I have one!”
With that, his wrist turned over, revealing a Tutelage Jade Token in his palm.
This was given by Yue Longxiao, the leader of the Six Sects, before he left Han Yuan City, saying it would be convenient.
Qian Yuhuan was taken aback, holding the Tutelage Jade Token in his hand, scoffing, “This is the card from Han Yuan City. If I’m not mistaken this should be a grade-3 card, the lowest authority… It only has the effect of depositing and withdrawing money, any other privileges are absent!”
While speaking and about to return the item, a faint trace of blue appeared on the card’s surface like a cloud of mist, catching his eye.
Qian Yuhuan’s pupils shrank, his body stiffened, and as his trembling fingers touched the trace, a highly oppressive sensation washed over him as if to crush his soul or to warn him.
“Is it, is it real?”
Swallowing hard, Qian Yuhuan’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
“This, this could it be the ‘Sky-Blue Wanxiang Card’ that is difficult to obtain even for Half-Zhizun or elders?”
