Destiny in Cinders

"Are you saying he's just like Huo Qing?" An Jing breathed deeply as he began to understand. "Without destruction, nothing new can be created. Changing his fate and bringing about a different future for this world... That's right! Overturning the established order will cause the world to fall into chaos, but it didn't specify what kind of order or what kind of world!"

"Perhaps. I'm only taking a best guess myself," Yvelbane said noncommittally. It was a sword and it seemed to be in its nature to be direct, so it admitted to not knowing something without putting up airs. "Either way, your capabilities are far from that level yet. It's too soon to think about this. But if a cultivator doesn't make preparations for immortality early on, they would never live forever.

"The same principle applies to your celestial arc. By following it, it will grow stronger and stronger. However, I don't think you would like the eras of endless chaos that previous bearers of the Seven Ruins Arc have created. Instead, I think you want to create a peaceful and stable world, right? Building something like that is far more difficult than overthrowing a dynasty.

"What you're up against isn't just a group of people with vested interests. You'll be going up against human nature and desire themselves, ironclad laws of the human world. Everyone wants to be the oppressor rather than the oppressed. Even those of the downtrodden who criticize the rulers and slavers they have over others.

"The only exception to that are immortals. Immortals who are like you, madmen who have been harmed too much by the logic and reason this world operates on. Madmen who would rather perish than be swept up in the world's corruption with everyone else.

"Since that's the case, there's no harm in some preparation. You will need comrades in the future. Back in my own time, I had many allies at my side, banishing all things evil.

"You won't need something like a spirit stone to invest in a smart, resilient and analytic commoner that has celestial spirit roots. Instead, you need a technique. An orthodox technique."

"I see..." An Jing looked at Nian Quan, who seemed somewhat uneasy but still resolute as if he was in deep thought. "Thanks to you, I have abundant access to rare techniques, but to him, a good technique that will allow him to exploit his talent to the fullest has immense worth. It is a really cheap price for us to acquire a future ally."

"You don't have to give it to him if you don't want to. At the end of the day, it was just a suggestion," Yvelbane said. "Like he said himself, the two of you are only barely acquainted and are not related by blood in any way."

An Jing, however, understood why his celestial arc resonated. "That's right. Blood ties are thick. So what if he's a genius? He's not my son. He isn't even a good friend! Why does he deserve an orthodox technique from me? Isn't this the very central tenet of the way things are always done in Skysource?"

He felt it down to the core of his being and soul. At the source of his spirit roots within his purple mansion that housed the foundation of his soul, the flow of the sky profound true soul flared up. That hot flush of a feeling spread through his meridians, seemingly turning his heart into a massive oven that caused his soul to burn bright, causing him to emanate a majestic glow of crystal embers.

This was his celestial arc, his destiny, his celestial arc of Seven Ruinous Luminaries! Born from disaster, forged by hardship, reacting to tribulation and bring chaos back into the world! This celestial arc heralded a destiny of overturning the established order with pure chaotic potential. This was probably deep in An Jing's nature!

"I'll do it!" He smiled oddly excitedly when he thought through everything. "I shouldn't consider things like cost or benefit. I will just go with the flow of the world's logic! Whether Nian Quan becomes my ally in the future, he will surely go on to achieve a great undertaking that will play well with my celestial arc! If he becomes my ally nevertheless, I'll get paid back hundreds or thousands of times in return!

"It isn't just Nian Quan, I have to give Huo Qing a cultivation technique too! He already has decent talent to begin with. I will teach him the Imperial Sky Seethrough Nurturing Art!"

"Good! I love your easygoing personality. We truly match!" Yvelbane said excitedly. "I spotted some jade slips earlier. Get a blank one from Nian Quan to write down the technique I'm about to teach him.

"We won't get too far ahead of ourselves. If Nian Quan achieves results with the technique, we'd be able to tell him about the Fengdu Guard, the Zhengyi Action Development Company, Deepdark Palace and the True Talisman! Whether he becomes our ally, he will want to avenge his mother and slay those monsters! They will reap the karmic fruit that they have sown."

An Jing didn't think an old soul like Yvelbane would be so pumped up by a revenge story. It was at this point that he noticed he finally got a good understanding of Yvelbane Fiendslayer. It loved to see things pop off regardless of how big the consequences would be. It spoke without holding anything back. It also loved to defeat evil fiends with brute violence. When it saw anything in the world that didn't sit right with it, the solution was a well-placed sword slash! It was the same as An Jing!

He checked the time and noticed that the sword's glow was about to run out, so he couldn't dawdle. He knocked on the desk and told Nian Quan to bring him an empty jade slip.

"You can call me Yvelbane. Your mother did me a great favor, so I will tell you some things. But if you'd prefer not to know, forget I even said it." He wanted to give Nian Quan the impression that he wasn't getting the orthodox technique for free. "If you wish to know, you have to offer me something in return. Your mother has already paid a high price for it, but what I'm offering you is far more precious. Nian Quan, consider this an investment in you."

An Jing's hands were firm on the desk. "I want to feel your sincerity."

"I... I wish to know." Nian Quan took a deep breath and stood up to get the jade slip. He had known that this strange friend of his was not like any other. His spirit eyes allowed him to check An Jing's true age and also the spirit qi around his body. It was pure and sharp, identifying him as a cultivator.

Particularly, his spirit roots were hovering in between the Silk Essence and River Essence Stages. While part of it was likely due to not consuming enough spirit food, it was still incredibly impressive that he managed to start cultivation as a young teen in Skysource. An Jing most likely belonged to some major faction. At the very least, he seemed like he was a scion of a large badlander tribe. Perhaps that was what Nian Quan's mother had gotten wrapped up in.

Nian Quan knew that he should stay far away from matters like these. No doubt, his mother would wish the same for him. Otherwise, she wouldn't ask this young friend to tell him that she went on an extended business trip. She knew that her smart son wouldn't believe the words and would figure out her intent. She wanted him to act as if he was fooled by her words.

But that wouldn't do, it simply wouldn't! Though Nian Quan had been as calm and malleable as water, the long river in his heart was surging wildly with rage, regret and resolution. He wouldn't just let his mother's death go unaddressed. He decided that he would make the filial choice!