Whispers of Destiny in the Hall of Wonders

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing followed Qi Wuhui into the Hall of Marvelous Treasures behind him. Inside the hall, people surged, yet it remained remarkably quiet. Cultivators either strolled leisurely, admiring the rare treasures on display, or conversed softly with the attendants.

Chi Qiu glanced upwards, sensing an unwavering gaze sweeping across the hall from the second floor. However, upon closer inspection, she could discern nothing.

It must be the guards of the Hall of Marvelous Treasures, those responsible for maintaining order, Chi Qiu mused inwardly.

“We’re heading to the fifth floor of the hall.” Qi Wuhui pointed towards the uppermost level, then stepped forward, merging into the crowd.

Immediately, the dense throng parted, creating a clear path. Yet, the cultivators who moved aside showed no trace of surprise, their expressions utterly normal, as if Qi Wuhui’s passage was entirely unremarkable.

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing exchanged glances, marveling at the sight, and swiftly followed Qi Wuhui. Before long, they reached the fifth floor.

“Your Highness.”

The fifth floor of the grand hall was guarded by a large bronze door, flanked by two soldiers clad in bronze armor. Upon seeing Qi Wuhui approach, they initially appeared startled, then bowed deeply in respect.

Qi Wuhui waved a casual hand, halting their salutes. The two guards then stepped back, pulling open the massive bronze door.

“Your Highness, please.”

The trio entered through the bronze door, revealing an unexpected sight. Unlike the lower floors, the fifth level of the hall contained no exhibition stands displaying treasures.

Instead, it was furnished with tables, chairs, and tea sets, resembling a private residence. After entering, Qi Wuhui walked directly to the main seat, clearly intimately familiar with the space.

“Only I am permitted entry to this fifth floor of the hall. Feel free to find a seat. I’ve already selected the divine abilities, and they’ll arrive shortly.” Qi Wuhui placed the ancient profound iron on the table, speaking as he examined it.

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing acknowledged him, then found seats. Seeing Qi Wuhui meticulously inspect the ancient profound iron, they dared not utter a sound, choosing instead to sit in quiet contemplation.

Before long, a sound emanated from the bronze door. Qi Wuhui set down the ancient profound iron, flicked his hand, and the bronze door swung open with a resounding thump.

A servant-dressed individual entered at once, handed a ring to Qi Wuhui, and swiftly departed.

“This ring contains two tokens of inheritance for Lesser Divine Abilities, each allowing for a single comprehension. I am bestowing them upon you.”

“I selected these for you both after observing your cultivation levels throughout our journey.” With these words, Qi Wuhui retrieved two items from the ring.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Hearing that Qi Wuhui had personally chosen them, Chi Qiu was naturally both surprised and delighted.

Yet, she wondered when Qi Wuhui had informed the attendant of his selection, especially after leading them all the way to the fifth floor of the Hall of Marvelous Treasures.

Though questions lingered in her mind, she dared not voice them. Chi Qiu could clearly discern the extraordinary relationship between Qi Wuhui and Su Hanxing, understanding that she was only receiving such treatment due to Su Hanxing’s influence.

“This divine ability is called Thunderclap. I chose it for Young Su. Once cultivated, it allows one to form thunder apertures and accumulate the power of lightning, making it an extremely potent offensive art for both ranged attacks and close combat.” Qi Wuhui tossed a purplish-black crystal to Su Hanxing.

Su Hanxing fumbled to catch it, then quickly expressed his gratitude.

“The other divine ability, named Blooming Life, is for Chi Qiu. While its offensive power is considerably weaker than Thunderclap, it excels in versatility and is particularly well-suited for female cultivators.”

“I won’t elaborate further; you can comprehend it yourself.” Qi Wuhui picked up the other inheritance token, a spirit flower intricately carved from white jade, its petals layered and exquisitely detailed.

This time, Qi Wuhui did not simply toss the token over; instead, he gestured for Chi Qiu to take it. Without hesitation, Chi Qiu stepped forward, accepted the jade flower, offered her thanks, and performed a respectful bow.

“That’s enough. You’ve received the divine abilities, and I have pressing matters to attend to. You may both depart now.” Qi Wuhui nodded in satisfaction as he watched Chi Qiu take the jade flower, then issued his dismissal.

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing naturally complied, bowing in thanks once more before bidding farewell to Qi Wuhui.

Hoo—

Stepping out of the Hall of Marvelous Treasures, Chi Qiu exhaled a long breath. Though Qi Wuhui had appeared exceptionally friendly, his presence had still exerted immense pressure on her.

Now that they had finally left, a significant sense of relief washed over her.

“Is His Highness Qi really that terrifying?” Su Hanxing found Chi Qiu’s relieved, ‘survivor’ expression amusing and couldn’t help but ask.

“Being in the same room as such a powerful imperial relative is still too daunting for me. Speaking of which, he seems quite fond of you.” Chi Qiu readjusted her bamboo hat, concealing her expression behind the veil.

She was probing, hoping to uncover some secrets about the prominent figure.

“Let’s get on the boat first; it’s no secret.” Su Hanxing summoned his Jade Sand Skiff, preparing to leave the area. Chi Qiu nodded in agreement.

“Do you know where my Tianyan Sect is located?” Aboard the flying skiff, Su Hanxing poured himself a cup of wine, asking as he drank.

“Of course, I know. It’s in Cangshan Commandery,” Chi Qiu replied.

Daqi’s territory was vast, almost boundless. Beyond the Imperial City, the entire domain was divided into nine grand provinces, each containing nine commanderies, totaling eighty-one commanderies.

Each commandery, in turn, encompassed three thousand six hundred cities. These cities, each tens of thousands of li in circumference, were so immense that many mortals might never visit another in their lifetime.

The Imperial City stood apart; though named a city, it was over a hundred times larger than any other. Cangshan Commandery bordered the Imperial City, and it was from there that Chi Qiu had traveled by boat all the way to the Imperial City.

“His Highness Qi Wuhui previously served as the Hall Master of the Hall of Marvelous Treasures in Cangshan Commandery. As the foremost sect in Cangshan Commandery, my Tianyan Sect naturally had frequent dealings with the Hall.”

“My master thus forged a strong friendship with His Highness Qi Wuhui. Later, the two often ventured into dangerous passes and perilous lands, gradually becoming sworn brothers who would face life and death together.”

“When I later joined the Tianyan Sect and was taken in by my master, he held me in great esteem. His Highness Qi would also frequently offer me guidance.”

“My receiving these divine abilities from His Highness Qi this time is also a testament to his profound friendship with my master.” Su Hanxing drained his wine and explained softly.

“In that case, His Highness Qi doesn’t seem to be as young as he appears,” Chi Qiu remarked, understanding dawning on her, then asked further.

“Indeed. He and my master became close friends centuries ago. As for his exact age… I don’t know,” Su Hanxing nodded.

“Thank you so much this time. Not only did you eliminate a future problem, but I also gained a divine ability.” Though Chi Qiu was incredibly curious about Qi Wuhui, Su Hanxing seemed to know little more, so she refrained from pressing further.

Thinking of the Blooming Life divine ability tucked away at her waist, she felt overjoyed and thanked Su Hanxing once more.

“There’s no need to thank me. Do we really need to be so polite given our relationship?”

“Besides, I also benefited. This divine ability suits me perfectly. With the combined power of the Intertwined Gold and Thunderclap divine abilities, I certainly feel more confident about the journey to the Imperial Secret Realm.” Su Hanxing sternly cut off Chi Qiu’s thanks, then a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips as he recalled his newly acquired Thunderclap divine ability.

Our relationship? Chi Qiu mumbled Su Hanxing’s words. She didn’t consider their relationship particularly close; at most, they were friends, not even close companions.

However, seeing Su Hanxing beaming with self-satisfaction as he clutched the purplish-black crystal, she didn’t wish to disturb his good mood. After all, once they parted today, who knew when they would meet again, so she let him think what he wished.

“After today, I’ll return to the Tianyan Sect to cultivate these two divine abilities. The Imperial Secret Realm is set to open in just a month, so I must cherish my time and master them as soon as possible.”

“What about you, Chi Qiu? Where are you headed next? I saw you traveling south along the Python River earlier; are you perhaps going to Dushan Commandery?” Su Hanxing put away the purplish-black crystal, suddenly inquiring about Chi Qiu’s plans.

Chi Qiu shook her head. “I don’t have a clear destination yet. I simply wish to leave the Imperial City first, cultivate to restore my strength, and try my luck at finding some fortunate opportunities.”

“Oh? That’s excellent then. You previously gifted me the Intertwined Gold divine ability, and I haven’t had a chance to repay you.”

“How about this: I’ll use the Tianyan Art to divine your fate, to see which direction holds your opportunities. Would that be acceptable?” Su Hanxing suddenly stood, his eyes sparkling with energy, and gazed intently at Chi Qiu as he asked.

Chi Qiu initially intended to decline, but recalling Su Hanxing’s earlier words about their ‘close relationship,’ she simply nodded and agreed.

Su Hanxing, for some reason, was delighted that Chi Qiu didn’t thank him this time. He lightly tapped his forehead with a single finger, and immediately, a wisp of vital energy gathered an inch above his head.

“Chi Qiu, quickly touch this cluster of vital energy. That way, I can divine for you.”

Chi Qiu rose as instructed and approached Su Hanxing. When she reached out to touch it, she found she couldn’t quite reach. Su Hanxing stood nearly nine chi tall, while Chi Qiu was less than seven chi.

Given this height difference, Chi Qiu had no choice but to leap up to finally touch the vital energy above Su Hanxing’s head.

Witnessing this, Su Hanxing wanted to laugh but dared not. He could only suppress his amusement, closing his eyes to activate the Tianyan Art and divine for Chi Qiu.

Chi Qiu saw Su Hanxing’s lips twitching and felt a flush spread across her face. Fortunately, Su Hanxing had already closed his eyes to cultivate, and her face was still partially obscured by her light veil, so he couldn’t see the young woman’s faint blush.

Performing such a rudimentary divination was naturally effortless for Su Hanxing, who had already entered the God Concealing stage. In just a few breaths, he opened his eyes and said with a smile, “Your opportunity lies to the east.”

By now, Chi Qiu had regained her composed demeanor. Seeing Su Hanxing indicate an opportunity in the east, she nodded. “Very well, then I shall head east.”

Hahahahaha…

Accompanied by Su Hanxing’s clear laughter, the Jade Sand Skiff changed direction in the air, soaring directly towards the east.