Chapter 222: Chapter 220: 2 Peach Blossoms Bloom, Fortune Gives Birth to a Baleful Aura

After the Martial Gathering of the Hundred Lineages, the members of the Changkong clan gradually returned to their daily routines.

Now, the two most important matters for every family and lineage were the Enlightenment Ceremony and arranging a place for the younger generation to pursue their cultivation.

Between these two major events, the first was somewhat unpredictable, so people tended to focus more on the second.

The options were to arrange for the younger generation to go to the Daoist Mansion of Eternal Life or the Thunder Saint Academy. If all else failed, they would stay within the clan to cultivate, among other choices.

Among these options, the general consensus was that staying in the clan was the worst choice. Going to the Daoist Mansion of Eternal Life was acceptable, but the Thunder Saint Academy was the best!

However, some geniuses who qualified for the Thunder Saint Academy would, for various reasons, choose the Daoist Mansion of Eternal Life instead.

Regardless, for the children of the Golden Clan, the Thunder Saint Academy was still the better path.

But getting into the Thunder Saint Academy had extremely strict requirements. Not only did one need a Grade-A Spirit Body, but also a recommendation from a Saint!

Therefore, most of the Changkong youth still planned on heading to the Daoist Mansion of Eternal Life.

"Ah Yang."

Seventh Uncle Fang sighed helplessly. "I might need your help after all. Otherwise, Ah Xuan won’t be able to get into the Daoist Mansion of Eternal Life."

He had been running himself ragged over this for days.

But for some crazy reason, more and more prodigies were suddenly vying for the Daoist Mansion of Eternal Life, to the point that Fang Xuan couldn’t even make the list.

Under the great banyan tree, a cool and refreshing breeze rustled through the leaves.

Hearing this, Fang Yang looked surprised but still nodded. "Don’t worry, Uncle Qi. If I can help, I will."

「Two days later.」

The Enlightenment Ceremony arrived as scheduled.

On this day, Dragon Roar Peak was opened. Divine light shimmered and Immortal Mist swirled, creating a celestial atmosphere.

Since Fang Yang and Sen Hui had agreed to visit the Star Divine Temple after the Enlightenment Ceremony, Fang Yang accompanied Elder De to Dragon Roar Peak to watch the proceedings.

Just like five years ago, the major lineages like the Sen and the Su went first.

What was different, however, was that the Fang lineage had actually been moved up a tier in the queue compared to the previous year!

At this moment, Elder De gazed at the distant Fang youth, his eyes moistening. "I never thought I’d see this in my lifetime. Ah Yang, thank you."

’Thank me?’ Fang Yang narrowed his eyes.

For a Cultivator, five years was a short time, gone in a flash.

But at the same time, five years was also a long time—long enough for an Enlightened youth to hold up half the sky.

At this moment, Fang Yang thought back on his experiences over the past five years, recalling his own hard work as well as the help from his Second Uncle, Seventh Uncle, and others.

A smile then appeared on his face. "A clan is like a forest. The old trees must shield the saplings from the wind and rain so they can grow strong. There’s no need for thanks, Elder."

Of course, while those were his words, Elder De had no way of knowing what he was truly thinking.

Hearing Fang Yang’s enlightened words, Elder De was overjoyed and said "Good, good, good!" in succession.

...

The Star Divine Temple was the most popular temple in the Changkong clan, with the most devout followers.

Here, people came to pray for marriage, for academic success, or for wealth—each with their own purpose.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell upon the Divine Temple’s stone pillars, its golden light casting a mosaic of shadows.

In the center of the Divine Temple, a great altar stood facing the heavens, seeming to resonate with the stars beyond.

In the incense burner, lit candles stood amongst wreaths of curling smoke.

"It’s a little crowded," Fang Yang said, narrowing his eyes as he glanced around.

Sen Hui heard him and said with a grin, "Of course! Everyone must be here praying and making wishes for their families."

With that, she took Fang Yang’s hand and led him toward the Shrine of Emperor Ziwei in the innermost part of the temple.

Before long, they met the Divine Temple’s priest, Elder Zhu.

As Fang Yang watched, Sen Hui expertly went through the various steps of the ritual.

Finally, she came to the majestic stone statue of Emperor Ziwei. With a pious expression, she pressed her palms together and began to make a wish.

After making her wish, she personally took up an ink brush, wrote down its contents, and fashioned it into a wish talisman.

Just then, a faint stream of light seemed to flicker from the statue of Emperor Ziwei, transmitting itself to a distant place.

At that same moment, deep within the forbidden lands of the Changkong clan, a stream of light flared, causing Father Sen to slowly open his eyes. "’I hope Fang Yang stays safe on his path of cultivation?!’"

Father Sen said nothing, silently watching Fang Yang and Sen Hui from afar.

After making a wish and creating the wish talisman, one had to go to the Big Dipper Tree in the Star Divine Temple and hang the talisman on one of its branches. Only then would the deity be considered to have responded.

The Big Dipper Tree was massive and majestic.

Even during the day, it drew down the boundless light of the stars, a sight both magnificent and strange.

Fang Yang looked up to see Sen Hui standing on her tiptoes before him, trying to hang her wish Talisman on a branch.

But the branch was a little too high, and she couldn’t quite reach it.

Seeing this, Fang Yang reached out with a large hand and bent the branch down.

Sen Hui was then able to hang her wish talisman easily.

She then quickly closed her eyes and made her wish again in her heart, her expression full of piety.

The setting sun illuminated her, a beautiful sight to behold.

Fang Yang gazed at her fair, radiant face, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

「After a while.」

She opened her eyes and heard Fang Yang’s question.

"Xiaohui, what did you wish for?"

"It has to do with you, but I’m not telling! Hee hee..."

They teased and played with each other.

Under the setting sun, their shadows intertwined.

Seeing this, Father Sen smiled and narrowed his eyes, then paid them no more mind.

...

「Nightfall.」

Fang Yang escorted Sen Hui back to the Sen lineage’s territory. Afterward, he used a series of teleportation arrays to rush back to his remote cabin.

To his surprise, however, his younger cousin Fang Lanxi was standing under the banyan tree, waiting for his return.

"Brother, Clan Sister Chen Qingrou asked me to give you a letter."

As she spoke, she handed over a letter that carried the faint scent of jasmine.

Fang Yang’s eyes narrowed, his focus sharpening instantly.

The jasmine fragrance and the special channeling method used on the letter were both hallmarks of Chen Ying!

If one didn’t know how to undo the channel lock, the letter would explode into dust the moment it was forced open.

And if it really was a letter from Chen Ying, then he, Fang Yang, would definitely be able to open it. After all, they had discussed such interesting things back in Class Jia Thirty-Seven.

’A letter...’ Fang Yang’s face was impassive. With a slight movement of his fingers, he easily undid the channel lock and read the contents.

The gist of it was that Chen Ying wanted to meet him in two days, at night, at Snowfall Lake near Class Jia Thirty-Seven.

This was because in three days, Su Xi, Su Dao, and the others would be returning to the Daoist Mansion of Eternal Life.

Chen Ying wanted to see him one last time before she left!

Beside him, his cousin Fang Lanxi was still staring at him expectantly, waiting for a reply or a verbal message to take back.

Just then, the cluster of light in Fang Yang’s mind flickered, forming words:

[The goddess is interested; two peach blossoms are in bloom. Fortune gives birth to calamity. You may continue to soar high, or you may be tossed by rising and falling tides. The outcome of fortune and disaster is uncertain.]

[Neutral Omen: Do not go to the meeting. Keep your feet on the ground and remain devoted. Nothing will be gained, and nothing will be lost. A neutral outcome.]

[Lesser Omen: Go to the meeting. Your heart is divided. You may obtain a Tier Five opportunity, but fortune will give birth to calamity. Perilous situations will build in secret like waves, each one higher than the last. Ominous!]