Don't Mess with That Dragon-Chapter 568 - 018: Providence

Plum Blossom Sect, Ancestral Hall.

In the space within the Gate of Truth, brilliant light shimmered, and a mirror surface appeared in the void ahead.

Everything that happened inside the martial arts school,

was witnessed by Austin, who was sitting cross-legged in the void.

"This kid..."

Since the moment the stone ring triggered Austin’s spiritual mechanism yesterday, and after using his Spiritual Power to make that middle-aged martial artist buy the stone ring, Austin hadn’t interfered in any developments of the events.

Let nature take its course.

Whether the middle-aged martial artist lost interest and tossed the stone ring aside, or whether it was picked up by the boy named Lin Han, and kept in a box.

Everything developed naturally.

It had nothing to do with Austin.

"Is this fate, or destiny?"

Reflecting on the day’s observations, Austin pondered in his heart.

The arrival of the middle-aged martial artist at the school had stirred something in Austin’s heart, feeling the celestial secret.

Then, consciously or unconsciously, the events unfolded, and the stone ring ultimately fell into Lin Han’s hands.

The whole process happened very naturally.

There were no signs of deliberate change.

However, being too natural, in Austin’s eyes, became the greatest unnaturalness.

Austin carefully contemplated the past scenes.

But he eventually found no clues.

Delve deeper into his thoughts.

Suddenly, a question surfaced in his mind.

Why wasn’t it me sensing the opportunity, acting on a whim, which ultimately led to this result?

If Austin hadn’t used his divine sense yesterday, would the middle-aged martial artist still have bought the stone ring?

Very likely not.

And if he hadn’t bought the ring, how would it eventually have ended up in the hands of that little servant named Lin Han?

The source of all this came from Austin himself.

The previous celestial insight, why wasn’t it that he sensed certain futures that would be beneficial to him?

Perhaps, there was no heavenly dao orchestrating everything behind the scenes at all.

Maybe, it was merely his subjective actions that influenced the future results.

Because this choice benefits my future, so I acted on a whim, ultimately choosing this path...

Austin suddenly remembered another secret technique of the Plum Blossom Sect, the Qi Observation Technique.

Among them,

the fortune observed by the Qi Observation Technique, was also like this,

the world’s fortune is just an external manifestation, not the ultimate determined fate.

"Perhaps the celestial secret, is some vague rule in the world’s operation..."

Thinking of this, Austin felt a slight insight, and his understanding of the Plum Blossom Divination of the Plum Blossom Sect’s inherited canon deepened a bit.

Heavenly dao, destiny, mysterious and profound.

Fate, even more elusive, difficult for people to grasp its intricate weave.

"Opportunities, fate... I’m searching for opportunities that allow me to grow, to find a protagonist for my divine fragment, but for others who encounter the stone ring, is it not also an opportunity?"

"This is fate, and also destiny."

"Since I’ve encountered you in the vastness of possibility, this is your fortune, and perhaps, also my opportunity. In that case, let me give you a chance, to see how far you can go!"

Reflecting on everything seen this day, Austin had already made up his mind.

The character of little Lin Han,

was more suitable as the protagonist chosen by Austin’s divine fragment grandfather.

Years of early cultivation, persevered in arduous environments, with a heart full of gratitude, and a resolute character. Even with a bleak future, he always adhered to the heart of becoming stronger.

Perhaps, he didn’t even know why he insisted on secretly learning from the martial arts instructor’s teachings.

It was just a natural instinct to seek the path of becoming stronger.

Being able to persevere with such determination amidst a blurry goal, this nature aligns with Austin’s preferences.

"A person’s limit is determined by many aspects, but to become the strongest, the willpower must be incredibly tenacious, unyielding through numerous trials..."

This was what Austin valued the most.

The standard for choosing a protagonist was solely about the heart and spirit.

No cultivation aptitude?

Not a problem,

No cultivation techniques?

Not an issue either.

Want treasures, cultivation techniques, divine techniques, secret techniques...

Lin Han, just a martial arts school servant, had nothing, but in Austin’s view, it was never a problem.

With Austin’s divine fragment as a cheat, unless one was a do-nothing type, even the lowest born could eventually soar to prominence.

The "grandfather ring" crafted by Austin possessed various miraculous abilities.

Enough to reverse the fate of a common person.

However,

while serving as the protagonist’s cheat, it also functioned like a personal monitor.

It was Austin’s method of reaping the fruits.

In the process of the "protagonist" rising, all the experiences, the various secret techniques practiced, and all the insights into power would be backed up and copied by the stone ring’s divine fragment, becoming Austin’s resources.

"Since there’s a celestial feeling, then my future opportunity probably lies with that kid, perhaps aiding me in deciphering the Space-Time Law Origin ability."

In fact, it didn’t count as fruit-stealing.

At most, it was just a mutually beneficial exchange.

After all, copying an insight doesn’t entirely strip the Dao Fruit of its understanding.

"Keep observing for a few more days, if there’s no issue, then he’s the chosen one!"

The void rippled,

Austin had made his decision in his heart.

He closed his eyes once more,

silently continuing his cultivation, restoring his power.

Currently, within the whole of Sanshui County, there was no one who could pose a threat to Austin inside the Gate of Truth; the Ancestral Hall of the Plum Blossom Sect was the safest place.

While remotely guiding the "protagonist’s" growth, simultaneously cultivating and recovering.

In a few years, when his strength is fully restored, it will be time to take revenge for that one arrow back then!

...

Inside the martial arts school, the days went by as usual.

Hardly any ripples.

Lin Han woke up early each day, extracting an hour for cultivation before anyone else was awake, then carried out the heavy tasks of cleaning and maintaining the martial arts school and so on.

The wealthy apprentices in the martial arts school would routinely bully him due to his frail form whenever Lin Han appeared in the square.

He was used to it.

Regarding the stone ring picked up that day, Lin Han examined it one relatively free night, and although it didn’t reveal any mystical features, Lin Han was visibly pleased.

His shabby "Treasure Box" primarily contained worthless odds and ends.

For instance, a broken wooden sword hilt, a snapped section of a blade, a crumpled paper scribbled with ink marks all over, a chess-piece...

These things were the "treasures" Lin Han collected while cleaning the martial arts school.

Perhaps, these things weren’t worth much.

But to Lin Han, they were one of the rare joys in an otherwise monotonous life aside from practicing martial arts.

They were entirely his own "treasure", and looking at the items inside the box brought a feeling of contentment to his heart.