"Fortune is as tangible as substance; this small cup could change the destiny of an ordinary person," Zhao Xing observed the Fortune Gold Cup.
The growth of fortune should occur in various types.
It might be in one’s love life, suddenly meeting an exceptional person of the opposite sex, who, inexplicably, is desperate to marry them.
Or it could be in wealth, amassing in a few years a fortune that one could not have earned in a lifetime.
One might also encounter a powerful patron, becoming their protégé, and receiving promotions all along the way.
For a cultivator? It’s the classic tale of finding a treasure in a trash heap, stumbling upon a great deal at an auction, being pointed in the right direction by a sage, or discovering a divine skill after leaping off a cliff.
It can be said that fortune influences everything; apart from lifespan, what Zhao Xing desired the most was ’fortune’.
"Such a small cup could elevate one’s fortune from Tier One to Tier Two, but my fortune is already at Tier Two level, so it likely won’t reach Tier Three," he said.
Zhao Xing held the cup to his nose and took a gentle sniff.
The fortune within the gold cup disappeared in an instant.
The cup turned into an ordinary stone cup.
"The sensation of an accelerated heartbeat has gone, everything is normal," Zhao Xing looked at his panel, and as he had predicted, there was no breakthrough; he was still Tier Two.
The way of fortune is profound and mysterious, the most arcane and difficult to enhance, and Zhao Xing was not surprised.
"To advance from Tier Two to Tier Three, I probably need to obtain two more superior-quality Spiritual Beauties," said Zhao Xing, tossing the now-dull stone cup on the ground and walking out of the cave.
Although he didn’t reach Tier Three, having obtained a small cup of fortune meant he was bound to have good luck coming his way; he just didn’t know in what aspect.
"Huh?" As soon as Zhao Xing stepped out of the cave, he felt a hollow, reluctant feeling in his heart, as if he was about to miss out on a great opportunity.
"Meow~" The Mountain Cat rubbed against Zhao Xing with a puzzled look, wondering why he had stopped.
"Little Mountain Cat, is there something good left in the cave?" Zhao Xing asked.
The Mountain Cat nodded, then shook its little head.
"So, is there or isn’t there? Forget it... I’ll go back in and take a look myself."
Zhao Xing had just gained a cup of fortune and was on the cusp of luck, so naturally, he would not ignore his feelings.
He returned to the cave and thoroughly searched all four passageways.
After searching for two hours, Zhao Xing found nothing unusual.
"How strange, after searching through the four passageways inside the cave, I haven’t found anything, but every time I walk out of the cave, that feeling of reluctance appears."
"Could it be my illusion? Have I placed too much trust in the effects of fortune?" Zhao Xing also started to doubt himself.
He entered the cave again, coming to the side of the Cold Ice Lotus Pond.
"Could it be these? But these three Ice Cold Lotuses are far from mature, and even being this close to them, I don’t feel any sudden urges."
Being close to a Spiritual Beauty usually triggers a strong sensation, whereas fortune is more elusive.
Zhao Xing didn’t pluck the immature Spiritual Beauties; to destroy the Spirituality that the world had yet to finish nurturing would mean to ruin one’s own fortune.
Just then, the Mountain Cat tugged at the hem of Zhao Xing’s trousers.
"Hmm?" Zhao Xing looked down.
He saw that the Mountain Cat had somehow picked up the stone cup he had discarded and seemed to want to play with Zhao Xing.
"This broken cup is useless now, why pick it up? Go away, I’m not in the mood to play," Zhao Xing replied, somewhat irritably.
"Miaow~" The little Mountain Cat looked a bit aggrieved.
"Ah, I’m not scolding you... all right, all right, come play then," Zhao Xing picked up the stone cup, intending to toss it away.
But the moment he picked it up, Zhao Xing’s eyebrows raised.
At that instant of lifting the cup, he suddenly felt ’at peace’.
It didn’t make sense; the fortune had vanished, the cup was now just an ordinary stone cup.
Zhao Xing examined it closely and saw nothing unusual.
"Little Mountain Cat, let’s go."
With a thought, Zhao Xing walked out of the cave.
This time, as he moved away from the cave, he didn’t feel the sense of ’loss’ anymore.
Zhao Xing joyfully rubbed the Mountain Cat’s head, and though he still didn’t know its use, there was no doubt that the Mountain Cat had greatly contributed this time.
"Want to play? No problem, but it’s no fun just the two of us. Let’s find someone else; I promise you’ll have enough fun."
After Zhao Xing and the Mountain Cat left, a figure riding a bamboo horse watched from a distance.
He eyed the figures of the man and the cat, a flash of confusion in his eyes, before he quickly dashed into the cave.
At the Yin hour, the crowd in the Heavenly Altar Square began to disperse.
The last prayers at the divine temple were offered, and the temple doors closed once again.
Everyone started a new day’s journey for Spiritual Beauties.
However, the effectiveness of the prayers gradually diminished; those who came later were resigned to rely solely on luck.
Others dashed through the mountains, trying to seize the opportunities of others.
At once, sounds of battle erupted from all around the mountain.
On a certain cliff, there was a tree brimming with vitality, bearing three shiny purple fruits, translucent and lustrous.
But the tree was inconspicuous, growing in a crevice, with its fruits hidden by dense leaves, making them hard to spot.
"Clang!" Qin Feng jabbed his knife into the rock to leverage a leap, propelling himself upward.
"Zzzzz~" The knife, stuck in a crevice, slid down harshly, stones fell, and Qin Feng began to plummet as well.
"Brother Qin, be careful!"
His three companions below cried out in alarm.
Qin Feng hastily pulled out the dagger from his waist and stabbed it into the cliff face again, halting his descent.
This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om