Chapter 137: The Immortal Diviner

"This is actually a rare treasure-stone from the cultivation world. It offers tremendous benefits to practitioners of immortality. I never expected Attendant Xu to present such a precious gift..."

Zhang Yuhan was pleasantly surprised. She gently touched the raw, uncarved jade in her hand, feeling a strange ripple of spiritual energy that made her own inner essence feel exceptionally calm and steady.

A Stability Stone!

The young talents nearby were quite astonished. A miraculous jade like the Stability Stone was incredibly rare and provided extraordinary auxiliary benefits for those cultivating the immortal path. In terms of value, even though this piece was small, it surpassed most of the gifts presented by the other young elites present.

As it happened, Xu Xuan was a body cultivator; the Stability Stone was of no use to him. Having stumbled upon it at the free market, he had intended to use it as a social gift.

"Attendant Xu is very thoughtful. Yuhan thanks you."

A gleam of joy flashed in Zhang Yuhan’s autumn-water eyes. She cast a few more appreciative glances at Xu Xuan. Instead of handing the jade to the servant behind her, she tucked it away close to her body—the Stability Stone required close contact to take effect.

This gesture caused a stir of resentment among the young talents. Their gifts had all been whisked away by servants, yet the Zhang family’s young miss had kept Xu Xuan’s gift close to her person. While the inherent value of the stone played a part, it was clear that the young miss held this man in high regard.

"To think that a junior from a small, obscure sect like Xu Xuan could produce such a precious gift."

Lin Hui could not hide the shock on his face; he felt stifled and infuriated. He had originally intended to make a fool of Xu Xuan, but instead, the man had played the part of a pig to eat the tiger, only causing his standing in the young miss's heart to grow. Furthermore, ever since Xu Xuan entered the Zhang family, Lin Hui had plotted against him repeatedly, only for the man to resolve each crisis with ease. It was hard to imagine that the opponent he faced was merely a youth from a small mountain sect.

"Haha, Brother Xu, I truly didn't know you were hiding such a treasure. It’s rare to see Yuhan so satisfied." Zhang Feng laughed heartily, then took Xu Xuan to meet some friends in Yellow Dragon City. Yu Qin, favored by Zhang Yuhan, was pulled away to meet some close friends, creating quite a lively scene that drew many eyes.

As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together; the people Zhang Feng introduced to Xu Xuan were all of remarkable bearing and character, showing no signs of disdain—at least, not on the surface.

"Brother Xu, let me formally introduce you. This is a rare genius of immortal calculation in Yellow Dragon City—Chu Dong! He is one of my best friends."

Zhang Feng spoke with a solemn face, introducing a scholarly youth in the corner, his eyes filled with a hint of reverence. The youth was dressed like a scholar, appearing to be about seventeen or eighteen—much like Zhang Feng—with a calm, unruffled face. However, his eyes were deep and cold; a mere glance from him made one feel inexplicably chilled. Had Zhang Feng not introduced him so seriously, Xu Xuan might not have paid him any mind, but upon closer inspection, he was secretly startled.

"I am Chu Dong. I have heard a little of Brother Xu’s name."

Chu Dong’s eyes were calm, devoid of joy or sorrow, yet Xu Xuan felt as though the man had observed his entire being several times over, leaving him with a chilly sensation. A figure so highly regarded by the young master Zhang Feng was indeed extraordinary.

Zhang Feng, standing by, tried his best to facilitate a friendship, hoping Xu Xuan and Chu Dong would get along. However, Xu Xuan felt that this man was deep and inscrutable, keeping his true self entirely hidden, which made him feel cautious.

"I forgot to tell you, Brother Xu, Chu Dong practices a very special branch of the immortal path—Immortal Divination and Calculation. He excels in strategic planning through immortal arts. He once spent time at the 'Fangtian Academy,' and even looking across the great city of Fangtian, he is a rare prodigy."

Zhang Feng winked as he said this. Xu Xuan was quite shocked; the art of immortal calculation was a rare and obscure branch of the cultivation world, with requirements far more stringent than most other paths. This discipline did not seek infinite magical power or individual combat prowess, but instead focused on the control of the heavens and earth and the planning of destiny.

According to memories from his previous life, such practitioners were often called "Immortal Diviners." In large-scale wars of the cultivation world, they played a pivotal role, influencing the life and death of millions.

Xu Xuan could not help but feel a sense of respect. He smiled, saying, "I never expected you to be a rare Immortal Diviner. Practitioners of this path are seen as defying the heavens, yet they are the most worthy of admiration."

"Brother Xu actually knows of this nearly forgotten profession?" A flash of light appeared in Chu Dong’s deep eyes as he gazed out the window at the firmament. "The 'Six Cities of Fangtian' have been stable for hundreds of years, like a stagnant pool. But in the capital of Kunyun, undercurrents are surging. I predict that within the next twenty years, there will be great chaos, which will inevitably affect Yellow Dragon City."

Xu Xuan gasped inwardly. It seemed that practitioners like Immortal Diviners feared a world at peace; only in times of chaos could they truly shine. If Chu Dong’s calculations were correct and a great war was brewing within the cultivation realm over the next twenty years, then insignificant figures like himself would surely be forced to struggle in the torrents of the era.

"A person like Brother Xu, if you remain by the Young Master Zhang’s side, it is not impossible to unify Yellow Dragon in the future." Chu Dong turned his gaze, showing a hint of a smile for the first time as he watched Xu Xuan.

This remark shocked Zhang Feng: "Is this your calculation, Brother Chu? I recall you saying before that I was destined to lose to Dongfang Ba."

Xu Xuan had not expected such high praise from an Immortal Diviner like Chu Dong. As for the earlier prediction about Zhang Feng losing to Dongfang Ba, Xu Xuan felt it held merit. Zhang Feng was benevolent and kind, lacking the ruthless, decisive spirit needed for conquest—in these aspects, he fell far short of Dongfang Ba.

"Heavenly secrets are hard to fathom." Chu Dong shook his head solemnly. "Even a Master of the Spirit Refining Stage has never brought me such friction in my calculations. Brother Xu is the first person I have encountered in this life who has done so."

Xu Xuan did not expect his existence to cause such a hurdle for Chu Dong. Was he merely an insignificant person, or had he embarked on a mysterious and unpredictable path since the awakening of his past life's memories?

"Brother Chu overpraises. I seek only the peak of the Great Dao, and even if I encounter the strife of a chaotic world, I have no interest in it." Xu Xuan expressed his intent tactfully. Pursuing the peak of the Dao, the mysterious Immortal River, and solving the enigma of his past life were his true wishes. His main goals in staying in Yellow Dragon City were survival and the destruction of the Dongfang family.

Chu Dong smiled noncommittally. "The essence of war in the cultivation world is the redistribution of existing resources. Once large-scale war breaks out, no force or individual can fully escape it. If one can unify Yellow Dragon, they can seize all resources for thousands of miles. If one can unify the 'Six Cities of Fangtian,' they can command the best resources within ten or twenty thousand miles. If one can unify the entire Kunyun Kingdom, they could possess the resources of an entire nation. With countless treasures and oddities to assist, even someone with mediocre talent could easily step onto the path beyond the Golden Core stage."

Chu Dong's words made Xu Xuan grow wary; this man had such grand ambition and vision.

"By that logic..." Chu Dong took a deep breath. "Suppose someone could rule the entire Little Fish Realm; even a person with waste spiritual roots, aided by infinite resources and the destiny of a world, would have a chance to reach the peak and become a legendary, immortal, and supreme figure."

As these words were spoken, not only was Xu Xuan startled, but Zhang Feng was also deeply shocked. He thought to himself that Chu Dong rarely revealed his inner thoughts, yet he had spoken so freely upon meeting Xu Xuan.

"Do you not believe it?" Chu Dong returned to his calm, inscrutable state.

Zhang Feng shook his head; he could not answer. To him, cultivation was a gradual process that required a certain level of foundation.

"I believe it, Brother Chu, but you should also believe that this is merely a far-fetched dream." Xu Xuan smiled and nodded slightly. With his memories of the past life, he knew Chu Dong’s words were not mere empty talk. With endless cultivation treasures and resources, nothing was impossible. Slow cultivation speed could be accelerated; insufficient cultivation levels could be patched and consolidated; even poor talent could be replaced with heaven-defying spiritual pills. The prerequisite was having access to infinite cultivation resources and the spiritual essence of heaven and earth.

Chu Dong did not dwell further on the topic of cultivation wars, instead pivoting to gossip and strange occurrences in Yellow Dragon City and the Fangtian region. As time passed, the number of guests arriving at the Zhang residence grew, and the courtyard became increasingly crowded.

At that moment, a voice rang out from outside:

"Young Master Dongfang presents: one crystal-rare stone, one top-tier magical artifact, one jin of superior refined silkworm silk, and 880,000 Spirit Yuan coins to celebrate Miss Zhang’s sixteenth birthday!"

The entire courtyard of the Spirit Mansion fell silent for a moment before erupting back into noise.

"Dongfang Ba! He came too?" Many disciples of the Zhang family were secretly alarmed.

"Hahaha... I have presented such a generous gift, yet the Zhang family does not even send a proper person to welcome me?" Dongfang Ba laughed loudly, his gaze turning cold as he stared at the nearby servant, who trembled under the powerful aura of the Spirit Refining master. He stood at the entrance of the Spirit Mansion, unmoving, flanked by a man and a woman, with a gaunt old man trailing behind him.

Because of this, other guests dared not enter or exit. The arena fell deathly silent. Was Dongfang Ba here to cause trouble on purpose?

"Brother Xu, Brother Chu... let us go down." Zhang Feng snorted, calling the others to head downstairs.

*Whoosh!*

Several figures leaped directly from the Spirit Mansion, causing a commotion. The arrivals were none other than Zhang Feng, Xu Xuan, and Chu Dong.

"Dongfang Ba, if you are here to cause trouble, the Zhang family would not mind returning your gifts." Zhang Feng confronted him directly, his voice filled with righteous indignation.

"With Young Master Zhang coming to welcome me personally, the weight and sincerity are naturally sufficient." Dongfang Ba smiled faintly, his eyes sweeping over to Xu Xuan with a hint of a sinister expression. "Tsk tsk, all old friends here."

Facing Dongfang Ba’s provocative look, Xu Xuan’s expression remained unchanged. However, when his gaze fell upon the man and woman behind Dongfang Ba, his face suddenly darkened. That man and woman were none other than Yang Xiaoqian and Senior Brother Wei, who had gone missing earlier.