Library of Heaven’s Path 2: Eternal Destiny

Vol 2 Ch 54: The Second Realm of Destiny

The duel ended in a draw, with some celebrating and others filled with worry. Zhang Xuan, supported by several subordinates from the black market, returned to his room.

"How's Elder Ling?"
Fu Yingying glanced over nervously.
An expert who had comprehended the second stage of Destiny was of great help to her. If she could establish a good relationship, it wouldn't be impossible for her to return to her sect.

"I'm fine..." Zhang Xuan replied, "Miss Fu, I'd like to purchase some Destiny Disks. How many do we have left in the black market?"

Fu Yingying didn’t decline: "Although the black market doesn’t have too many left, we’ve accumulated them over the years. You can take however many you want."
After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xuan said, "Then I’ll buy 100."
The chubby man was none other than Sun Qiang, who had arranged the wager for the draw in the duel. Now, Fu Yingying was offering a low price for 100 Destiny Disks, which only cost 200 million Source Coins. With the profits from a duel, that was nothing to worry about.

"100?" Fu Yingying’s pupils shrank, and she looked awkwardly at him. "Our black market can’t provide that many at once. I could manage in three months... but... "
She had expected him to request no more than a dozen or twenty at most, but now he asked for a hundred...

Who, in their right mind, would buy twenty and then suddenly ask for a hundred?

The Destiny Energy in the Destiny Disks was purified, pure energy that would greatly benefit Destiny Masters, but it couldn’t be eaten like food. Buying too much wouldn’t help much either.

"Three months? Too long!"
Not understanding her thoughts, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Then, how many can you provide now?"

Fu Yingying pondered for a moment and said, "At most, 50."

"Fine, give me fifty," Zhang Xuan said. "If you trust me, I’ll send over one hundred million Source Coins shortly…"

Fu Yingying smiled, "With Elder Ling’s strength, becoming the Vice Hall Master is a done deal, so I naturally trust you!"
One hundred million Source Coins was a huge amount, but for a Vice Hall Master of Destiny Hall, there would always be opportunities to earn it back, so it wasn’t too difficult.

Zhang Xuan let out a breath of relief. "Thank you..."
Since the formation of the Mo Dao Destiny, the consumption of Destiny Energy had been enormous. Fifty Destiny Disks, which contained fifty thousand units of Destiny Energy, seemed like a lot, but once used, they would be exhausted in no time.

They might not even be enough for his Mo Dao Destiny Realm to reach the third stage.
Just earlier, he had learned from Fu Yingying about the so-called realms. Only by understanding the Destiny of the Destiny Hall and entering a higher realm could one break through the shackles of cultivation and become a higher-level Destiny Master.

Taking Mo Baiye from the Mo Dao Sect as an example, to become a three-star Destiny Master, one’s understanding of Destiny had to reach the third realm, the Knowing Fate Realm.
The first three realms of Destiny were: Searching Fate, Recognizing Fate, and Knowing Fate.

With this in mind, Zhang Xuan began to have some guesses about the Mo Dao Water Flow in the Library.
Fifty thousand units of Destiny Energy formed the Searching Fate Realm, where one found and controlled their own Destiny. This realm seemed somewhat similar to someone like Yu Qingyu.
After absorbing another fifty thousand units, the Searching Fate Realm would be completely stabilized, somewhat like Ling Buyang’s level.
After absorbing a further hundred thousand, the realm would break through to the Recognizing Fate Realm, where Destiny was acknowledged, and both strength and control over Destiny would improve.
Once reaching this stage, there were no more barriers in cultivating the Source Pool Ninefold and advancing to higher realms. As long as time passed and the necessary accumulation was made, success was guaranteed.

In others’ eyes, at this moment, Zhang Xuan was already a master who had surpassed the Source Pool Ninefold and deserved due respect.

After waiting a while, they delivered the 50 Destiny Disks. Zhang Xuan was satisfied and stored them in the New World.

Just after collecting the Destiny Disks, a subordinate entered the room and approached Fu Yingying, lowering his voice.
"Miss, that chubby man has already left the black market… Seven groups of people are quietly following him."

"Good, keep tracking him. Report anything you find immediately…" Fu Yingying nodded.
"Understood!" The subordinate turned and left.

Zhang Xuan had accomplished his objective, and there was no need to stay any longer. Struggling to stand up, he cupped his fists. "Miss Fu, I’ll take my leave now. If anyone wants to duel again, please help me set it up in advance..."

Fu Yingying’s lips twitched.
Helping him arrange a duel once had almost caused the black market to go bankrupt. If she did it again, she might end up losing her shirt.
She smiled awkwardly, not dwelling on this issue, and with a flirtatious gaze, said, "Elder Ling’s injuries aren’t light. How about staying the night... so I can take care of you?"

"No need…" Zhang Xuan shook his head, rejecting her offer.
"Then I’ll send you off..."

Fu Yingying waved her hand, and Steward Chen stepped forward. "Elder Ling, this way, please..."

Zhang Xuan said nothing further and followed Steward Chen out.

Not long after, Steward Chen returned to the room, his face full of confusion.
Fu Yingying was displeased. "Didn’t I tell you to send Elder Ling off? Why are you back so soon?"

Steward Chen replied, "Miss, I did send him off. He said he urgently needed to use the restroom as soon as he left. Then... after waiting a while, he never came back. That’s when I realized he had disappeared."

"Was he afraid I’d take advantage of his weakness and send someone to hunt him?"
Fu Yingying looked slightly upset.
She had kindly sent someone to escort him, hoping he wouldn’t be harmed and that no one would scheme against him, but he didn’t appreciate it and sneaked off.

"Probably not…" Steward Chen shook his head.
Fu Yingying looked at him. "Why do you say that?"

Steward Chen explained, "When that chubby man was leaving, he left an envelope for me, saying I should open it personally after Elder Ling had left. After Elder Ling left, I opened it, and inside was exactly one hundred million Source Coins!"

"That chubby man? One hundred million Source Coins?"
Fu Yingying froze for a moment, then realized, "That means that chubby man is actually working for Elder Ling? Could it be that horse?"

A sudden memory surged into her mind.
After leaving Li Yue'an’s courtyard, Elder Ling had called over a horse and given several instructions. At the time, she had thought nothing of it, but now it seemed like it was to inform the chubby man to place the bet.

The horse not only brought the man but also delivered the message precisely... Was this real?

"Now it seems he really is one of Elder Ling’s people. However, I don’t understand how this man could be so sure it would end in a draw…" Steward Chen still looked puzzled.

Fu Yingying smiled wryly. "It’s simple. Who wins, who loses, or whether it’s a draw, all of it is under the control of Ling Buyang."

Steward Chen froze. "He controls it? Could he control Prince Qianye’s breakthrough and his own breakthrough?"

Fu Yingying shook her head. "Prince Qianye’s breakthrough may not be fully controllable, but it’s certain that Ling Buyang’s strength is far beyond what he’s shown. His so-called breakthrough could just be a feint!"

"This..."
Steward Chen’s pupils contracted sharply.
If comprehending the second stage of Destiny is just a feint, then how strong must his true strength be?

Far from the black market, aboard a small boat, Sun Lianxiang looked at her husband, who was injured but not fatally harmed, and let out a sigh of relief. "Thankfully, Elder Ling just broke through and still hasn’t fully mastered his power. Otherwise, the prince would have been severely injured or perhaps never recovered..."

Hearing this, Han Qianchou, who was standing at the bow of the boat, let out a mocking laugh. "You really think Ling Buyang couldn't kill Qianye?"

"Isn’t that the case?" Sun Lianxiang was taken aback.

"Of course not!"
Han Qianye, struggling to sit up, shook his head gravely. "If he wanted to kill me, I would have been dead long ago. The reason it ended in a draw is that he deliberately allowed it. And the only reason I could break through is because he helped me..."

"This..." Sun Lianxiang looked utterly incredulous.
Helping your opponent break through and still sparing their life during the battle... How strong must this Elder Ling be?

"If he’s really that powerful, he could have just won, there was no need for a draw, and no need to make it look flawless and undetectable."

Han Qianchou smiled faintly. "You’re right. The chubby man who sold the information earlier was his subordinate. According to the information I received, this person bet three million Source Coins on a draw."

"A pre-battle bet on a draw means they were 100% certain it would end like that..."

Sun Lianxiang’s pupils constricted.
What kind of confidence and strength would that require?

"Elder Ling’s cultivation level has far exceeded our expectations, but that might not be a good thing. After killing Feng Zhaoting and making a breakthrough in the second stage of Destiny, his cultivation hasn't advanced further. People who want to kill him will definitely not be few. We’ll have to wait and see."

Waving his hand, Han Qianchou stopped speaking.
He then jumped off the boat. Sun Qiang disembarked as well and rode a swift horse, rushing ahead.

He seemed to know he was being followed, and did not dare to hesitate.
The horse was incredibly fast, covering several miles in just the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Just as he thought he was in the clear, suddenly, with a "bang," an arrow appeared in front of him.

The arrow carried immense force. Sun Qiang, using his spiritual energy, hurriedly blocked it. However, with a "thud," he was knocked off his horse and sent tumbling to the ground.

"A Source Pool Ninefold expert?" Sun Qiang’s face turned grim.

"Not too bad..."
A faint voice echoed from the distance, and a young scholar slowly walked out from the end of the road.

Sun Qiang spun around and tried to retreat, only to find that the path he had just passed was blocked by a limping old man holding a wine gourd. He looked like an old drunkard, though Sun Qiang could tell from the lack of aura that this man was no ordinary person.

"Since we’re all here for the three million Source Coins, how about you all show yourselves?"
Seeing that he couldn’t escape, the old man took a sip of wine, sealed the bottle, and smiled.

Huff, huff, huff!
On both sides of the street, five figures emerged.

One was a middle-aged Taoist nun, two were black-clad figures with veils over their faces, one was a bald, burly man, and the last was an elderly man with greenish beard.
These five were also powerful experts, all likely at the Source Pool Ninefold level.