Chapter 3, The Authentic Divination (I)

True divination is not a form of magic, but rather a gift

Xuanlin then informed Chen Zhi about the rules of divination

After Chen Zhi returned from Changbai Mountain, he resumed his ordinary life

Three days later, a girl from Beiliang and a girl from a city on the border of Wu were both gathering mulberry leaves at the border. While they were playing games, the girl from Wu accidentally stepped on and injured the girl from Beiliang

After returning to the Hall of Destiny, the Ghost Blade quickly fell into a state of tranquility

Divination is a very ancient practice, with origins that are obscure and date back to prehistoric times

As the clan leader of the Jiang family, Chen Zhi's personal safety is of utmost importance. Therefore, Gui Dao has been assigned separately to be responsible for ensuring Chen Zhi's safety

From the moment of injuring one's foot while playing a game to the outbreak of large-scale war between two nations, a series of evolving processes has been propelled step by step into an irretrievable situation by an invisible force of death

One must comprehend through one's own insight under the guidance of Xuanlin, rather than relying on Xuanlin to provide direct answers

The Beiliang people took the injured girl to confront the people of Wu. The Wu people spoke disrespectfully, which infuriated the Beiliang people, leading them to kill the Wu man and leave.

Divination is not fortune-telling, but rather a form of prophecy and analysis

Such changes are extremely difficult to describe; perhaps the words of Pan Wei would be the most fitting:

He advised the ruler of the State of Chu to prohibit the women in this area from gathering mulberry leaves, otherwise the capital of Chu would fall due to this matter

She always leans beside Chen Zhi at night, listening quietly

The people of Wu went to Beiliang for revenge, killing the entire family of that Beiliang person. The chief of the Beiliang garrison was enraged, and thus he dispatched troops to retaliate against the people of Wu, killing all the old and young Wu people in the area

Chen Zhi sometimes confides in him about the troubles that weigh on his mind

Before entering the temple, Xuanlin bid farewell to Chen Zhi. He grasped Chen Zhi's hand with a hand that shimmered with spiritual light. Chen Zhi felt that his hand was very warm, akin to the sunlight shining on the heavy snow of Changbai Mountain

The person remains the same as in the past, yet looking at him makes one feel uneasy, as if he should be revered as a high deity. We, the ordinary mortals with our impure senses, should keep our distance from him

This is the irresistible gear in the interconnectedness of all things, also known as fate; therefore, rulers throughout generations have taken celestial omens very seriously

At that time, a shaman diviner happened to enter the Central Plains and passed through the small border town of Beiliang in the State of Chu, where it was the season for mulberry picking, and many young women were there gathering mulberries

However, this ability is not as accurate and convenient as science

Ji Ying and others also stayed by his side, remaining in the Western Qi royal city to await orders

The ruler of the State of Chu laughed heartily, saying that Beiliang was merely a small border town, and how could a mere woman gathering mulberries possibly affect the vast State of Chu

Xuanlin informed Chen Zhi of a story recorded in their Immortal Valley regarding the divination of their Shaman ancestors, which dates back to the Spring and Autumn period of the Han people

Furthermore, divination through the use of the oracle is not something that can be performed at any time; it is generally required that a period of 99 days elapses before it can be conducted again

Is that about the barrier, the one that has allowed the Western Qi to be maintained for thousands of years by Jiang Ziya, a lie?

The diviner foresaw that there would inevitably be a battle marked by the clash of swords in this place, leading to the suffering of the populace and the downfall of the State of Chu

Ning Bin later told Chen Zhi that he had once considered marrying his descendants to the Immortal Valley, in order to closely connect the two sides, but this idea has now been completely abandoned

Since the death of Ji Yang, the current structure of the organization’s warriors has become very clear. The five red-belted warriors have all assumed their positions, taking on their respective responsibilities and tasks

Since the last battle of Fengdu, the Ghost Blade has completely idled, coming to reside with Chen Zhi at the Destiny Hall

As a close attendant of Chen Zhi, Jandi holds a unique position. She is exceptionally gentle and amiable, obediently following Chen Zhi's instructions, and is extremely loyal, so there is no need to worry about her leaking any information

For example, he has been contemplating what exactly should be divined after 99 days

Each divination requires the conduct of a strictly regulated ceremony. The diviner may pose questions, but regardless of the nature of the inquiry, the diviner will not provide a definitive answer, only an ambiguous hint. The remainder must be explored by the inquirer themselves

King Wu of the State of Wu was very angry upon hearing of this matter, and he sent troops to invade the border cities of the State of Chu. After capturing Yi, he then withdrew. As a result, a large-scale conflict broke out between the State of Wu and the State of Chu, ultimately leading to the fall of the Chu capital, Yingdu, with countless casualties.

Rest assured, patriarch, that after the divine intervention, I will do my utmost to alleviate your concerns

In the days that followed, his priest Wu Jia, holding the decree of the Jiang clan, summoned demigods from all over the country, exuding an imposing presence

The ability of Xuanlin to occupy and compensate is a unique talent passed down through generations of the Jurchen divine clan

The term refers to the principle of understanding the significant through the trivial, and the visible through the invisible. It involves inferring future fortunes and misfortunes through means such as tortoise shells, spiritual objects, or astrology, while providing guidance and seeking methods.

Each divination can only answer one question

Although the library still bears the same facade, the fundamental changes occurring from within have made everyone hesitant to approach it

However, this record of the deification will be clearly documented in the family secret history of the Tang family, passed down to his successors for the knowledge of future generations

The matters concerning the interactions with Xianren Valley, as well as the biennial Tai Sui transactions, will continue to follow the ancient methods. At a specific time each year, representatives from Xianren Valley will be sent down to establish contact with the Tang family

During this period, Fat Wei was like an ant with its tail on fire, busy to the point of being overwhelmed every day. He was always on the go, handling a myriad of affairs, and often took black-clad individuals with him to other places to carry out secret missions

He is inherently a reserved person, and his habits remain unchanged as before. Every night, he goes for a night run at Tianhua Mountain, and during the day, he either isolates himself at home or practices his arm muscles in the yard

"占" means to observe, while "卜" refers to the practice of burning turtle shells.

Thus, they disregarded the diviner's advice and did not issue an order to prohibit mulberry picking

It was also from that time that individuals such as Pang Weining, Bin Daguo, and others began to subconsciously maintain a distance from Xuan Lin

From today onwards, the diviner under the divine will is exclusively yours, Chief of the clan

After the deification of Xuanlin, he was invited by the celestial citizens to be enshrined in the temple, transforming the ancient shaman temple from a mere name into the true Changbai Mountain Temple

Asso officially assumed the role of Chief Red Belt Warrior, holding the sword given to him by Ji Yang, and spent his days by Bao Ping's side

He has too many questions in his heart to ask, and he does not know how to choose among them

If Chen Zhi wishes to practice divination, he must possess the ability to comprehend the secrets of heaven

However, divination is often very accurate; the diviner will guide you along a very correct path, and all the connections associated with this path will contribute to your destiny

He said that from the moment he was sealed by Xuanlin, he understood that he and Xuanlin had become people from two different worlds. No matter how close they were in the past, it is best to maintain a distance now

During this period, the one who accompanied Chen Zhi the most, without a doubt, was Xuan Niao Jian Di

As the clan leader, Chen Zhi remained in the Hall of Destiny, watching the sun rise and set, the wind blow and the clouds disperse, contemplating what questions to ask during the first divination and compensation 99 days later

He is no longer the valley spirit that evokes a sense of closeness, but has transformed into another kind of being, capable of communicating with humans, resembling humans in many ways, yet fundamentally different.

After the Investiture of the Gods, Xuanlin has changed significantly

However, deep within his heart, there has always been a question he wanted to ask but dared not to.

In the later stages, Ning Bin no longer easily entered the Immortal Valley, nor did he allow other members of the Tang family to enter.