The deduction concluded, and True Monarch Tianhua appeared utterly exhausted. Zhang Fan could sense that the True Monarch’s divine sense had suffered considerable damage.
"Tianhua, what were the results of the deduction?" Xue Jing stepped forward, asking curiously.
Although his divine sense was injured, True Monarch Tianhua showed little outward sign of distress. He glanced at Zhang Fan before speaking slowly, his tone grave, "Our journey to the Wushan Starfield is fraught with peril. However, I could not glean the outcome. The path ahead is a complete fog, filled with unknowns. This is the first time I have encountered such a situation."
"Fraught with peril?"
"A complete fog?"
The others were bewildered by True Monarch Tianhua's words, unsure what this answer implied.
Lin Yun, standing by, grew solemn upon hearing True Monarch Tianhua's statement. With the current strength of Zhang Fan's group—two Nascent Soul cultivators, several top-tier Golden Core realm experts, and Zhang Fan leading the expedition—they could be considered a dominant force even within the Wushan Starfield. Yet, True Monarch Tianhua spoke of peril on their journey. What kind of enemy could pose such a threat?
"With each deduction, I choose to probe within the limits of my ability. If the strength of the individual being probed exceeds mine too greatly, or if they possess immense destiny, I find it difficult to discern anything. Forcing the deduction would undoubtedly result in a backlash," True Monarch Tianhua explained.
The art of deduction had its limitations. True Monarch Tianhua had not yet weathered his first Nascent Soul tribulation, meaning he could only probe cultivators up to the Fourth Tribulation Nascent Soul stage. The stronger the individual, the weaker the karmic threads he could perceive, making deduction increasingly difficult. A True Immortal in the Transcending Tribulation stage standing before him would leave him unable to sense any karma. Similarly, individuals born with great destiny, protected by the world's fortune, were also challenging to probe.
However, among those present, he and Xue Jing were the highest in cultivation, both having only formed their Nascent Souls and not yet passed the first tribulation. With his current achievements in deduction, he should have been able to find an answer. Yet, during the deduction, he realized he had focused only on their strength, failing to consider that one among them possessed immense destiny.
Zhang Fan nodded gently, confirming his own suspicions. Destiny, like karma, was an ethereal and intangible concept, invisible and unmeasurable. However, all cultivators believed in its existence. Since Zhang Fan had condensed two first-grade Golden Cores, his path of cultivation had diverged entirely from that of others. To achieve two first-grade Golden Cores required not only talent and fortune but also immense destiny. This was the only explanation for how the Zi Wu Yuan Fruit had transformed into his second Nascent Core at the critical moment.
"I understand. Tianhua, take good care of yourself. We will depart in three days," Zhang Fan said, nodding. He knew in his heart that the journey to the Wushan Starfield would, once again, be fraught with bloodshed.
Three days, aided by some auxiliary spirit pills, would be sufficient for True Monarch Tianhua to fully recover his damaged divine sense within the Golden Light Immortal Mansion.
Three days later, with all preparations complete, the three Blood Clan princes, Lin Yun and several leaders from the Dark Organization, Qin Luoshui's parents, Lin Haotian's sister, and some of Zhang Fan's friends gathered on the lake island to see them off.
"Mom and Dad, don't worry, I'll be back within ten years," Su Yun said with reluctance as they prepared to leave. Zhang Fan could only offer a promise. Ten years was a long time for ordinary people, but for her parents, who had cultivated to the divine realm and lived for centuries, it should be bearable.
"When you return next time, make sure to bring me a grandson!" Zhang Xingan merely said. Zhang Fan could only remain silent to his father's request. As one's cultivation progressed, the difficulty of having offspring increased. He couldn't guarantee that his father would have a grandchild within ten years.
"Don't listen to him. Your safety is paramount. Take care of yourself," Su Yun said, giving Zhang Xingan a glare, and then addressed Zhang Fan.
Similarly, Lin Haotian, Qin Luoshui, Isabella, and others were bidding farewell to their loved ones. Amidst these reluctant goodbyes, Zhang Fan led the group, transforming into streaks of light that shot towards the heavens. In less than a minute, they pierced through the clouds and vanished from sight.
As Zhang Fan departed, those who had come to the lake island to see them off gradually dispersed, filled with anticipation. They wondered what wonders the universe held. Unable to experience it themselves, they could only await their return and hear their tales.
Thus, Zhang Fan, Qin Luoshui, Lin Haotian, Xue Jing, True Monarch Tianhua, Sword Immortal Wuchen, and Isabella, along with the slumbering Blood Demon Flood Dragon in the Golden Light Immortal Mansion—seven people and one beast—finally embarked on their journey to the Wushan Starfield.
Now, the weakest among them had reached the Golden Core realm, capable of traversing the starry sky with their physical bodies. However, the vastness of space required them to rely on a starship. Breaking through the atmosphere and reaching outer space, Zhang Fan waved his hand, and a starship kilometers long materialized before them. Even having witnessed it before, True Monarch Tianhua couldn't help but marvel. Truly, one with great destiny possessed a storage artifact capable of holding such a starship, a rarity even in the Wushan Starfield. Qin Luoshui and Lin Haotian, unfamiliar with starships, were filled with curiosity.
"Let's go inside and take a look," Zhang Fan said with a smile, then led Qin Luoshui into the starship. The starship, over three kilometers long and eight hundred meters wide, offered an expansive interior, feeling like stepping into a miniature future city. Through its viewports, one could see the vast, tranquil, yet mysterious expanse of the cosmos, stirring a sense of longing.
"Tianhua, how long will it take to reach the nearest star system teleportation array from here?" Zhang Fan asked from the starship's cockpit.
"Two million light-years from the Milky Way Galaxy lies a planet called Nangu Star. On Nangu Star, there is a star system teleportation array. With sufficient spatial stones and by continuously utilizing spatial jumps at all costs, it should take a little over three years to arrive," True Monarch Tianhua replied. As his cultivation increased, he could now control the starship to jump longer distances, saving considerable time compared to when he first arrived in the Milky Way.
"In that case, let us depart."
"Destination: Nangu Star!"