"Before the Nine Swords invited me to this land of opportunities, I did indeed perform some divinations. I knew this path was fraught with peril, even with the risk of death. However, within those divinations, I also found an opportunity for a breakthrough. If I could seize it, I would soar to unprecedented heights thereafter."
True Monarch Tian Hua shook his head and gave a wry smile. Although he had indeed broken through to the Nascent Soul stage with the help of the Dao Discussion Array this time, he had also become a servant. He would have to remain under Zhang Fan's command for a thousand years before regaining his freedom.
"It seems you indeed have some talent in divination. At the very least, you have now broken through to the Nascent Soul stage," Xue Jing said with a smile.
The path of divination was inherently ephemeral, something that could not be acquired through cultivation. The future was unpredictable, and even the slightest glimpse could be of immense help on the path of cultivation.
"Since that's the case, can True Monarch Tian Hua divine what dangers we might encounter on our journey to the Wu Shan Star Domain?" Lin Hao Tian suddenly asked curiously.
Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up. Most of them had already set foot in the starry sky, and apart from anticipation for their cosmic voyage, they were also extremely cautious. If True Monarch Tian Hua could perform a divination, it would undoubtedly bring them considerable peace of mind.
True Monarch Tian Hua shook his head and replied, "Divination is not as simple as you imagine. Thorough preparation is necessary before one can divine. Moreover, our departure date is undecided, and many conditions remain uncertain. Even if I were to divine, the result would only be chaos."
Zhang Fan nodded. While he was not adept at divination, he had a considerable understanding of the art. "In that case, you shall begin your preparations tomorrow. We will set our departure date for three months from now."
The three-month period would not only allow True Monarch Tian Hua to prepare in advance but also give Zhang Fan time to make arrangements for others who intended to leave Earth.
In Zhang Fan's plan, the journey to the Wu Shan Star Domain would take at least ten years for them to return. For them, the most important matter was how to explain their departure to their families.
While Zhang Fan had many relatives and friends on Earth, there were few he truly cared for, allowing him to face this separation calmly.
Xue Jing and Ai Le Bei La had few attachments either. Their Blood Clan held immense power on Earth. Currently, the three great Blood Clan princes were all formidable cultivators who had inscribed Golden Core Dao Runes, and their clans boasted countless God Realm and Holy Realm powerhouses, leaving them with no worries.
As for the Unfettered Sword Immortal, it was unnecessary to mention. Having cultivated to his current level, his friends and family had long since passed away. The only thing that sustained him now was the pursuit of deeper Dao.
As for Lin Hao Tian, he and his sister had relied on their grandmother since childhood. Now, he was about to leave Earth for the Wu Shan Star Domain, a journey that would last at least ten years. It was possible that by the time he returned to Earth, his grandmother would no longer be alive.
Therefore, this three-month period was exceptionally important to him.
Qin Luoshui had also returned to the Qin family. Although the wedding ceremony between Qin Luoshui and Zhang Fan had been interrupted by the intrusion of extraterrestrial cultivators, everyone recognized that the Qin family and the Zhang family had already formed an alliance.
With Zhang Fan as their backing, the Qin family's position in Yanjing was immensely stable. Even if she were not present, there would be little to worry about.
...
Three months later, all those who were to depart had returned to the island in the lake. At the same time, Lin Yun learned that Zhang Fan would be leaving today and had come to see them off.
"Tian Hua, begin!"
Zhang Fan and his group stood before the Golden Light Immortal Mansion on the island in the lake, gazing at True Monarch Tian Hua, who was sitting cross-legged on the Azure Waves Lake, and spoke.
True Monarch Tian Hua, clad in a white robe, stood tall with an air of scholarly refinement. Upon hearing Zhang Fan's words, he did not reply but let out a gentle breath.
With a casual wave of his hand, thirteen silver-shining pearls materialized around True Monarch Tian Hua. These were the Array-Breaking Pearls he had condensed using his divine sense.
Before breaking through to the rank of Array Master, True Monarch Tian Hua could only condense a maximum of seven Array-Breaking Pearls. However, after achieving the status of Heaven-grade Array Master and forming a silver Nascent Soul, the number of Array-Breaking Pearls he could control increased to thirteen.
This near doubling in quantity was sufficient to demonstrate the immense improvement in True Monarch Tian Hua's mastery of array formations. The Array-Breaking Pearls, which were previously multi-colored, now shone with a dazzling silver hue.
Every cultivator skilled in divination had their own unique methods. Some artifact masters divined through forging, some alchemists through pill refinement, and others used textual analysis. Any method that could help a cultivator comprehend karma and sense karmic threads was valid.
True Monarch Tian Hua's method of divination involved using Array-Breaking Pearls. The nearly doubled number of these pearls had indeed made him significantly more potent in his divinatory endeavors.
Thirteen silver Array-Breaking Pearls floated before True Monarch Tian Hua like stars.
"Rise!"
With a soft shout from True Monarch Tian Hua, nine beams of light erupted from the lake water around him, soaring towards the heavens.
Bright silver light intertwined on the nine beams of light, connecting them and completely enveloping True Monarch Tian Hua within.
"What formation is this?"
Upon seeing this formation, even the Unfettered Sword Immortal felt his divine sense on the verge of leaving his body, constantly drawn towards the formation.
Zhang Fan's vast divine sense spread out, suppressing the urge in everyone's minds, and he said, "This is a Heaven-grade illusion array. Through this illusion array, Tian Hua can induce a peculiar state within himself to comprehend karmic threads."
Although Zhang Fan was not skilled in divination, he had encountered many powerful cultivators in this art and understood some of its intricacies.
"As expected of a True Monarch who was renowned even during his Nascent Soul stage."
Lin Yun stood nearby, marveling. Even though he had now broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, before even being enveloped by the illusion array, he felt his divine sense significantly affected. If he were trapped within it, he would likely possess no power of resistance.
The thirteen silver Array-Breaking Pearls were arranged like chess pieces before True Monarch Tian Hua. As True Monarch Tian Hua's hand gestures changed, the pearls also shifted.
In the eyes of Zhang Fan, Xue Jing, and the others, they only saw the pearls constantly moving, their speed increasing, without discerning any other profound mysteries.
However, within True Monarch Tian Hua's mind, potential major future events were being divined and replayed over and over again.
As time passed, the sun began to set, and the afterglow reflected on the Azure Waves Lake, turning the water into golden ripples.
"Pfft!"
Suddenly, two Array-Breaking Pearls collided violently, transforming into a shower of silver light. True Monarch Tian Hua's complexion instantly turned flushed, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
True Monarch Tian Hua opened his eyes and gazed in Zhang Fan's direction, his eyes still filled with shock.
After a long while, his complex emotions slowly subsided. True Monarch Tian Hua waved his hand, dispelling the illusion array, and walked across the water's surface back onto the island.
...