Chapter 42: Ask Immortal Pavilion
\nWhen chaos reigned, powerful figures always rose.
\nAmidst the world’s upheaval, the imperial court could no longer maintain control. All manner of strange forces emerged, including countless new clans. Among these were legitimate Immortal Cultivator sects like Jie Ming’s Cold Mountain Temple, and underground factions founded by schemers\u2014such as the Ask Immortal Pavilion once visited by Zuo Meng.
\n_Ask the gods and immortals at Ask Immortal Pavilion: Does the source of immortality exist in this world?_
\nImmortality was humanity’s ultimate desire. Though Ask Immortal Pavilion began as an ordinary organization, shifting high positions and the changing tides transformed it from mere informants into a ruthless entity that pursued immortality through any means.
\nLi Yuanyuan and Jie Nian had spent half a month studying outdoors.
\nBoth successfully awakened their totems during this period, joining the ranks of coveted Immortal Cultivators.
\n\u201cThis is an Immortal Cultivator\u2019s power. When I grow stronger, I\u2019ll ride clouds like Brother Xue!\u201d
\nAfter bidding farewell to Jie Nian, Li Yuanyuan prepared to return to Suzhou for rest and to study her Power of the Totem.
\nHm?
\nShe halted mid-step. The once-bustling market street now lay deserted. Stalls remained, but not a single silhouette could be seen.
\n\u201cMiss Li\u2019s talent is remarkable. Given time, Ascension surely awaits you.\u201d A voice cut through the silence.
\nDust swirled as the wind died, revealing a young man before her.
\n\u201cWho are you?\u201d
\nLi Yuanyuan cautiously channeled her untrained totem energy.
\n\u201cDo you know my father\u2019s status?\u201d
\nAs Suzhou\u2019s governor\u2019s daughter, she usually invoked her father\u2019s authority. But this stranger showed no reaction. He stepped forward, blocking her path while unfolding his fan.
\n\u201cI\u2019m Ding Hao, Ask Immortal Pavilion\u2019s Immortal Master. We invite you to join us.\u201d
\nHe snapped his fan shut, gesturing at the empty street.
\n\u201cYour father\u2019s mortal authority means nothing to Immortal Cultivators. Those ordinary soldiers can\u2019t even perceive me standing here.\u201d
\n\u201cHow did you know I became an Immortal Cultivator?\u201d
\nLi Yuanyuan tensed. Only she and Jie Nian knew about her awakening\u2014and the monk wouldn\u2019t betray her.
\n\u201cAsk Immortal Pavilion transcends mere Jianghu clans.\u201d Ding Hao smirked. \u201cNewly awakened cultivators like you hold no value. We only want your father\u2019s future cooperation.\u201d
\n\u201cMy father\u2019s an ordinary person. I refuse.\u201d
\nBorn into bureaucracy, Li Yuanyuan recognized manipulation. She\u2019d never aid those exploiting her family.
\n\u201cReconsider your answer.\u201d
\nDing Hao\u2019s eyes hardened at her blunt refusal.
\n\u201cNo interest? Let me demonstrate the gap between totem users and true cultivators.\u201d
\nDust hung motionless as eerie winds coalesced, forming four ferocious tigers. Though made of grit, their roars shook the air. Paws cracked stone tiles upon landing.
\n\u201cTotem summoning?\u201d
\nLi Yuanyuan paled. She\u2019d likened totems to martial arts, but this shattered her understanding. Immortal Cultivators operated beyond martial artists\u2019 comprehension.
\n\u201cTigers? This is magic!\u201d Ding Hao sneered. \u201cOur inheritance divides into two: weak totem dabblers like you, and ancient cultivators like me wielding superior arts.\u201d
\nThe dust tigers attacked. Li Yuanyuan barely flinched before claws slammed her shoulder, sending her sprawling.
\n\u201cPathetic!\u201d
\nDing Hao loomed over her, fan in hand. \u201cWhat use are totem weaklings? Who let you refuse me?\u201d He gripped her chin arrogantly.
\n_Swish!_
\nCold steel flashed. Ding Hao jerked back, avoiding a flying knife.
\n\u201cShow yourself!\u201d
\nHis fan flicked. Three remaining tigers lunged left. One shattered a tree trunk thick as two men. Wood splinters flew as the beasts flushed out a stumbling bald figure.
\n\u201cA monk?\u201d
\nDing Hao stared.
\n\u201cMaster Jie Nian! Why are you here?\u201d
\n\u201cI sensed magic nearby.\u201d The martial-trained monk dusted himself off. Recent events\u2014Cold Mountain Temple\u2019s fall, now this\u2014proved his skills useless against supernatural forces. \u201cI tried helping, but his power…\u201d
\n\u201cHelp? Save yourself first!\u201d
\nEnraged by the near-injury, Ding Hao unleashed full power. Dust swarmed as tigers dissolved into a gigantic gray roc.
\nThe colossal bird\u2019s talons ripped downward!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chapter 42: Ask Immortal Pavilion When chaos reigned, powerful figures always rose. Amidst the world’s upheaval, the imperial court could no longer maintain control. All manner of strange forces emerged, including countless new clans. Among these were legitimate Immortal Cultivator sects like Jie Ming’s Cold Mountain Temple, and underground factions founded by schemers\u2014such as the Ask Immortal Pavilion once visited by Zuo Meng. _Ask\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[3],"tags":[],"fcn_genre":[],"fcn_fandom":[],"fcn_character":[],"fcn_content_warning":[],"class_list":["post-1421","fcn_chapter","type-fcn_chapter","status-publish","hentry","category-dreaming-to-become-a-creator"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/fcn_chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_chapter\/1421\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1421"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_genre","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_genre?post=1421"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_fandom","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_fandom?post=1421"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_character","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_character?post=1421"},{"taxonomy":"fcn_content_warning","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tmp.gravitytales.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fcn_content_warning?post=1421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}