Chapter 463: Chapter 455: Both a Blessing and a Curse

As Judge Cui left, Master Tang and the others remained in shock, unable to regain their composure for a long time.

“I’ve forgotten to ask about my lifespan,” bemoaned Yan Qishan with some regret.

Qin Liuxi glanced sidelong at him: “What good would asking do? Even if you learned of your fortune, it would be fine if it’s auspicious, but if not, it’d only trouble your mind, wouldn’t it?”

Yan Qishan was startled and chuckled awkwardly: “I was being silly.”

Master Tang said with a hint of envy: “Judge Cui already said the Yan family has a great destiny. Now that you have an ancestor who has become a god, as long as the Yan family behaves, wealth and prosperity for another hundred years is a given, not to mention your health.”

“That’s not necessarily the case. If he doesn’t take care of himself, even with the protection of his ancestors, it can’t guarantee his longevity,” Qin Liuxi said. “This applies to everyone in the Yan family. The blessing of your ancestors is to help the family flourish and be fortunate, but if you encounter an unworthy descendant who squanders the family’s fortune, there’s nothing to be done. Another point is that even upon becoming an immortal or a god, one can’t intervene in the mortal world – the Heavenly Dao wouldn’t allow it.”

A chill ran through everyone as they took his words as both a reminder and advice.

Yan Qishan said, “I’ll remember what you’ve said.”

Tai Qing then spoke up, “Should we go find Marquis of Wind now?”

“Marquis of Wind” was the courtesy name used by Yan Conghe during his life.

Yan Qishan and the others were taken aback and hesitated, “Traveling to Yuhang is a long journey, and with the cold winter upon us, the new year is just more than ten days away. The roads won’t be easy to traverse.”

He truly wanted to pay respects to their renowned ancestor, to see if the old man was indeed there, but the reality was not permissive.

Tai Qing looked eagerly at Qin Liuxi, “You’ve accepted the fortune-telling fee.”

Worried that Qin Liuxi might find it difficult, Yan Qishan suggested, “How about we set off early tomorrow? But we can only travel overland.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Qin Liuxi said, checking the time. “There’s a priority in everything, and I can’t possibly accompany you on a long journey to Yuhang by land. I’ll just get you a ride.”

A ride?

“We’ll take the path used by ghost messengers.”

Everyone: “?”

Chen Pi explained what it meant to take the Yin Road, making everyone shiver with cold and yet feel extraordinarily excited.

“You don’t have to go. I can just take her,” Qin Liuxi looked at Master Tang and the others, “After all, it’s not exactly good fortune for the living to walk the Yin paths.”

“Would walking the Yin Road be bad for the body?”

“Of course, what is the Yin Road? It’s meant for yin souls. There are lots of Wandering Ghosts there, roaming in the state they died — decapitated, dismembered, disemboweled — let’s not talk about that. If a living person were to walk among them, they would attract attention. Those with weak constitutions and lighter life energies could become possessed. And walking the Yin Road can leave yin energy lingering in the body.”

Thinking of such scenes, Master Tang and the others turned as pale as Tai Qing.

“But with you there, it wouldn’t be a problem, right?” Jiang Wenliu ventured to say.

Qin Liuxi’s eyebrows danced playfully, “Of course, naturally.”

“Let’s give it a try then,” Yan Qishan’s eyes lit up.

After making some calculations, Qin Liuxi said to Jiang Wenliu, “Once we’re in Yuhang, you can return to the capital from there to take the exam. There’s a cold wave this year, and the roads to the capital will be tough to travel. If you were to go back from here, you wouldn’t make it on time.”

Jiang Wenliu was startled.

Master Tang spoke, “Qiong Zhang, since that’s the case, you should heed Little Xi’s advice. Once you reach Yuhang, hurry back to the capital. Otherwise, after the new year, you’ll have to wait another three years.”

Yan Qishan also agreed, “But by that time, we’ll need to find a travel merchant to join the caravan, and can only let them slowly escort our luggage.”

“I will heed my teacher’s advice,” Jiang Wenliu replied, and then bowed to Qin Liuxi, “Thank you, Junior Temple Master, for the guidance.”

“We’ll continue our journey at the hour of Zi (between 11pm and 1am),” Qin Liuxi ordered Chen Pi to take Jiang Wenliu to find the servants and made arrangements, then asked Wan Ce to prepare some food for Master Tang and his group to eat, before arranging for them to rest in the Daoist Room. She herself went to prepare other items.

Once Yan Qishan and his companions sat down in the Daoist Room, they immediately felt the difference. The energy in this room was especially comforting, as if their fatigue had been swept away in an instant. Looking at the rune engravings and the Heart Sutra on the walls, they couldn’t help but sigh.

“This young lady is so young, yet possesses such extraordinary abilities, truly making us feel inferior,” Yan Qishan sincerely praised.

Master Tang stroked his beard proudly, “My student is not inferior to Qiong Zhang, right?”

“Of course not, each of them is on a different path, and it’s not an exaggeration to say each has their own strengths,” said Yan Qishan.

Master Tang agreed with this statement.

In terms of medical skills and expelling evil, Qin Liuxi was proficient; but when it came to scholarship, she definitely couldn’t compare to Jiang Wenliu.

Everyone’s field of study was different, so their paths were naturally different too.

“This trip has been worthwhile,” Master Tang said to his friend, envy clear in his eyes.

Yan Qishan’s eyes shone as he said, “Even I couldn’t have imagined that becoming immortal or a god, aren’t these things only found in legends? Before the establishment of Da Feng, the Emperor Ning of the Dayu Dynasty also did unspeakable things in pursuit of longevity and still couldn’t escape death from illness. But now, the Yan Family has produced a Water God. Old Tang, pinch me, am I dreaming?”

All of this felt like a dream.

In just one day, his entire world had been turned upside down. He had lived more than fifty years before witnessing the existence of another world, and now he knew there was an ancestor in his family who had become a god.

Perhaps this god was cultivated from a ghost and was not quite eminent, but it was still a god with worshipers.

Seeing the infatuation in his eyes, Master Tang pinched him hard, “Does it hurt?”

Yan Qishan chuckled foolishly, “It hurts.”

“That’s good, then. Keep your joy under control,” Master Tang straightened his expression, “Having such great destiny in the family is a blessing, but if mishandled, it could also be a curse. Zhongqing, you must be mindful and not show your joy openly.”

Yan Qishan’s smile faded, “What do you mean?”

“Our scholarly family is unlike those noble families rich in rank and wealth, but we also have a deep heritage, and having disciples all over isn’t an exaggeration. And who can compete with scholars in wielding their pens like swords? Just think, such a family possessing great destiny and having an ancestor who became a god as in legends — if this were to spread, what turmoil would it stir up?” Master Tang caressed the talisman at his waist, speaking indifferently, “When it comes to being blessed with great destiny and seeking longevity, who wouldn’t want that? The one at the top desires it most!”

Yan Qishan followed his gaze as he raised his index finger to point at the sky. The excitement in his eyes dissipated, replaced with solemnity.

He was no fool; he naturally grasped the deeper meaning of these words.

No emperor doesn’t desire immortality. If the emperor genuinely knew how favorable the Yan Family’s destiny was, perhaps before the new year arrives, the Yan Family’s daughter would be summoned to enter the Palace as a concubine, and if taken more seriously, perhaps they would elevate her to the Phoenix Position. At that point, the destiny that brought the Yan Family fortune would not be a blessing but a vortex of power that could crush them.

“Teacher speaks wisely,” Qin Liuxi and Jiang Wenliu, not knowing how long they had been listening at the door, walked in and said to Yan Qishan, “Another thing is, besides the royal family, there are many noble families in the world. Mr. Yan, this thing called destiny can be changed or stolen. Once replaced, can you imagine?”

Yan Qishan felt numb.