Eternal Tale

Chapter 290: Fate Truly Works in Mysterious Ways

As soon as he finished speaking, a white figure approached from a distance. Yu Jingxin appeared to be in his early twenties, dressed in a long white robe with a jade crown atop his head.

With his gentle demeanor and refined appearance, he truly embodied the image of an elegant and unparalleled young master.

Chen Xun smiled as well, walking alongside him. Though their attire differed greatly in quality, Chen Xun’s calm and composed aura matched Yu Jingxin’s effortlessly.

Walking together, they initially seemed mismatched, but upon closer inspection, their companionship felt entirely natural.

“I wonder which generation of the Yu family you belong to, my friend.”

Yu Jingxin’s eyes flickered with curiosity. He had rarely interacted with other Yu family members, so he was unfamiliar with Chen Xun. Bowing respectfully, he introduced himself, “I am Yu Xianfan.”

“I am Chen Xun.”

Chen Xun strolled leisurely alongside him, walking in the morning sunlight. “I’m not a member of the Yu family; I’m just a guard. Last month, I saved a Yu family member from a lion demon.”

“Ah, I see.”

Yu Jingxin nodded, understanding why Chen Xun had such a calm disposition and could mingle with mortals so freely. He had no suspicions; a Nascent Soul stage cultivator could not hide anything from him.

He glanced at Chen Xun a few more times. The latter's aura was somewhat ethereal, devoid of any hostility, unlike that of typical cultivators.

Relying on his Deity Transformation level, Yu Jingxin probed Chen Xun thoroughly. Given the Yu family’s territory, no unfamiliar Deity Transformation cultivator could be present, so he had nothing to fear.

Additionally, a Nascent Soul cultivator could never detect the probing of a Deity Transformation expert.

However, Chen Xun also scanned Yu Jingxin thoroughly, his divine sense completely dominating the exchange, unbeknownst to the latter.

“What does Brother Chen think about the relationship between cultivators and mortals?”

Yu Jingxin addressed him as "Brother" rather than "Daoist," adopting the manner of mortal interactions. “To be honest, I also enjoy buying oranges from the mountain markets.”

“Ah? Hahaha.”

Chen Xun couldn’t help but laugh at Yu Jingxin’s serious expression. “There’s no difference, really. We’re all people. I come from a humble background, and my status has never been noble.”

“Brother Chen is quite an interesting person.”

Yu Jingxin maintained a gentle smile, his eyes reflecting distant memories. “I’ve always felt that the mortal world is much better than the cultivation world.”

Chen Xun nodded earnestly upon hearing this. He couldn’t disagree.

The common people in this world were truly honest and kind-hearted. Even those in the martial world carried a sense of chivalry—well, except for the Bai Xuan Sect.

“Brother Chen thinks so too?” Seeing Chen Xun nod seriously, Yu Jingxin’s smile deepened. “However, after entering the cultivation world, the most common thing I hear is that mortals and cultivators are worlds apart.”

“Brother Yu, your status is different. You come from an ancient cultivation family; your status alone sets you apart.”

Chen Xun laughed lightly, finding the conversation quite relaxing. “You’re not like us wandering cultivators, so you don’t need to be so pessimistic.”

“Yes.”

Yu Jingxin sighed softly. Although his status was noble, he had been shackled by it since birth. “Mortals envy immortals, but immortals also envy mortals.”

This man had a story.

Chen Xun raised an eyebrow. Hearing this from a Deity Transformation expert gave it a different weight.

“Everyone has their own path, just like the old man selling oranges said.”

He pulled an orange from his storage ring and handed it to Yu Jingxin. “Brother Yu, don’t overthink it. Have an orange.”

Yu Jingxin was momentarily stunned, but he accepted the orange and suddenly laughed. “Hehe, thank you, Brother Chen.”

“No need for thanks.”

Chen Xun chuckled as he took out another orange for himself. The two of them strolled down the path, slowly savoring the fruit as if tasting its essence.

After a while.

“Brother Chen, would you like to join me at a teahouse for a drink? My treat,” Yu Jingxin offered.

“I’m on duty, so I can’t leave the Yu family’s territory for now, and besides, I don’t drink.”

Chen Xun waved his hand, producing his herbal tea. “Brother Yu, I only drink health tea.”

“Oh? May I ask why?”

Yu Jingxin raised an eyebrow. It was the first time he had heard of someone who didn’t drink. Brother Chen was indeed a peculiar individual.

“When I was a mortal, my master always said that drinking could hinder one’s medical practice, so he gave me a herbal tea recipe for maintaining my health.”

Chen Xun responded sincerely, his expression earnest. “So, I never touch alcohol, and I must decline your kind offer.”

Yu Jingxin looked at Chen Xun deeply. This person was truly unique. Despite having met countless people, none possessed such character and aura.

“There’s no need to worry about duty.”

Yu Jingxin raised a hand, and a sound-transmission talisman flew off into the distance. “Then, let’s go to a teahouse and listen to some storytelling.”

“Haha, that sounds good.”

Chen Xun laughed heartily. Enjoying such hospitality was always pleasant. “Brother Yu, after you.”

“Please.”

Yu Jingxin’s expression relaxed, feeling fortunate to have met someone he could relate to within the Yu family. They never spoke about the cultivation world, only indulging in light-hearted conversations.

Their figures gradually disappeared down the path as they walked towards the city, engrossed in their conversation.

In the following days, Chen Xun continued his duty honestly, collecting his monthly salary, and no one gave him any trouble. He secretly investigated information regarding Long Guan within the Yu family.

Yu Jingxin occasionally allowed him to skip work, and the two would go into the city for tea, enjoying a leisurely life. They often bought oranges together at the mountain market.

Yu Jingxin was always generous, paying extra, and even in the teahouse, he gave substantial tips, prompting the storyteller to extend his tales.

Two months later, at night.

The pale moonlight gently bathed the land, illuminating the ceaseless flowing water and igniting the dawn’s first spark.

In a small pavilion under the moon, Yu Jingxin and Chen Xun sat facing each other. Yu Jingxin drank wine while Chen Xun sipped tea.

“Cultivating for a thousand years, yet I have never lived as freely as Brother Chen.”

Yu Jingxin raised his cup to Chen Xun and drank it in one go, then spoke with a deep meaning. “But a person like Brother Chen, I find it hard to believe you’d settle here.”

“Brother Yu is jesting. This place is a haven for wandering cultivators.”

Chen Xun gazed into the distance, sighing. “For us wandering cultivators, merely surviving requires all our strength.”

“After these two months, it seems Brother Chen has long known my identity.”

“Heh, many have already spoken of my luck, saying I encountered the Yu family patriarch.”

Chen Xun remained calm, his eyes showing no surprise, as if he had known Yu Jingxin’s identity all along.

Yu Jingxin thought to himself, “As expected.” Such composure could not belong to an ordinary cultivator, and there was no way Chen Xun was merely a Nascent Soul cultivator.

“What is Brother Chen’s purpose in coming to the Yu family? Perhaps I could be of assistance.”

Yu Jingxin stared at his wine cup, his voice calm but filled with meaning. “Ah, Brother Chen, you are indeed not a simple person. I was blind.”

“To be honest, Brother Yu, I find you quite agreeable.”

“And I you, Brother Chen.”

Yu Jingxin’s warm smile remained, always the refined gentleman. “It seems our meeting was fated. In this world, there are no coincidences.”

Chen Xun smiled but did not respond, instead shifting the topic:

“The Yu family has three patriarchs, but the technique to summon deities is known only by the third patriarch, who has also nurtured a clone named Long Guan.”

“Yes, that is known among the core members of the Yu family.”

“Then, it seems Brother Yu has already guessed my identity.”

“Indeed.”

Yu Jingxin nodded slightly, his eyes distant. “Brother Chen, you are that cultivator from the Forbidden Sea. Heh, fate truly works in mysterious ways.”

As soon as his words fell, the atmosphere grew tense. The entire world seemed to still, as if everything had come to a halt.

The night sky was deep and dark, the moonlight cold, and clouds silently drifted by, observing the two figures in the small pavilion below.