Chapter 19: Heaven's Secret

Xu Xian understood that Yu Xuanji was certainly using some illusory arts. However, he could quite empathize; with a face like hers, appearing in the bustling market would undoubtedly cause endless trouble. She was truly a woman of peerless beauty, the kind that could topple cities and nations.

Pan Yu spoke up again to explain their purpose. Xu Xian thought to himself: This kind of social interaction should be left to this guy with a maxed-out charisma attribute. Meanwhile, Xu Xian leisurely sipped the tea on the table while admiring the room's decor. The tea tables and chairs didn't look like anything extraordinary, but they were arranged with such order that they possessed a unique, refined elegance.

The most eye-catching thing in the hall was a large character for "Dao" hanging on the wall. In ordinary Taoist temples, this spot would usually be reserved for deities like the Three Pure Ones or the Four Sovereigns, but here, there was only the single character. He wasn't sure what the significance was.

The conversation between Pan Yu and Yu Xuanji continued, long since straying from its original path. They discussed everything under the sun, from Taoist scriptures to antiques and paintings. For the first time in her life, Pan Yu felt she had met someone who could rival her in erudition.

She couldn't help but glance at Xu Xian beside her. Perhaps only this strange fellow could match them! He was clearly just an ordinary scholar, yet he always came out with strange and brilliant theories she had never heard of before.

And he still owed her a story!

Yu Xuanji noticed Pan Yu’s look, but remained unmoved, taking a light sip of tea. As she lowered her head, she revealed a swan-like, snowy-white neck, exuding a manner that was elegant to the bone.

Xu Xian watched the two "beauties" talk, smile, and praise each other. To an outsider, it might have looked like a mutual attraction between a man and a woman. However, Xu Xian felt a hint of unnaturalness, as if every smile hid a verbal sword-fight. He shook his head, dismissing it as his own delusion.

Pan Yu had been using various topics to test and lead the female Taoist. This was her specialty; the various techniques from the Guiguzi were being fully utilized in her hands. Sometimes she used praise to increase favor, sometimes criticism to shake her target’s resolve. Sometimes they spoke of profound and serious Taoist doctrines, and sometimes of the superficial and casual world of flowers, birds, fish, and insects.

But Pan Yu found to her disappointment that it was useless. The other woman’s eyes remained clear and her aura remained steady; she was clearly not someone who could be swayed by words.

So, she finally reined in her mood and came back to her senses, only to see that Xu Xian had already finished half the snacks on the table and drank half a pot of tea.

She sighed with a smile in her heart. Wasn't this one also someone who couldn't be moved by words? Moreover, his honesty and directness made people involuntarily let go of all artifice and interact with him with the same sincerity.

Yu Xuanji said with a smile, "It seems Young Master Xu likes my tea cakes very much?" In her speech, she simply referred to herself as "I," rather than using the term "this poor Taoist" like common monastics.

Xu Xian quickly swallowed the snack in his mouth and praised, "They're delicious! Whoever marries you will be very lucky." At noon, he had been too busy chatting with Li Siming to eat, and he was hungry. The snacks on the table were fragrant without being greasy, suiting his palate perfectly. Paired with the delicate scent of chrysanthemum tea, he had unknowingly worked up quite an appetite.

However, such a common modern compliment was highly inappropriate when addressed to an ancient person, especially a woman of the cloth. Xu Xian realized his slip of the tongue as soon as the words left his mouth, but fortunately, Yu Xuanji didn't look angry. Instead, she said, "I'm glad. If you like them, you are welcome to come and sit a while more often."

Pan Yu frowned deeply. This woman appeared profound and mysterious, yet she seemed to favor Xu Xian significantly. Even showing her true face to them seemed to be because of a single sentence from Xu Xian. But if one were to say that Yu Xuanji had developed mundane romantic feelings, Pan Yu would be the first to disbelieve it. As for the specific reason, she couldn't figure it out either.

Could Xu Xian really be destined for the Tao? This thought suddenly popped into Pan Yu's mind, and she then laughed at herself. How could she believe such an absurd thing?

"Taoist Master, it is getting late. We won't disturb you further today. About the First Snow Festival?" Pan Yu rose to take her leave, stating the purpose of their visit.

Yu Xuanji took a letter from her sleeve and said, "The date is inside the letter."

Pan Yu took the envelope and added, "Taoist Master has divine foresight. I wonder if you could read our fortunes for us?" She intentionally ignored the rule of "three divinations a day."

Yu Xuanji also seemed to have forgotten her own rule and said cheerfully, "Why not! You possess an aura of great wealth and nobility, but your Yin energy is too abundant. I fear there are many tribulations in your life. You must proceed with caution."

Any fortune-teller could say things about great wealth and tribulations, but the comment about "excessive Yin energy" caused Pan Yu to tremble inwardly. She maintained a smile while staring intently at Yu Xuanji.

Under her clothes, her body tensed slightly. If the Taoist showed the slightest sign of having seen through her true identity, she would kill her on the spot. However, Pan Yu could find no clues in that calm, smiling face. She could only quietly relax her body, thinking she was perhaps being too nervous.

Xu Xian joined in the fun and asked, "What about mine?"

Yu Xuanji was not as casual as before. She stared intently into Xu Xian's eyes, trying to see the things within his soul through those pupils, which made Xu Xian nervous as well.

After a long time.

"I can't see anything," Yu Xuanji said bluntly, leaving the two of them speechless. All that staring had been for nothing.

Yu Xuanji then laughed and said, "I have exhausted my strength for today. You can come back tomorrow to take another look."

Pan Yu blinked, her lips curling into a smile as she said, "Hanwen, you should come and see her tomorrow!"

Pan Yu and Yu Xuanji looked at each other and smiled, as if sharing some hidden understanding.

Xu Xian felt a sudden chill. What is this bizarre atmosphere? What's with this hostility? Is it my imagination? As I thought, not eating enough at lunch causes hallucinations. Dammit, Li Siming, this is all your fault.

As they were leaving, Xu Xian suddenly asked curiously, "Uh, Taoist Master Yu, can I ask you a question?"

"Oh? What question?"

"Is the child really that old man's?" After Xu Xian said it, he felt a bit embarrassed by his own gossiping. It was only natural for such a question regarding personal privacy to be rejected. Weren't doctors and lawyers in his past life the same?

"Of course not!" Yu Xuanji said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, with no intention of hiding it.

Xu Xian was speechless. What kind of professional ethics is this! And don't overturn your own divination results so quickly!

Xu Xian stammered, "But... but..."

"I was just lying to him!"

She was too direct, and there wasn't a trace of guilt on her face, as if lying was perfectly natural.

Yu Xuanji continued, "Those who seek truth find truth; those who seek illusion find illusion. I'm sure Young Master Pan can understand."

Pan Yu smiled and shook her head, indicating she didn't understand. In this small temple, before this beautiful woman, she seemed to smile much more than usual.

Xu Xian was also silent. If the old Squire were told the truth, it would be another tragedy. The unborn child would certainly never have a chance to be born, the concubine might be beaten to death, and even the Squire himself might suffer unknown consequences in his rage. Between the happiness brought by a lie and the misfortune brought by the truth, which one was truly precious?

Following the path they came in, they passed the same bamboo forest. Only this time, Xu Xian was surprised to find that there was no "forest" at all, only several clusters of tall bamboo scattered in the courtyard. They were simply arranged to hide one another, creating an illusion of endlessness. This time, they only walked for a moment, bypassed a decorative rockery, and arrived at the main gate, exiting the temple. Looking back, it really was just a small Taoist temple.

Inside the temple, Yu Xuanji watched the curling green smoke from the incense burner and fell into thought.

"Master, that Xu Xian was suddenly quite scary, and that Pan Yu is really beautiful! Though still far behind you, Master." The little girl patted her chest, looking like she still had lingering fears. Earlier in the bamboo forest, a sudden wave of scorching energy had almost made her lose control and reveal her true form.

Yu Xuanji lightly tapped the girl's head and smiled. "At such a young age, you've already learned how to brown-nose. Have you finished today's lessons? And how many times have I told you? I am not your master. The methods of my sect cannot be practiced unless one has a great destiny. I am only your temporary guide."

Sun'er shook her head and said, "Sun'er doesn't care about practicing any methods. Sun'er just wants to call you Master! Besides, Sun'er already has several hundred years of life; how can you say I'm at a 'young age'?" She knew in her heart that her brilliant, all-knowing master’s biggest quirk was her love for being a teacher. Of course, the number of students she actually valued was very few.

Yu Xuanji gave a small smile and let her be, instead cautioning, "Neither of those two are ordinary people; do not provoke them lightly. Pan Yu's fate pattern is extremely peculiar, but he seems to have some protective treasure on him, so I could only calculate ten or twenty percent of it. As for that Xu Xian..." She paused, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face. "If I'm not mistaken, he should be your Martial Uncle."

"Huh?" Qingzhu covered her mouth. "Is he the person with the 'great destiny' that Master mentioned?"

"I can't be certain either." Yu Xuanji shook her head slightly.

Qingzhu had followed her for many years, and this was the first time she had seen her look so perplexed. She couldn't help but ask, "Even Master can't be certain?"