I Have an Omen System

[Plague Poison Altar Master Qin Xuan, hear this order.]

[Assemble at the Youzhou Prefecture Government Office in three days to consolidate intelligence. There can be no mistakes...]

BOOM!

A grand, indifferent Demonic Sound suddenly exploded in his mind.

Immediately after, a stream of information flooded his thoughts.

"They want me to go find Ji Bochang?"

Qin Xuan instinctively felt this was not a good thing.

The members of the Ji Family were all rotten to the core, full of vile schemes. Following the Holy Sect’s traditions, they were likely cooking up some nasty plot again.

The moment a thought of resistance appeared...

Suddenly, a faint, needle-like pain pricked at his heart.

A crimson Blood Pearl seeped from his skin.

Qin Xuan’s expression changed slightly as he looked down in astonishment.

"Less than a tenth of the resentful energy remains, yet it still has this much power?"

Wisps of black qi began to appear.

He quickly formed a hand seal, and a smooth, translucent golden mirror materialized before him.

Golden light refracted. Sinful Mirror Punishment.

The black qi slowly dissipated.

’Looks like there’s something fishy about this mission report...’

Qin Xuan let out a long, turbid breath.

He had used his Positional Divine Techniques to wear away most of the backlash, yet he still felt uneasy.

If an ordinary Incense Master were to grow defiant, they would probably be tortured into unconsciousness on the spot.

’I’m not going. I’ll just stay put in the Wang Family. Heaven knows what kind of trouble Ji Bochang is stirring up this time.’

Qin Xuan made up his mind.

He would lie low in the Qixing Wang Family until the end of time.

And he needed to be even more vigilant, so as not to fall into a trap.

As his Cultivation improved,

the frequency of the Divination warnings had decreased.

Qin Xuan was almost used to the days without any warnings from his Divinations.

In any case, the backlash from his Divine Techniques had been completely worn away.

The heavens are high and the emperor is far away.

As long as he remained hidden in Thousand Island Lake, it would be a joke for Ji Bochang to even think of finding him.

...

That afternoon, just after Wang Runsheng had finished reporting family matters to Qin Xuan, he turned around and came back with a red invitation in hand.

"What is it?"

Qin Xuan’s gaze was lowered, his entire being exuding a deathly stillness, a decaying aura filling the room.

"Ancestor, the Shen Family sent a message via Spiritual Crane."

Wang Runsheng said in a low voice, "The current Patriarch of the Shen Family, Shen Yuling, has broken through to Foundation Establishment. She invites you, Ancestor, to attend the ceremony."

"Shen Yuling?"

In Wang Zezhou’s memories,

this little girl had appeared more than thirty years ago. Wang Zezhou had even held her at the time.

In terms of seniority, Wang Zezhou could be her great-grandfather.

’Come to think of it, I seem to have snatched my Artifact Refining legacy from the hands of the Shen Family’s Supreme Elder. Taking thirty years just to reach Foundation Establishment... her aptitude isn’t very good. How long did it take me again?’

"Ancestor, in my humble opinion, there is no need for you to go."

Wang Runsheng voiced his concerns.

"The Shen Family must have sent this invitation to probe your current condition, Ancestor."

"If you go, your safety cannot be guaranteed."

Seeing his own ancestor looking increasingly decrepit filled him with a bitter feeling.

Shen Yuling was merely a newly advanced Human Dao Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Wang Zezhou, on the other hand, was at the Third Level of Foundation Establishment.

For him to go and congratulate a wet-behind-the-ears little girl would be a complete inversion of the natural order.

"Ancestor, for your safety, why not let me go and offer congratulations on your behalf?"

"You can remain here to watch over the family."

Wang Runsheng said, putting himself in Qin Xuan’s shoes.

As a fellow Patriarch, his presence alone would be giving the Shen Family enough face.

"Alright."

This arrangement was very much to Qin Xuan’s liking.

Just as he was about to agree, the massive sphere of light in his mind suddenly began to flash.

Three Ancient Bamboo Sticks flew out from it.

[Middle-Upper Draw: Go to the Shen Family to offer congratulations, enter the Secret Realm together, and obtain the opportunity for a Fifth Grade Life Star. Auspicious.]

[Middle-Lower Draw: Remain in Thousand Island Lake and be intercepted and killed by a Purple Mansion Daoist. Inauspicious!]

[The Worst Draw: Go to Youzhou Prefecture to rendezvous, obtain the opportunity for a Fifth Grade Life Star. Greatly Inauspicious!]

A chill ran down Qin Xuan’s spine.

After five years,

his Golden Finger had issued another warning!

However, this time the Divination was not as clear and straightforward as before.

’They both offer the chance for a Fifth Grade Life Star, yet one is a Middle-Upper Draw and the other is The Worst Draw.’

Qin Xuan quietly noted this difference.

His tone suddenly shifted.

"Runsheng, this old man has thought it over. It is better for you to stay and guard the family."

Qin Xuan coughed a few times and said with a sigh.

"Countless eyes from the outside world are watching our Qixing Wang Family. This old man has not shown his face for a long time, and it’s inevitable that some have developed covetous thoughts."

"This is a perfect opportunity to go and remind those thieving rats out there of their place."

Wang Runsheng’s eyes turned red. "Ancestor, you..."

"Say no more. This is all for the family."

...

Mirror Lake lived up to its name.

A vast, boundless expanse of turquoise water, it was the largest lake within Thousand Island Lake.

The Mirror Lake Shen Family was located there.

On this day, Shen Yuling, the current Patriarch of the Shen Family, having successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, was hosting a banquet for all the Cultivators of Thousand Island Lake at the Shen Family’s Shuiyun Platform.

The periphery of Shuiyun Platform was occupied by a dense array of boat-like Magical Artifacts.

Shadowy figures moved about, decadent string music drifted through the air, Spiritual Birds chirped softly, and Water Beasts hummed in low tones.

Someone suddenly shouted.

"The Qixing Wang Family’s Elder Wang has arrived!"

The moment Qin Xuan’s figure appeared, a large crowd of Qi Cultivation Cultivators came swarming over with a RUSH.

The landing spot was packed so tightly that it was impossible to move.

"Elder Wang, this one has recently acquired a piece of [Fire Patterned Copper Essence]. I was wondering if I could ask you to refine it..."

"Elder Wang, my master’s birthday is approaching, and I would like to commission you to refine a suitable weapon..."

"Elder Wang, this humble one passed by Qixing Lake a few days ago. Do you happen to remember?"

The Cultivators all spoke at once.

A tide of flattery washed over him.

Qin Xuan smiled and nodded slightly, not putting on any of the airs of a Foundation Establishment Ancestor.

He seemed very approachable.

A Low-Tier Cultivator looked puzzled.

Lowering his voice, he secretly asked the fellow Cultivator beside him.

"Fellow Daoist, who is this friendly Foundation Establishment Ancestor with the surname Wang? I’ve never seen him before."

The Yellow-robed Cultivator next to him stared with wide, astonished eyes.

"You don’t even know of the Qixing Wang Family’s Elder Wang?"

"Please enlighten me, Fellow Daoist."

"Elder Wang is the number one Artifact Refining Master in Thousand Island Lake. A creation by Elder Wang is a guaranteed masterpiece."