Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil in the Cultivation World Chapter 989 - 481: Another Immortal Destiny, Paying Back Favor

...

Meanwhile, deep inside a cavern in the Ice Crystal Mountain Range.

This served as the secret hideout for the Loose Cultivator, Guan Tianqi.

Right now, he suffered from grave wounds, covered in deep gashes that bled profusely.

Clearly, he had sacrificed greatly just to shake off his pursuers.

On top of that, his wounds ran deep.

What chilled him even more was the relentless surge of icy winds surrounding him.

Should this persist, he'd freeze solid long before his foes could close in.

"Those wretched bastards."

"I only fought back in self-defense; it wasn't my doing, but they unleashed a horde to chase me."

"Profound Abyss City offers no protection whatsoever."

"Lacking power or connections makes every move in the Ice Prison a nightmare."

Guan Tianqi balled his hands into fists, a tide of fatigue crashing over him as bitterness boiled within.

Born an orphan, that was his start.

Such origins were nothing unusual in the harsh Ice Prison.

Dangers lurked everywhere, claiming lives daily.

One mishap could easily leave parents as lifeless remains.

Luckily, his uncle's household took him in.

He matured strong and content, forever thankful to his uncle.

Without that aid, he'd likely have ended up as yet another forgotten body in the Ice Prison.

Plus, his aptitude shone brightly, propelling him swiftly to Nascent Soul in Profound Abyss City.

Sadly, fate twisted cruelly.

While venturing out to hunt, his uncle fell victim to a sudden Exotic Beast assault, barely clinging to life with dire injuries.

Without proper treatment, his uncle faced imminent death.

Guan Tianqi refused to accept this, desperate to spare his uncle such an end.

Yet healing demanded at least a Tier Five Spirit Medicine.

With his level of cultivation, pouring out all his wealth wouldn't cover it.

That's when Guan Tianqi crossed paths with a wayward young heir in a gambling den.

During a high-stakes wager against him, victory came overwhelmingly.

The spoiled heir lost everything and had no means to settle the score.

To clear his debt, he handed over his slot for the Profound Earth Secret Realm to Guan Tianqi.

As a Loose Cultivator, Guan Tianqi seized the chance and stepped into the Profound Earth Secret Realm.

Soon enough, fortune smiled on him; he stumbled upon rare treasures, including a Tier Five Spirit Medicine that filled his pockets.

Unbelievably, Family Cultivators spotted that Spirit Medicine too.

The clash was inevitable—how could Guan Tianqi surrender a prize tied to his own future and his uncle's survival?

A fierce showdown erupted between them.

Thanks to his hidden techniques, Guan Tianqi turned the tide and slew those elite offspring.

Naturally, his fierce retaliation left most of them dead.

This ignited the wrath of the noble clans, for these were their prized heirs, the pillars of tomorrow.

Slaughtered by a mere Loose Cultivator, it branded them with unbearable shame.

In response, the clans mobilized hunters to track Guan Tianqi relentlessly.

"Thank goodness I masked my appearance and shifted my aura before entering the Profound Earth Secret Realm."

"If not, my uncle's family would be dragged into this mess."

"It's heartbreaking I can't get this Spirit Medicine to him now."

Guan Tianqi gripped his fists tighter, reluctance gnawing at him.

Death held no terror for him; surviving this long was pure chance.

What tore at him was failing to rescue his uncle after all.

Still, he wasn't naive—if his true self came to light, doom awaited his uncle's kin.

That's why he fled into the Ice Crystal Mountain Range.

Exotic Beasts ruled this wild domain.

Should he perish here, no noble clan would ever locate his remains.

Ending as beast fodder might well be his scripted end.

Whoosh!

Right then, a pair of shadowy forms, maybe three, materialized beyond the cavern entrance.

Potent magical energies radiated from each one.

Draped in dark cloaks, they flashed into view right before Guan Tianqi.

"How is this possible?"

"Why have they tracked me down so swiftly?"

Panic twisted Guan Tianqi's features; these three pulsed with overwhelming might, at Divinity Transformation Level—far beyond what a Nascent Soul like him could challenge.

Worse, he'd burned through most of his secret weapons just to flee this far.

Earlier, a mighty teleportation talisman had whisked him from the Profound Earth Secret Realm, spanning hundreds of thousands of miles in a blink.

Only an Integration Great Power could pinpoint him so fast.

And that held true.

For a simple Nascent Soul, no clan would summon an Integration expert.

They'd dispatch a Void Refining at best.

Actually, even Void Refining wouldn't deign to chase personally; Divinity Transformation was the ceiling.

"Brat, you've got real talent for slipping away."

"Too bad you dropped clues in the Profound Earth Secret Realm."

"We're masters at tracing auras."

"That's how we beat the rush and cornered you first."

"Gutsy move, offing all those noble heirs."

"They hate your guts, slapping a massive bounty on your head."

"Your mess is lining our pockets nicely."

The trio of Divinity Transformation Demon Cultivators chuckled deeply, delighted by Guan Tianqi's deed.

After all, the victims were just clan spawn, no ties to them.

The fewer of those pests alive, the weaker their rivals grew.

Even so, they wouldn't spare him.

The clans' reward tempted even Divinity Transformation powerhouses.

That's why they'd pushed hard, outpacing rivals to snag Guan Tianqi and the full payout.

Success meant a boost to their own paths.

"Never thought I'd meet my end despite everything."

"Guess this is destiny calling."

Guan Tianqi's expression stayed serene, free of elation or despair.

He understood escape was impossible now. Against Nascent Souls, his tricks might have bought a run.

But three Divinity Transformation foes? No chance.

Especially battered as he was, all methods spent.

Heaven itself seemed set on his demise.

Survival felt like a distant dream.

"Heh, don't sweat it, kid; death's not on the menu yet."

"The clans' offer peaks if we drag you in breathing."

"Kill you, and the price drops sharp."

"They loathe you enough to want you caught and tortured alive."

"How many did you take out, anyway?"

The three Divinity Transformation Demon Cultivators queried with keen interest.

Seldom did they witness clans in such a rage, hounding even Demon Cultivators with equal fury.

"Not a huge number, only forty or fifty."

"Nearly all the young ones who joined the Profound Earth Secret Realm fell."

Guan Tianqi replied evenly.

"Ruthless one, aren't you? Shame you're not one of us Demon Cultivators."

The three Divinity Transformation Demon Cultivators marveled, shaking their heads.

In their eyes, this youth carried the makings of a true demon.

"Demon Cultivator? I'd never stoop to becoming some soulless monster."

Guan Tianqi scoffed.

"Folks hold such grudges against us Demon Cultivators."

"Does clinging to 'human' really matter that much?"

"We're all cultivators chasing strength."

"We simply shed our mortal ties for greater power."

The three Divinity Transformation Demon Cultivators retorted with scorn.

Rumble~~

In a flash, yet another silhouette burst into the cave, landing squarely before Guan Tianqi and the group.

"Looks like I made it in time."

It was Jiang Fan, of course.

With a quick look at Guan Tianqi, a Life Chart's whisper plunged straight into his mind's depths.

Could this be genuine? Yet another Immortal Destiny?!

Immortal Destiny: Repay Kindness with Kindness!