Library of Heaven’s Path 2: Eternal Destiny

Vol 2 Ch 105: Putting the blame on someone

The same scene unfolded across the entire Source World. In an instant, over a dozen first-rate and top-tier powers were thrown into turmoil, with countless experts rushing urgently toward the Zouyi Dynasty.

The stronger the Heaven's Fate, the harder it was to inherit. Without immense talent, it was impossible to bear its weight. Naturally, when a suitable candidate emerged, no one wanted to miss the opportunity.

Unaware of the massive commotion he had caused, Zhang Xuan stood amidst the ruins with a helpless expression.

“These guys are utterly unreliable. If they were half as competent as me, life would be much easier…”

Just as he was lamenting, a furious and sorrowful cry broke the silence:

“My porcelain bowl! My jade incense burner! My glass trinkets… Ahhh!”

Turning toward the voice, he saw an elder coughing up blood as he plummeted from the air, landing headfirst on the ground.

“Hall Master!”

Zhu Xun and the others panicked, rushing to his side. They hurriedly pulled him out of the debris, pinched his philtrum, and massaged him until he finally regained consciousness.

“What exactly happened?”

Struggling to sit up, Shi Yunjing could no longer contain his fury.

The entire Destiny Hall had collapsed. It wasn’t hard to imagine that most of his treasured artifacts, apart from those made of the sturdiest materials, were likely destroyed. At this point, rushing to salvage them would be futile; it was better to first figure out what had transpired.

“Well… I’m not entirely sure. Someone was undergoing a test today, and the stone tablet suddenly broke, causing the test area to collapse. That’s what triggered the hall’s destruction!” Zhu Xun explained, recalling the events.

“Ridiculous! That stone tablet is carved from Heaven Azure Stone and has operated flawlessly for a century. How could it suddenly break?”

Shi Yunjing scolded angrily.

The testing stone tablet was incredibly durable, not much weaker than certain high-grade treasures or weapons. How could it crack during a simple test? And even if it did, how could it cause the collapse of the entire testing hall?

“It’s true! We saw it with our own eyes—the tablet was flashing with red light!”

“Yeah, it was glowing red and seemed to be on fire!”

“The red light flickered for a while, and then the hall collapsed…”

Voices from the surrounding crowd chimed in.

“Flashing red light?”

Hearing this, Shi Yunjing frowned deeply, racking his brain but failing to deduce the cause. Turning to the others, he demanded, “Who was undergoing the test earlier? Bring them here!” ȓ

If the issue wasn’t with the stone tablet or the testing hall, then it had to be with the people undergoing the test.

“They’re right there…” Zhu Xun pointed toward the group emerging from the ruins.

Thanks to Zhang Xuan’s protection, while they had been trapped beneath the collapsed hall, no one was injured. On the contrary, due to breakthroughs, they all looked spirited and exuded extraordinary auras.

Unaware that they had been called out, Luo Qiqi looked worried as she whispered, “Teacher Zhang, we absorbed too much, and the entire Destiny Hall collapsed. If they blame us, it’ll be dangerous. Maybe… you should escape first!”

“Escape?” Zhang Xuan blinked in confusion.

“Yes. Whether it’s the Destiny Hall or the testing chamber, they’re incredibly valuable. I’m worried…” Luo Qiqi’s delicate eyes were filled with concern.

“Teacher’s wife, don’t be afraid! If they dare make us pay, we’ll just fight them!” Bai Ruanqing declared.

“Exactly! With over ten of us at the Dharma Aspect Realm, we can definitely escape!” Shan Xiaotian added confidently.

“If anyone dares stop us, I’ll poison them all!” Wei Ruyan threatened coldly.

“…!”

Zhang Xuan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are you three out of your minds? Enough! All of you, shut up and don’t say another word. I’ll handle this!”

With their current strength, their bluster was laughable. It seemed he had protected them too well over the years. Breaking someone’s property and then threatening to fight them—where did they get the nerve? Couldn’t they keep a low profile for once?

“There’s no need for all this drama. At worst, we’ll pay for the damages. At the rate the young master makes money, even covering the entire cost wouldn’t be an issue,” Sun Qiang interjected.

“Alright, you zip it too!”

Too tired to argue, Zhang Xuan led the group toward Elder Zhu Xun and the others. Before they even reached them, the elder announced, “Zhang Xuan, this is Hall Master Shi. He has some questions for you all.”

“Hall Master?”

Not expecting to meet such a high-ranking figure, Zhang Xuan composed himself. With a respectful bow, he said, “Junior Zhang Xuan greets the Hall Master.”

To become the head of the Destiny Hall in the Zouyi Dynasty, one’s cultivation had to be at least at the Sixth Level of the Star River Realm. Such a person was far beyond his current capabilities. Bai Ruanqing and Shan Xiaotian’s talk of fighting was utterly ridiculous.

“Do you know what just happened? Why did the Destiny Hall collapse?” Shi Yunjing asked directly.

“Hall Master, I was in the testing chamber undergoing the assessment, trying to seek my fate. Just as I succeeded, the room collapsed. I don’t know the exact cause. I came here hoping to clarify—does this count as a successful test or not?”

Zhang Xuan feigned innocence. His tone then turned displeased as he added, “And… does the Destiny Hall have a structural problem? We paid for this test, but if even basic safety can’t be guaranteed, who would dare come in the future? Shouldn’t the Destiny Hall give us an explanation?”

“???”

Wei Ruyan, Shan Xiaotian, Bai Ruanqing, and the others were stunned.

Teacher, is it really okay to twist the facts like this?

Even Luo Qiqi had to stifle a laugh, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she looked at the young man.

“Well… about that…”

Caught off guard by the question, Shi Yunjing hesitated. “I will investigate and provide you with a proper explanation…”

“This isn’t just about explanations, Hall Master. A prestigious place like the Destiny Hall collapsing so easily—how can anyone feel safe? Fellow cultivators, am I wrong? We were lucky to escape this time. But if someone were interrupted while fully immersed in seeking their fate, could they not lose their life?”

“Exactly!”

“That’s unacceptable! The Destiny Hall must address this issue!”

“We paid so much money for this, only to risk death? This is unheard of in other Destiny Halls…”

Fuelled by Zhang Xuan’s words, the surrounding crowd erupted in righteous indignation.

“Uh…”

Shi Yunjing’s expression grew grim. The testing fee of 30 million Source Coins was a hefty sum, even for him. With such subpar service and lack of safety, the outrage was understandable.

Unable to bear the pressure, he turned and barked, “Zhu Xun, I want answers!”

“Me? I…”

Zhu Xun stammered, too flustered to speak. He had followed protocol during the test and genuinely didn’t know what went wrong. But with the Hall Master angry, he could only nod begrudgingly. “Understood, I will investigate thoroughly…”

“I might have a lead,” Zhang Xuan interjected helpfully.

“Oh?”

Zhu Xun’s eyes lit up. “Please share, Young Master Zhang!”

“Well…” Zhang Xuan adopted a sincere expression. “When I entered the testing chamber, I noticed the formation seemed unstable. Could it be that the hall’s formation malfunctioned and caused the collapse? Otherwise, even if the stone tablet exploded, it shouldn’t have destroyed the entire Destiny Hall.”

Redirecting their suspicions should buy him some time. The formation had been obliterated along with the collapse, making it nearly impossible to investigate further.

“That’s possible…”

Shi Yunjing fell into deep thought. Such destruction was indeed unlikely without a malfunctioning formation. After a moment, he commanded, “Thoroughly investigate the formation!”

“Yes!” Zhu Xun responded.

“Zhang Xuan, my apologies. This was a failure on our part…” Shi Yunjing said with a bow.

“Hall Master, no need for that!” Zhang Xuan replied graciously. “I just want to know—did we pass the test? If so, can we receive our Destiny Master badges? If not, will the assessment fees be refunded?”

“Refund?”

Sun Qiang and the others gawked. They had expected shamelessness but not this level of audacity. To destroy the hall and then ask for a

refund? This was peak Zhang Xuan.

After a brief hesitation, Shi Yunjing nodded. “This was our mistake. You will be refunded in full. Elder Zhu, take care of it!”

“Yes!” Zhu Xun acknowledged.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“As for the Destiny Master badges, if you’re not opposed, let’s head to the nearby Wanchang Sect for another test. If your fates meet the criteria, the badges will be prepared immediately!”

“Thank you, Hall Master!” Zhang Xuan cupped his fists in gratitude.

“Elder Zhu, escort them there,” Shi Yunjing instructed.

“This way, please!” Zhu Xun led the group toward the Wanchang Sect.

As they departed, another elder approached Shi Yunjing with furrowed brows. “Hall Master, don’t you think… the hall’s collapse might have been caused by those few? Why else would nothing happen during others’ tests, but collapse when it was their turn?”

Author's Note