Grand Tutor Pang frowned, indicating he had never heard of these two names. Feng Zikang returned last night, gathered intelligence, and summoned everyone for a discussion this morning, but these two sects were unknown to him.
Only Master Fangsheng pondered for a long time, hesitating: "I know of the Tianfu Palace along the coast of Fujian to the east, which enshrines the Heavenly Fortune Empress. It is said to avert misfortune and bring good luck. Oh, yes, directly opposite the Tianfu Palace, there is a Temple of the God of Misfortune, which does align somewhat with what that 'Heavenly Bad Star Lord' spoke of."
This was hardly a cultivation sect; it seemed more like a denomination worshipped by the common folk. Even if people there possessed divine abilities, they might not interact much with the true cultivation world, so it was understandable that these cultivators were unaware of it.
Master Fangsheng, having traveled the world, aiding the poor and afflicted, was well-informed and thus knew of it.
Feng Zikang's eyes lit up, and he nodded: "That must be it. The name 'Tianmei Sect' might not even be the real name; the sound of 'Tianfu' seems somewhat fitting. I will go there personally and bring back this Heavenly Fortune Empress!"
He ordered the others to continue bombarding the black cloud with Heavenly Thunder to prevent its further spread, while he piloted his cloud carriage southeast towards Fujian.
Speeding along, it took only a day and a half to reach the borders of Fujian. After asking for directions and making several turns, he finally arrived outside the Tianfu Palace.
The incense smoke here was thick and flourishing. People, whether fishermen, farmers, scholars, or merchants, all came to pray for good fortune.
Indeed, on the opposite hilltop stood a dilapidated Temple of the God of Misfortune. Unless someone in the village had been afflicted by an evil spirit and begged the God of Misfortune to retreat, no one would come here. Furthermore, under the blessing of the Tianfu Palace, the villagers’ lives were quite good; who would bother visiting the Temple of the God of Misfortune for no reason? Naturally, its entrance was deserted.
Feng Zikang knew the true Heavenly Fortune Empress would not condescend to reside within a mundane temple. Focusing his gaze, he saw the green mountains behind the Tianfu Palace faintly overflowing with spiritual energy. Understanding dawned in his heart, and he drove his carriage toward that area.
Passing over a mountain ridge, he saw the distant green peaks looming ahead. The creation imbued the essence of heaven and earth; it was truly a place of excellent natural endowment. He could sense the center of the spiritual energy, which must be where the Heavenly Fortune Empress was located, and he moved forward solely based on that feeling.
Not long after, a person darted out from an oblique angle and blocked his path.
"Hey! Who are you? Ahead is the forbidden area of the Tianfu Palace; you are not allowed to trespass!"
Feng Zikang paused in surprise. Focusing his gaze, he saw a fierce-looking young man in his twenties, his head tied with a cloth band, holding a gleaming knife and standing guard before him.
He had come seeking help and was polite. "Senior Brother, I am Feng Zikang, a disciple of the Military School of Longhu Mountain. I have come here to seek an audience with the Heavenly Fortune Empress and ask her to leave the mountain to help lift the siege of Ganzhou. May I ask for your name? Please help me relay the message."
When the young man heard he was from a prestigious lineage, his expression softened slightly. "Oh, I am Qin Mi of the Tianfu Palace. So it is Fellow Daoist Feng. I apologize for my rudeness just now; please forgive me. However, I must regretfully inform you that my Junior Sister will not leave this place. The Central Plains are vast, and there are many powerful cultivators; please seek aid elsewhere, Fellow Daoist Feng!"
"Junior Sister?"
Feng Zikang paused again, never expecting the Heavenly Fortune Empress to be so young. Looking at her like this, was the Empress merely a young girl?
"Our Tianfu Palace tradition is passed down from generation to generation. Junior Sister is the current Heavenly Fortune Fairy. The title 'Empress' is merely a rumor spread by those common people."
"I see," Feng Zikang nodded. "Senior Brother Qin, please be accommodating. The prefectural city is currently enveloped by an aura of doom; hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians are in extreme danger. We implore the Heavenly Fortune Fairy for assistance."
"Impossible!"
Qin Mi grew impatient. "Why can't you understand? My Junior Sister cannot leave Tianfu Mountain; it is a rule passed down by our ancestors. If you keep nagging, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Feng Zikang's expression changed. He was not known for having an overly gentle temper either. Having pleaded softly, the other party still treated him with such impatience.
"If that is the case, then this Feng must take the liberty of visiting your Junior Sister myself!"
"You dare!"
Qin Mi was furious. Without another word, he thrust his foot towards Feng Zikang's chest—a practiced move, clearly one he had used often.
Feng Zikang sneered, spat out a stream of sword light, sealing off all the meridians and vital points across Qin Mi's body, then casually tossed him aside into the tall grass.
"Senior Brother Qin, my apologies, please rest for a while!"
Qin Mi was unable to move and cursed loudly, but a clump of wild grass flew over and stuffed his mouth shut. Feng Zikang proceeded towards the area densest with spiritual energy, leaving Qin Mi helpless.
The deeper he went, the more refreshed he felt. Everything in heaven and on earth seemed exceptionally clear and bright. Feng Zikang found this extraordinary. Turning past a small grove of trees, he saw a little girl in a pink dress sitting before a thatched hut, seemingly deep in thought.
She appeared to be only fourteen or fifteen, exquisitely delicate, like someone yet to fully bloom.
Upon seeing an outsider approach, the little girl seemed terribly startled and abruptly stood up, at a loss what to do.
"Excuse me, are you the Heavenly Fortune Fairy?" Feng Zikang asked politely. The little girl nodded, and the alarm in her eyes slowly faded.
"You... you are also here to capture me?"
"Capture?"
Feng Zikang frowned deeply. "Why would the Fairy speak like that? I am Feng Zikang, a disciple of the Military School of Longhu Mountain. The army is currently eliminating the Demon Race, and we encountered monstrous chaos in Ganzhou City. I have come to invite the Fairy to help dispel the black cloud of ill fortune."
"Oh, oh," the Heavenly Fortune Fairy seemed not to have heard the first part of what he said at all. "It's just about taking me away for good luck, isn't it? Why are you all so delusional? If I could bring good luck, how is it that the previous people who tried to take me away were all killed by my Senior Brother?"
It seemed the Heavenly Fortune Fairy's reputation was widespread, and many people had indeed tried to abduct her. No wonder Qin Mi had been so vigilant and his attitude so hostile.
Feng Zikang smiled slightly. "If people tried to capture you, then your good fortune would naturally not protect them, and it was only natural that your Senior Brother killed them."
The Heavenly Fortune Fairy tilted her head and thought for a moment, finding his reasoning quite sound.
"So that's how it is. No wonder I couldn't figure it out. But since I know that, why are you still here trying to capture me?"
Feng Zikang smiled wryly. It seemed this young girl was naïve and had been too well protected by her Senior Brother, such that everyone who managed to reach her was a malevolent kidnapper, turning him, a disciple of a prestigious lineage, into one as well.
"Fairy, you misunderstand. I am a disciple of the righteous path; how could I capture someone? It truly concerns the safety of hundreds of thousands of people, which is why I came to invite your help. Of course, it must be with your willing consent."
He had grown accustomed to proclaiming himself a good person, and it didn't feel awkward at all anymore.
"Hundreds of thousands... that's so many." The young girl seemed hesitant. "Master always said that one must accumulate merit by doing good deeds; perhaps this is what she meant. I should probably go. But Senior Brother definitely won't let me go—what should I do then?"
The Heavenly Fortune Fairy seemed genuinely fearful of that Senior Brother Qin. Feng Zikang smiled faintly. "Fairy, rest assured. I have already spoken with your Senior Brother. I will take you for a few days, and then I will bring you back."
He was, of course, speaking utter nonsense, but Qin Mi was already gagged and tossed into the grass. By the time his vital energy was restored and he could move again, Feng Zikang would likely already be back in Ganzhou City.
"Senior Brother agreed?" The Heavenly Fortune Fairy's face lit up with joy. Having never left the Tianfu Palace, her youthful heart was naturally happy to hear about going out to play, but she was still a bit worried. "How could he? He definitely won't let me go... he's so fierce!"
Feng Zikang rubbed his nose and smiled. "Fairy, look. If your Senior Brother disagreed, wouldn't he have appeared to stop us by now?"
"That's true." The Heavenly Fortune Fairy looked around. Her Senior Brother was indeed nowhere to be seen. "But won't he come to see me off?"
"Senior Brother is reluctant to part with you. Since you'll only be gone for two or three days before returning, he decided to hide away."
Feng Zikang spoke eloquently, persuading the Heavenly Fortune Fairy until she was moved and finally nodded.
"Alright, then I will go with you!"
Feng Zikang took the Heavenly Fortune Fairy aboard the cloud carriage and spurred the heavenly steed, soaring toward the clouds. Qin Mi, lying in the grass, saw this and let out muffled sounds—he was completely helpless.
It was the Heavenly Fortune Fairy's first time riding in the flying cloud carriage; she was highly excited, no longer as reserved as before, laughing and calling out, displaying a very girlish demeanor.
The little fox, seeing her like this, snorted lightly, showing disdain for such a country bumpkin who had seen nothing of the world.
The Heavenly Fortune Fairy, however, grew fond of it and immediately scooped the little fox into her arms, gently stroking its fur. Although the little fox was unwilling, held in the Fairy's embrace, it felt refreshed and comfortable in every way, so it closed its eyes and let her do as she pleased.
The heavenly steed was also spirited today, its wings spread wide, truly magnificent. Normally capable of traveling a thousand li a day, with no one urging it, it traveled even faster today.
Moreover, the journey was smooth, the weather fair, and even the air seemed fresher.
"This... the Heavenly Fortune Fairy truly has some beneficial qualities." Feng Zikang also felt refreshed and clear-headed. Every action he took seemed divinely assisted, easy to manage.
In his heart, an idea gradually took root: perhaps he could keep the Heavenly Fortune Fairy by his side after the battle of Shuzhou. It would make cultivation and managing affairs twice as effective with half the effort.
Feng Zikang mulled over his wicked intentions, not realizing they had already reached Shuzhou City. From afar, Feng Zikang saw the black cloud growing thicker, engulfing the entire city of Shuzhou, interspersed with flashes of lightning, possessing considerable might.
A foul smell wafted over, and the odor grew stronger.
"Fairy, ahead is Shuzhou City. That black cloud is condensed ill fortune; I must ask for the Fairy's help to dispel it!"
The Heavenly Fortune Fairy nodded. Although she was somewhat afraid of the black cloud, she gritted her teeth and persevered. Seeing her bravery, Feng Zikang smiled faintly to comfort her, reined in the cloud carriage, transformed into a stream of sword light, and plunged headlong into the black cloud with the Heavenly Fortune Fairy.
"Oh dear!"
Just as they were about to reach the boundary of the black cloud, the Heavenly Fortune Fairy suddenly turned pale, her body swayed, and she could no longer stand on the sword light, tumbling down!
"Be careful!"
Feng Zikang was greatly alarmed. He swiftly descended with his sword light and caught her just in time! If you wish to know what happens next, please log in to the mountain for more chapters, support the author, and read legally!