Translator: Fate Translation Checker: Silavin Inside the mountain valley, the surrounding terrain was serene. Purple mist shrouded the mountains in the distance, pine trees stood tall among the rocks, and faint mist lingered in the air. It was an ethereal scene. However, Chu Lian stood frozen on the spot. Staring at the graceful figure in the distance, it took him a long time to recover from the shock. It was not as if he had never fantasised about what kind of bewitching appearance was hidden beneath the veil. It was not until he actually took a proper look that he discovered how gorgeous Lady Ling Huang was. Her unreadable expression combined with her flawless facial features were so exquisite that she seemed almost unreal. In fact, her mesmerising beauty made him want to immerse himself in the sight, and never awake from the dream. “Lady Ling Huang…” A deep bitterness welled up in his heart. Shaking his head, he composed himself once more. Next to the graceful figure stood a man dressed in white. The man’s figure was tall and slender. There also seemed to be an invisible mist surrounding him, which added to his extraordinary temperament. It was impossible to conceal the air of nobility radiating from him. That man was none other than ‘Young Master Gu’, whom Chu Lian had signed the Honorary Guest Agreement with. Chu Lian did not know why these two people were here. Logically speaking, they should have remained with the Spirit Ruin Royal Family. How could they place themselves in such a dangerous environment by appearing onboard the Immortal Spirit Civilisation’s shuttle-like warship? Besides, ‘Young Master Gu’ was the one who ordered the mission in the first place. Why did he need to come in person? At this moment, thousands of questions without answers swirled around in Chu Lian’s head. [Why do I care so much? Young Master Gu would definitely have powerful men guarding him, so there’s no need for him to worry about his own safety…] He shook his head, thinking that he was worrying too much. Whatever plans or arrangements Young Master Gu had were irrelevant to an insignificant person like himself. On the contrary, the sight of Lady Ling Huang talking to Young Master Gu caused sharp stabbing pains in his heart. It felt as though something that belonged to him had been stolen from him. When he first met Lady Ling Huang on the road, he was attracted by her refined and elegant temperament upon first sight. He later developed a sense of intimacy and mutual sympathy during their subsequent conversations. Even after they went their separate ways, he could not forget about her and constantly yearned for her. Thus, he was pleasantly surprised when they encountered each other once more at a different location. They seemed bound by the string of fate, as though Heaven had already destined them to be together. Following several encounters, he became even more enamoured with the graceful and soft-spoken woman whose opinions and thoughts turned out to be quite similar to his own. Unfortunately, he did not know much about her true origins. All he knew was that she came from an influential Family and that her background was extraordinary. On the other hand, he was one of the few remaining members of the Ghost Axe Clan. His Master might have unfathomable strength but had long since stopped caring about worldly affairs, let alone the personal affairs of his descendants. Taking these factors into account, his background naturally could not compare to Lady Ling Huang. That was the reason why he concealed his emotions deep in his heart. When he later witnessed Lady Ling Huang’s admiration towards Young Master Gu during the journey to the Talent Gathering Village, he became extremely reluctant to give up on his romantic pursuit. The burning desire to compete for her affections blazed in his heart once more. In the end, the Sphere of Ambition’s Artifact Spirit informed him about its speculations regarding Young Master Gu. It guessed that Young Master Gu’s origins were unusual and extraordinary. In fact, Young Master Gu might have come from a Transcendent Civilisation. He was not an opponent he could afford to provoke at this moment. Only then did he gradually extinguish his interest and conceal his feelings of admiration in his heart. However, when he unexpectedly caught a glimpse of Lady Ling Huang’s true appearance today, the sight caused his heart to flutter once more. It was difficult for him to control his emotions at this moment. <Host, you should leave now. If they notice your presence, you will be the one who is embarrassed instead. Lady Ling Huang comes from an unusual and extraordinary background, which even I am unable to ascertain. She is not somebody you can covet. Moreover, you are now serving as Young Master Gu’s Honorary Guest. There are certain lines that you should not cross.> At this moment, the calm and indifferent voice of the Sphere of Ambition’s Artifact Spirit sounded in Chu Lian’s ears once more. It no longer had anything good to say about its unsatisfactory host. After all, it had already warned him not to have any intentions towards Lady Ling Huang before. He might have agreed at the time, but it was obvious that his desires had erupted again. As a person who was bound to achieve great feats in the future, how could he become deeply involved in romantic affairs that when he had higher goals he should yearn for? Even Chu Lian himself was aware that staying here would not be good. Even though the encounter was a coincidence, he was desperate to leave as soon as possible. At this moment, the Spirit Empress abruptly seemed to notice something while chatting with Gu Changge by the lake located in the distant mountain valley. She glanced in Chu Lian’s direction, and then her expression changed into astonishment. It was obvious that she had seen Chu Lian. [Damn it! I’ve been spotted by Lady Ling Huang…] Chu Lian was similarly taken aback. He did not expect the Spirit Empress to look over just when he was about to leave. If he turned around to leave now, then he would really have no explanations for his actions anymore. Just as he was wondering about how he should deal with the situation; the Spirit Empress hastily wore her veil again and flew toward him with a burst of golden light beneath her feet. “Young Master Chu Lian, why are you here…” Before she even came near, her slightly surprised voice came first. At this point, he naturally could not turn around to leave anymore. All he could do was bite the bullet and remain in place. “I had planned to search for a mountain range in the vicinity as a cave to rest in during this period. I did not expect to meet Lady Ling Huang and Young Master Gu here.” Suppressing the discomfort in his heart, he explained with a forced smile. She smiled slightly, seemingly not doubting his words. “In that case, why don’t you join us for a while? It so happens that Cousin Changge is here too.” In front of outsiders, she had always referred to Gu Changge as her Cousin. It was something he had always known. Seeing as he was in no position to refuse her invitation, he could only follow her and enter the mountain valley together. Inside the mountain valley, Gu Changge waved his hand as though he had expected Chu Lian to show up at this place. Several glasses of fine wine immediately appeared on the stone table nearby, and the strong aroma of wine that they emitted could even cause Gods to become drunk. “Young Master Gu…” Chu Lian followed behind the Spirit Empress and arrived before Gu Changge, feeling increasingly uncomfortable and awkward. “Please have a seat, Brother Chu Lian.” Gu Changge was dressed in white and looked absolutely impeccable. At this moment, he was casually sitting on the stone bench and leisurely enjoying his wine. When Chu Lian approached, he nonchalantly gestured for the other party to have a seat. Chu Lian had always felt an indescribable sense of oppression and fear whenever he stood before the mysterious Young Master Gu. In addition, the Sphere of Ambition’s Artifact Spirit was clearly wary of the Black-Robed Elder who attended to Young Master Gu because it dared not to reveal the slightest sign of its presence once they arrived here. Now, no matter how Chu Lian called out to it in his heart, it would not answer him. Therefore, he had no choice but to muster his courage and sit-down facing Gu Changge. “I will prepare some food to go with the drinks.” The Spirit Empress looked as virtuous and elegant as usual. She gave a small smile, then her graceful figure quickly disappeared into the pavilion not far away. “What do you think of the mission, Brother Chu Lian?” Gu Changge’s slender fingers toyed with the glass in his hand. At the same time, he conversed with Chu Lian with a casual smile on his face. Chu Lian forcefully suppressed the discomfort in his heart. After considering his words carefully, he finally replied, “I don’t know much about the mission. When the time comes, I will do my best to stay beside the Seniors and work with them to obtain the necessary information. I will work hard to complete the mission, Young Master Gu.” Gu Changge chuckled. Gently placing the wine glass down, he said, “The mission is actually very simple. There’s no need to worry too much, Brother Chu Lian. The main reason I ordered for you to come along is to give you a chance to temper yourself. There won’t be any significant danger to your lives. The so-called mission is just a cover. I do not expect you to obtain any important information about the Immortal Spirit Civilisation. My real aim is to search for people who can become reliable leaders.” Chu Lian was taken aback by those words. In fact, he did not quite understand the meaning behind Gu Changge’s statement. [The mission was just a means to temper their strength? Moreover, it was just a cover?] On the other hand, the Sphere of Ambition’s Artifact Spirit hidden in Chu Lian’s Knowledge Sea seemed to realise something and vaguely guessed the truth. In its opinion, there must be a reason why a young man with an unfathomable background like Gu Changge had come to the Spirit Ruin Civilisation. The reason was most likely to complete an assessment or mission assigned to him by the Forces behind him. Furthermore, the mission probably required him to control or conquer a powerful Civilisation, without relying on the power or support of the Force behind him. The Spirit Ruin Civilisation was just one of the chess pieces in his hand, and his real target was most likely the Immortal Spirit Civilisation. “Brother Chu Lian, there is no need to be excessively wary or suspicious of me. I am sincerely trying to recruit you because a fate like yours is extremely rare, and I wish to cherish you as a talent. If we establish a good relationship now, you might even help me in the future.” Gu Changge poured himself another glass of wine and smiled. Chu Lian abruptly felt a chill running through his heart when he heard those words, he. Aside from the Sphere of Ambition’s Artifact Spirit, Young Master Gu was the second person to have ever mentioned his fate. He knew that the Sphere of Ambition recognised him as its host largely because his fate was extraordinary. He could even be said to be a legendary Variable. Even the Ancient Civilisations might not produce a Variable like him in the long years ranging from their birth to their demise. Be that as it may, another person had seen through his fate and even mentioned the fact so casually. How could he not be shocked? <I can’t believe Young Master Gu managed to perceive your fate. It seems like I have underestimated him. Could he be the future Successor of a Transcendent Civilisation somewhere?> Even the Artifact Spirit was astonished. At the same time, it could not help speculating once more. It honestly did not expect Chu Lian’s fate to be seen through so easily. [Could the mysterious Black-Robed Elder have informed Gu Changge?] On the other hand, Chu Lian’s emotions were all over the place at this moment. He was having a hard time calming down, but the Spirit Empress was already carrying some delicacies and walking over to them. Seeing the Spirit Empress approaching them, Gu Changge smiled softly and continued, “Unfortunately, there is something I must tell you beforehand, Brother Chu Lian. I know you have feelings of great admiration for Lady Ling Huang, but she also receives my affections. It would be better if you did not act on your feelings, Brother Chu Lian. Otherwise, things will become difficult for me.” While speaking, he gently reached out to wrap his arm around her slender waist as she approached. The Spirit Empress seemed a little surprised and self-conscious, but she did not act bashfully either. On the contrary, she boldly and naturally sat down in his embrace. Placing the delicacies on the table with her other hand, she then lifted the wine glass and brought it to his mouth. When Chu Lian heard those words and witnessed the scene before him, his brain immediately went blank. There was a loud buzz in his head, almost as though he had been struck directly by a thunderous bell. The shock caused him to freeze in place. He did not know how he eventually managed to leave the mountain valley. It seemed that the memories regarding this point onwards were completely blank. By the time he recovered from the shock and realised what had happened, he was flooded with a boundless sense of humiliation. He gritted his teeth, his knuckles cracking from how hard he clenched his fists. In his mind, the so-called ‘Young Master Gu’ had seemingly made such a sincere speech out of respect for him. However, every single word was spoken with haughty superiority and a sense of charity. It was unbelievably casual, indicating an utter lack of regard for him. In particular, those last words… [What did he mean? Is he saying that I am not qualified to compete with him? So, I should just give up?] “He has crossed the line… The grudge of humiliating me and stealing my love… I won’t take this quietly!” Filled with absolute hatred, he gritted his teeth so hard that he nearly shattered them. His eyes were also bloodshot from rage. The fact that the scene had occurred in front of the woman he admired had humiliated him so badly that he was too embarrassed to face her again. Now that he had left the mountain valley, there was no place for him to vent his anger. Therefore, he could only unleash his fury on the ancient forest surrounding him. Countless pieces of broken tree debris and dust filled the air until his emotions finally calmed down, somewhat. The Artifact Spirit originally thought that Chu Lian would come to realise his priorities after Gu Changge said those words to him. It did not expect Chu Lian’s attitude to undergo such shocking changes instead. At this point, even it was so taken aback that it did not know what to say for some time. In its opinion, the status and strength between Chu Lian and Gu Changge were completely unequal. For Gu Changge to speak and explain the situation to Chu Lian in such a manner indicated that Gu Changge held Chu Lian in rather high regard. It would not be an exaggeration to describe Gu Changge as being gentle and easy-going. How was that humiliating? Besides, it was easy to see that Lady Ling Huang admired Young Master Gu. On the other hand, her relationship with Chu Lian was at best just friends. It was impossible for Chu Lian to compete in the first place. How was Young Master Gu stealing her away from him? [Just what happened for the Host chosen by the Sphere of Ambition to be so pathetic?] The Artifact Spirit simply could not understand. In any case, it no longer held any hope or expectations towards its Host, Chu Lian. At this moment, Gu Changge was sipping on his wine with a rather leisurely expression amidst the serene environment of the mountain valley that resembled paradise. [By my estimation, it should be almost time. The so-called Variable is fundamentally similar to a Fortuitous One. The only difference between them is the density and abundance of their Fortuity. After losing the Halo of being a Variable, he is nothing more than an ordinary Fortuitous One. In fact, he might not even compare to an ordinary Fortuitous One. Since the Supreme Treasure has an Artifact Spirit, it will surely find a way to rescue itself…] When Gu Changge previously took action to interfere with Chu Lian’s fate, he also messed with Chu Lian’s fate as a Variable. Fated Ones and Fortuitous One had their own paths to take. Moreover, each person’s path was not completely static. Take Chu Lian’s abnormal path for example. After Gu Changge interfered with Chu Lian’s fated path, Chu Lian abruptly lost the tempering events necessary to strengthen himself as a Variable. This was how the Sphere of Ambition’s Artifact Spirit noticed that something was wrong. It had the feeling that there was a huge gap between Chu Lian’s actual fate as a Variable to what he was right now. Although Chu Lian’s Fortuity was overwhelming, he lacked the most important training and Tribulations he needed to go through. Without hardship, he would never be able to grow. These factors might not seem necessary to Chu Lian, life threatening even, but he ultimately had the protection of his fate as a Variable. He could easily survive all those events, which would then allow him to grow even faster. To put it nicely, every hardship he was supposed to go through were stepping stones for him to grow stronger.