The Gate Of Good Fortune

The most grandiose place within Eternal Heaven Starry Sky City naturally was the Levelled Heart Emperor Mountain. This was a fairyland within the city, with continuous pavilions shrouded in vibrant starry skies’ Essence Qi and surrounded by verdant green mountains.

Cranes and colourful clouds drifting around the mountains made people unable to believe that this place was actually inside a city. This fairyland was, however, the abode of the Grand Culmination Starry Skies’ Premier Emperor, Chuan Xinlou[1], and was the most famous of the many Celestial Emperor Mountains.

The grand starry skies contained many legends about Chuan Xinlou. People even speculated that Chuan Xinlou’s cultivation had surpassed even Eternal-level Starry Skies Emperors. However, as to what realm this fellow belonged to, no one had any idea about it. As long as any starry sky emperor came to Grand Culmination Starry Skies, came to Eternal Heaven Starry Sky City, they would never dare not to visit Chuan Xinlou.

At this moment, around a dozen people sat within a castle suspended in the air above the Levelled Heart Emperor Mountain. They were the Heavenly Emperors from the major starry skies[2] who had come to visit Chuan Xinlou, who was a proud person. However, despite being in a higher position and despite his pride, in the face of these starry skies’ Heavenly Emperors coming to visit, he also had to take the initiative to accompany them.

“Did that Wanderer not come out yet?” Chuan Xinlou smiled and asked a servant standing beside him.

Usually, when Celestial Emperors[3] came to visit, they would discuss the general situation of each starry sky under their jurisdiction before proceeding to exchange cultivation-related information. However, because of the dazzling performance of Wanderer at Culmination Public Square, Chuan Xinlou and these starry sky emperors found another new topic for discussion.

Because of this, Chuan Xinlou gave the order to bring Wanderer to him at Levelled Heart Emperor Mountain the moment he came out.

“Reporting to the Heavenly Emperor, there is no news of him yet, he should still be on the top floor of the Celestial Scryer Tower.” The servant quickly replied with a bow.

A black-faced man laughed before speaking, “This Wanderer can reach the 80th floor. It already shows that he has some remarkable talents. Looks like our Grand Culmination Starry Skies is about to obtain a true heaven-defying cultivator.”

Hearing the black-faced man, a pretty-looking Daoist Priestess sitting not far from him spoke up softly, “This person inside the Celestial Scryer Tower is indeed a talented genius, but he is definitely not heaven-defying. As long as one is familiar with the starry sky attributes and also have sufficiently strong strength, it would not be impossible to climb to the 80th floor.”

Chuan Xinlou showed a smile before speaking, “I agree with Brother Wu, this fellow is indeed a genius. However, I also agree with Junior Apprentice Sister Mihui’s words. In fact, there is no way to enter the Nine-by-Nine Celestial Scryer Tower’s 81st floor. Being able to climb to the 80th floor is already a testament to this fellow’s genius-level talents. However, because no one can enter the 81st floor, even if someone managed to climb to the 80th floor, they can only be considered as a genius at best, not heaven-defying.”

“Why is that?” Someone immediately asked.

Chuan Xinlou smile and spoke, “Let’s turn to Junior Apprentice Sister Mihui to answer your question.”

The delicate and pretty-looking Daoist Priestess spoke up calmly, “That’s because the 80th floor contains the most powerful barrier. It does not have attribute-related attacks or attacks that specifically target one’s Sea of Consciousness. It does not even involve an issue with common laws. However, from the 80th to the 81st floor, I heard that one would have to understand a type of Spacio-Temporal Law. Whether it is the Laws of Space or the Laws of Time, these are not something that a Celestial Scryer Cultivator can comprehend; even touching the surface would prove impossible for them.”

Having said that, the delicate and pretty-looking Daoist Priestess’s eyes swept around at the various starry sky emperors before continuing, “Not to mention a Celestial Scryer Cultivator, even among us, how many of us can claim to have superficial knowledge about the Laws of Time or Space? At least, I haven’t even touched them yet.”

The surrounding starry sky emperors immediately sucked in a mouthful of cold air, the Laws of Space were still acceptable although stretching, but the tower also demanded comprehension of Laws of Time? This was just too heaven-defying. One needed to have at least a superficial understanding of both the Laws of Time and Space to clear the Celestial Scryer Tower. No wonder Chuan Xinlou said that it would be impossible for someone to enter the 81st floor; it truly was not just casual talk.

Chuan Xinlou once again showed a smile before speaking, “Everyone, you shouldn’t ponder over it too much. Since that Wanderer can enter the 80th floor, it already proves that this fellow is the Premier Genius of our Grand Culmination Starry Skies. After he is sent out, someone will bring him here. No matter which starry sky he belongs to, I will......”

Chuan Xinlou had not finished his words when the servant standing beside him suddenly looked at a communications pearl in her hand before stepping forward. She then gave a bow before speaking with a trembling voice, “Lord Heavenly Emperor, Wanderer has entered the 81st floor, and the time stamp behind his name has also disappeared.......”

“What?” Chuan Xinlou suddenly stood up. At the same time, his face also changed dramatically.

Even that Daoist Priestess, called Mihui, also stood up in shock. Only those people privy to the secrets of the Celestial Scryer Tower knew how heaven-defying it was for someone to climb to the 81st floor.

“Senior Apprentice Brother Levelled Heart, I want to go to Culmination Public Square to see it personally.” Mihui no longer cared if her statement felt impolite. A cultivator managing to climb to the 81st level of the Celestial Scryer Tower definitely was worth her visit in person.

Chuan Xinlou also did not care about Mihui’s rudeness and immediately spoke up, “Since everyone wants to go see, I will also come over to have a look.”

Even if one had heaven-defying qualifications, for a Celestial Scryer Cultivator who could climb to the 81st floor of the Nine-by-Nine Celestial Scryer Tower, it definitely meant that this fellow had an unparalleled secret. Whether to take this heaven-defying fellow as his disciple or for other reasons, he could not continue to stay here and wait.

......

“How come it’s you again?” When Ning Cheng walked up to the two female cultivators, and before he could speak, the female cultivator next to next to Shi Qionghua’s look-alike frowned and spoke up.

Ning Cheng quickly apologised to this female cultivator and turned toward the young girl who looked like Shi Qionghua and asked, “You look like a family member of mine, her name is Shi Qionghua, can I ask your name?”

When the young girl heard Ning Cheng’s words, she immediately showed surprised look; however, she did not have the time to speak when the female cultivator next to her stepped up in front of him and sneered, “It sure is a good way. I think you should already know where we come from?”

Ning Cheng nodded and spoke, “Yes, I heard that you come from Nine Jewels Starry Skies’ Everlasting Sacred Shrine.”

“Since you know about it, then don’t you know that I am Jing Yiyi?” The female cultivator spoke with disdain.

“Senior Apprentice Sister Yiyi......” The young girl quickly spoke from the side, “But I don’t know what my last name is?”

The female cultivator, named Jing Yiyi, looked at the young girl with no words, “Junior Apprentice Sister Qiong, he is just looking for excuses. When we met him the last time, didn’t you see how he acted.”

After that, she then turned to Ning Cheng and spoke, “I don’t know which starry sky you come from, but it looks like you don’t even pay any attention to your cultivation. You can already see that someone had just now entered the 81st floor of the Celestial Scryer Tower, making many people envious and even determined to try to catch up to that Wanderer. Yet, here you are, trying only to know the name of a female cultivator all this time. Do you really have no shame?”

Ning Cheng knew that this Jing Yiyi had misunderstood him. However, just when he tried to explain, he heard that this young girl truly had the name ‘Qionghua’. At this moment, he no longer felt the need for providing Jing Yiyi with any explanation and took a step forward in excitement as he spoke with a tremble, “Qionghua, it really is you....”

The young girl named Qionghua quickly took a step back; at the same time, Jing Yiyi stepped forward in front of Ning Cheng and snapped, “What do you want to do? This is the Culmination Public Square, believe it or not, I will call it right away.”

Ning Cheng calmed down and looked at the young girl and said, “Excuse me, is your name, Shi Qionghua?”

Even if the young girl did not answer, Ning Cheng felt almost sure in his heart that this Junior Apprentice Sister Qiong in front of him was his Shi Qionghua.

The young girl hesitated for a bit before replying, “My name is Qionghua, but I don’t have a surname......”

Jing Yiyi immediately pulled Qionghua aside and spoke, “Junior Apprentice Sister Qiong, you don’t have to say anything to such a person.”

“Junior Apprentice Sister Qionghua, I just want to speak a few words with you in private.” Ning Cheng spoke with a tremble in his voice.

Jing Yiyi turned impatient, she gave a grunt and asked, “What’s your surname?”

Ning Cheng hesitated for a bit and decided not to conceal this matter, “My surname is Ning.”

Jing Yiyi spoke with even more disdain in her voice, “Your surname is ‘Ning’, and you just said that my Junior Apprentice Sister is your family and that my Junior Apprentice Sister is surnamed ‘Shi’. You think you could pass a person named Ning and a person named Shi as family members; what you want to say is that my Junior Apprentice Sister is your Dao Companion, right? Oh, even if I say that my Junior Apprentice Sister had never been out alone, perhaps you would say that my Junior Apprentice Sister was your Dao Companion in her last life. Do you still care about face anymore? Do not think that I would let you off for bullying my Junior Apprentice Sister.

Ning Cheng opened his mouth and wanted to say that, in fact, Shi Qionghua was his wife; however, she was his wife in her previous life.

“What? Lost your tongue, have you? I have seen a lot of people like you. Stay away from us from now on or don’t blame me for being rude.” Jing Yiyi grew angrier the more she spoke.

“Yiyi.....” A stern voice interrupted Jing Yiyi’s words.

Jing Yiyi subconsciously turned stiff, then quickly bowed before calling out, “Sacred Master....”

Qionghua also quickly bowed and spoke, “Sacred Master.”

A Daoist Priestess wearing light blue robes then appeared in front of Ning Cheng. This Daoist Priestess looked very beautiful, but Ning Cheng could not gauge her age.

Hearing Qionghua call this Daoist Priestess as Sacred Master, he quickly cupped his fists and called out, “Greetings senior.”

“Who are you?” The Daoist Priestess’s eyes swept over Ning Cheng.

Ning Cheng felt as if someone had poured a bucket of ice-cold water over his head, turning his body cold almost instantly. The gaze from this Daoist Priestess seemed to have penetrated his clothes, and he could not help but want to cover his crucial points.

Formidable cultivation, the only thing that Ning Cheng felt from her.

“Sacred Master, this man has been persistently hounding Junior Apprentice Sister Qionghua. I was just about to chase him away.” Jing Yiyi quickly replied.

The Daoists Priestess’s eyes turned even colder, and the powerful aura emanating from her almost crushed Ning Cheng to a meat paste. However, Ning Cheng still stood in the same place, albeit with trembling legs.

Seeing Ning Cheng unexpectedly able to withstand the pressure of her imposing aura, the Daoists Priestess immediately recalled and dispersed some of her aura. However, she still spoke with a cold tone, “Do you like Qionghua?”

Ning Cheng opened his mouth but unexpectedly did not know how to answer. However, this Daoist Priestess’s ice-cold and disdained filled eyes made him very upset in his heart. Qionghua was his wife, how could he not like her?

“Yes, I like Qionghua.” Ning Cheng took a deep breath and spoke with a firm tone.

“Get lost.” The imposing aura of this Daoist Priestess immediately surged and pushed out, pushing Ning Cheng back by almost ten steps. However, even after hitting several cultivators along the way, he still kept his legs firmly rooted to the ground.

[1] Xinlou and Levelled Heart are the same, I chose to use the literal translation for the place and this person’s title to differentiate it from the actual name of the person.

[2] These do not refer to the four Grand Starry Skies but the stronger starry skies under the rule of Grand Culmination Starry Skies.

[3] Celestial Emperor is another form of reference to Heavenly Emperor, the author seems to use this form occasionally. Therefore, I will keep it according to the raws.