Chapter 1: Gathering and Dispersing of Fate

  Changbai Mountain is located in the northeast of the country, with snow on its peak all year round. Every year, there are ten full months of winter, and only seven or eight months can be climbed to the top of the mountain to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

  Especially in the central part of the mountain top, under the encirclement of the mountains, there is a beautiful elliptical lake, just like a piece of exquisite jade inlaid among the peaks. However, since it is located at the highest peak of Changbai Mountain, it has an extra touch of eeriness beyond its beauty and mystery.

  And this is reflected in its name, which is called Tianchi (Heavenly Pool).

  Due to its high altitude, the climate of Tianchi is complex and changeable. The weather can be calm and gentle as a young lady, but it can also be violent with strong winds howling across the lake, sending sand and rocks flying, and even bringing torrential rains that whip up waves several meters high.

  Of course, such weather adds a touch of beauty to the entire Changbai Mountain, but for those who pick herbs in Changbai Mountain, it is a disaster.

  But for some people, it's no longer just a disaster that can be described.

  At this moment, the wind is howling, and the entire Changbai Mountain summit is filled with snowflakes dancing in the sky. A dragon made of accumulated snow is flying in the air, responding to which the lake surface in Tianchi is also surging with waves. The strong wind rolls up a high and mighty wave that heavily crashes onto the lake surface.

  A wooden boat was floating on the lake, a young man standing naked at the bow, holding a black oar with both hands, constantly fighting against this disaster.

  A huge wave roared down on him, the young man's feet paused for a moment, and the small boat suddenly darted to the left, while his right hand raised the oar high, meeting the towering wave.

  In fact, his move was unnecessary. Since the small boat could already avoid the huge wave, why bother to ask for trouble? Can human power really compete with nature?

  The huge wave crashed down, the young man swung his hands one by one, and the oar whizzed through the air in a circle, amazingly sweeping all the waves into it.

  With a loud crash, the huge wave came crashing down, and the young man's oar in his hand shook violently, almost falling out of his hands. However, he managed to dodge the attack of the huge wave, but he himself was also drenched from head to toe, with icy cold lake water flowing down his head.

  The young man, however, didn't care about these things and started waving the oars in his hands, shouting at the sky, "You old thing, you're playing tricks on me again! Didn't we agree that this time it would be a level 7 storm? This damn thing isn't even stopping at level 8!"

  "You're still not dead, are you plotting against me?"

  A loud, thunderous laughter echoed through the sky, causing the surrounding mountains to tremble. A figure flashed by in mid-air, and a Daoist priest in a green robe swooped down, landing on the summit of a mountain with a flourish of his sleeves. "You stinky little brat! I was just waiting for you. What's wrong? Come on over and try to hit me if you dare!"

  "You're just a good-for-nothing, you've been muddling along for so many years and can't even withstand a ninth-level storm. From now on, don't ever say that I'm your old master's disciple, it's embarrassing to have someone like you."

  "Besides, you haven't eaten for two days, look at your appearance, it's like a woman, even worse than a woman, is your mother not fertile?"

  "You're really asking for it, you dare to play tricks on me? Fine, just wait!"

  The young man was furious, his right hand grasping the oar and striking the water with a loud splash. The boat suddenly tilted to the right, almost capsizing, but the young man let out a grunt and stretched out his left hand, slapping it heavily on the small boat. Instantly, the boat shot forward like an arrow, speeding towards where the old man was standing.

  The small boat had just approached the shore when the young man, holding the oar, flipped over in mid-air and landed with his bare feet on the thick snow, swinging the oar as he went.

  "Alright, alright, you little brat! I'll teach you a lesson. It's been a long time since I've spanked your butt!" The old Taoist burst into loud laughter and swooped down from mid-air, his tobacco pipe flashing as it struck downwards.

  A loud "clang" of metal hitting the water, the young man let out a loud roar, his hands moved horizontally to the left, and the oar sliced through the air with a whoosh.

  "Good job, now these two make sense."

  The old Taoist burst into loud laughter, his hand holding the tobacco pipe made a swift motion, and he flipped himself upside down in mid-air. As he landed on both feet, his mouth opened wide, and a smoke arrow shot out.

  The young man was stunned, at this moment his moves were already old, and his strength was exhausted. It was almost impossible to hold the oar to avoid this smoke arrow, and the only choice was to throw away the oar.

  With this thought, the young man's hands relaxed, his whole body leaned forward slightly, his right foot toe pointed upwards, his body slid forward, his right foot swept out, and his left palm pushed out at the same time.

  "You think you're clever, don't you? Trying to sneak up on me."

  The old man was taken aback, then burst out laughing. His right hand suddenly shot out and met the young man's in a loud "crash". The young man's eyes flashed with a sly smile before he flipped backwards and landed on the ground.

  With a "poof" sound, the dark oars fell onto the snowy ground, deeply piercing into it. A faint sound of metal clashing could be heard, as if the oars had hit rocks.

  The old man's body retreated a step back like a wisp of smoke, and his old face revealed a hint of shock, "You little scoundrel, you actually ambushed me!"

  "You old scoundrel, you've fooled me so many times, I'm just fooling you back once, that's not too much to ask, is it?"

  The young man burst out laughing, bent down to grab the oar and shook it violently. The dark oar flew out like lightning and heavily struck a large rock nearby, sending snow flying and debris scattering everywhere. The oar was deeply embedded in the rock.

  "You're still alive, aren't you surprised? You must be shocked that young master's skills have improved again in these few months?"

  Lao Dao spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face changing from flushed to deathly pale in an instant. He flipped over his right hand and pressed several major acupoints on his chest before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.

  "Master, don't scare me, I've tried my best and it's impossible for me to beat you to the point of vomiting blood." The young man was taken aback, slowly crouched down, dipped his finger in a faint trace of fresh blood that had already merged with the snow, and lightly sniffed his nose, "Was it some blind fool who provoked you? I'll go kill him!"

  "You foolish kid, you've finally been tricked by me once, haven't you?" The old Taoist burst into loud laughter, his face quickly flushing red. His gaze swept over the young man's crotch, "You stinky brat, in three months your skills haven't improved at all, and even your bird has grown bigger! Be honest with me, did our family's big bird lose its chastity?"

  "Master, don't change the subject."

  The young man's face turned red, he took a step forward and grabbed the old Taoist's arm, "This injury of yours should have been for some time, there is a hint of stench in your blood, it must be from fighting with someone. Tell me, who hurt you? I'll go down the mountain right now and kill him!"

  The old Taoist's face showed a hint of comfort, and he patted the young man's shoulder. "Xu Yi, you silly kid, with this kind of heart, your master is satisfied."

  "Think about it, even I, Chì Sōng Zǐ, have to suffer at their hands. Do you think you can kill them? Besides, kid, don't be so quick to want to kill people in the future. This is a society ruled by law now."

  The old man let out a deep sigh, "Letting you, a young whippersnapper, follow me and live on this mountain for twenty years is already quite troublesome for you. Now your temper has become as violent as mine, it's about time for you to go home."

  "What? You're finally going to let me go home?"

  Xu Yi was taken aback, his mouth agape in shock. He suddenly stood up, and the fox fur wrapped around him suddenly split open inch by inch, shattering into pieces of torn fur.

  "Foolish kid, people come together by fate and part ways by fate."

  Hong Songzi nodded solemnly, "We Taoists emphasize clarity and inaction, going with the natural order. Since our fates have been fulfilled, it's time for us to part ways."

  His voice paused, a hint of a smile on his face, "You little brat, don't think I don't know what you're thinking in your heart,"

  "I'd love to get out of this godforsaken place!"

  "Master, I don't want to leave, really, really."

  Xu's knees went soft and he knelt down heavily, but Chisongzi lifted him up with one hand. "Alright, silly kid, let's go home first, Xiao Bai is starving right now, if it sees your big bird, who knows, it might think of it as food."

  "You're so shameless, and you still have the nerve to say that even the old mother duck following you is so promiscuous!"

  Xu became enraged, recalling the bullying he had suffered from that colorful bird since childhood. He suddenly felt suffocated and looked down to find that the piece of fox fur wrapped around his waist was now torn to shreds. In a panic, he quickly got up and grabbed the oar stuck in the rock, holding it up as a shield.

  "Stinky brat, what old mother duck? That's a crane, okay?"

  Akamatsu hummed, "If you hadn't kept calling it 'Old Mother Duck', it would have continued to bother you. Besides, if it weren't for its supervision over the years, you wouldn't be where you are today?"

  "Alright, let's go, I'm getting tired."

  Chi Songzi's foot paused for a moment, his left hand lifted Xu Yi, and his right hand swung in the empty air. Just as he was about to take off, a white shadow flashed over like lightning and landed accurately at Chi Songzi's feet. It was a huge animal, about two meters tall, resembling a large white bird.

  "Xiao Bai, you know I'm back." Chì Sōngzi burst out laughing, straddling the white bird's bed, his palm rubbing its back, "It wasn't in vain that I raised you all these years."

  Xiao Bai let out two loud cries, then turned his head to glance at Chi Songzi. His gaze swept over the naked body of Xu Yi, and a hint of mockery flashed in his big eyes. Xu Yi's face darkened with anger, and his right hand instinctively rose to block Xiao Bai's view. "You perverted bird, what are you looking at? Go back and I'll deal with you."

  Xiao Bai let out a cry, and its head suddenly turned around. Its long beak flashed towards Xu Yi's ** like lightning. Xu Yi jumped up in shock, not expecting this colorful bird to actually move its mouth when it said it would. If he had been any later, who knows what might have happened? He hastily raised his left hand, and with a "clang" sound, Xiao Bai's long beak pecked at the boat paddle instead.

  Xu's face turned red with rage, his right hand flipped over, and he swiftly snatched the little white bird's beak, gripping it tightly. Neither of them would let go.

  "Alright, alright, that's enough, if you guys keep making a fuss, I'll lose my temper!"

  Akakambo burst out laughing and looked down to see a small estate appearing below.