Chapter 8 – Dawn of Confrontation, Son of Destiny's Debut
The first rays of dawn painted the eastern sky in hues of rose and gold, spilling over the majestic peaks of the Tianshang Holy Land. Dewdrops glittered like scattered diamonds on the vibrant spirit grasses and exotic flowers that adorned Fairy Peak. The air was crisp, fresh, and thrumming with a subtle, potent spiritual energy.
Su Chan stirred, the ingrained habit of early rising pulling him from sleep. He dressed in the distinguished light purple robes of a True Disciple of Fairy Peak, his mind already occupied with the impending disciple recruitment ceremony. Before leaving, he settled onto his cushion, not for cultivation, but to compose his thoughts for his mental diary.
[Diary Entry – Day 2]
[The disciple recruitment ceremony is today. I need to be there to observe Ye Fan. From what I recall of the novel, the initial assessments are monitored by Outer Sect Elders… Ye Fan will likely contrive a situation to display his 'surprising' talent… to make a memorable first impression…]
[My senior and junior sisters will likely be there too… It's at this point Ye Fan's ring grandpa discovers Ning Youxi… identifies her top-tier Furnace Body… and Ye Fan's disgusting plan to manipulate her truly begins to form. I need to think if there's any way to subtly shield Youxi from that old ghost's detection… Let's talk about this later, getting ready now.]
[As Su Chan concluded this entry, a series of notifications chimed, not just in his mind, but rippling through the consciousness of every diary holder.]
[Ding! System Update: New Function Activated – Information Panel.
Host Su Chan can now view a basic information panel for himself and the designated 'Son of Destiny' (Ye Fan). This panel will include current cultivation realm and Luck Value.]
[Son of Destiny's Luck Value can be weakened by:
[Intercepting his destined opportunities.]
[Preventing him from acquiring designated heroines.]
[Exposing his schemes and damaging his reputation.]
[Causing him significant setbacks or failures.]
[Successfully claiming his fated treasures or inheritances.
(Further methods may be revealed later.)]]
Su Chan blinked. An information panel? His first instinct was to check his own details.
Mentally, he called forth the panel.
[Host Information Panel]
[Name: Su Chan
Status: True Disciple, Fairy Peak
Cultivation: Qi Refining Realm – Peak (Foundation rapidly transforming due to Chaos Divine Body)
Physique: Chaos Divine Body (Primordial Grade)
Cultivation Art: Grand Primordial Chaos Art (Emperor Grade)
Luck Value: ??? (Chaotic )]
Chaotic luck? Su Chan mused. It made a certain kind of sense. He wasn't a native 'Son of Destiny' nor a pre-ordained villain in the grand scheme recognized by this world's Heaven's Way, but an anomaly. His luck was likely tied to his actions and the system itself.
"System," he thought, "show me the information for the Son of Destiny, Ye Fan."
The panel shifted.
[Son of Destiny Information Panel]
[Name: Ye Fan
Cultivation: Qi Refining Realm – 2nd Level
Gold Finger: Ancient Saint King Remnant Soul (Ring)
Luck Value: 10,000 (Extremely High – Blessed by Heaven's Way)]
Ten thousand! The number was stark. So, this was the "plot armor" quantified. The list of ways to weaken it was now his strategic guide.
Across the Tiaxu Continent – The Heroines' Discovery
Ding! Diary Holders (Heroines) can now view a basic information panel for themselves and the 'Son of Destiny' (Ye Fan). This panel will include current cultivation realm and, for Ye Fan, his Luck Value.
The system's announcement resonated in the minds of the heroines. Like Su Chan, their first instinct was to check their own newly available information panels.
Bai Lianxin (Fairy Peak): The panel appeared in her mind.
[Name: Bai Lianxin
Status: Peak Master, Fairy Peak, Tianshang Holy Land
Cultivation: Saint King Realm – 3rd Minor Realm
Title: Frost Moon Fairy]
It was a succinct summary of her known status. Then, her thoughts shifted. The Son of Destiny… Ye Fan. The panel for him appeared. The 10,000 Luck Value was a glaring beacon. The methods to weaken it… Preventing him from acquiring designated heroines. The term stung with renewed force. Her beautiful eyes, cold as winter frost, narrowed.
Lan Xianyi (Tianshang Holy Lord): She observed her own panel with calm interest, confirming her known public status. Then, she called forth Ye Fan's. The 10,000 Luck Value drew a thoughtful expression. "So, Heaven's Way assigns a numerical value to its favor," she murmured. "And this diary system provides the tools to contest it. How very… disruptive."
Aan Chinner (Hundred Followers Holy Land):
After confirming her own panel –
[Name: Aan Chinner,
Cultivation: Foundation Building – 5th Level,
Physique: Holy Body (Awakening)]
– she immediately checked Ye Fan's. The high Luck Value made her stomach clench, but the ways to reduce it offered a sliver of fierce hope. He will not succeed.
Ning Youxi (Fairy Peak): She nervously viewed her own panel, which confirmed her Nascent Soul cultivation and hinted at her "Special Physique (Undisclosed to Host)." Then, trembling, she looked at Ye Fan's. The 10,000 Luck Value felt like a mountain pressing down on her. But Su Chan's diary entry, combined with this new information about weakening his luck, gave her a desperate lifeline to cling to.
The other heroines, from Shen Qingyu to Hua Yueli, from Ye Qingyue in her unknown location to the princesses and sect mistresses far away, all went through a similar process: a brief check of their own summarized status, followed by a focused, often alarmed, examination of Ye Fan's panel, particularly his overwhelming Luck Value and the means to diminish it. The concept of "designated heroines" resonated with a chilling personal significance for each of them.
Su Chan, having absorbed this new information, quickly set up the basic Qi Condensation Array in his room. The ambient spiritual Qi visibly thickened. Satisfied, he made his way out of his courtyard.
The main plaza of the Tianshang Holy Land's outer sect was already bustling. Thousands of aspiring youths gathered. Presiding were Outer Sect Elders. High above, on viewing platforms, sat Inner Sect Elders and, in more prominent positions, True Disciples from various peaks.
Su Chan found his spot with the Fairy Peak contingent – his senior sister Fang Xin, and his third and fourth junior sisters, Ning Youxi and Lin Ruo'er.
Fang Xin gave him a nod, her expression unreadable but her eyes holding a new depth as they swept over the hopefuls below. Ning Youxi kept her gaze mostly downcast, though she occasionally darted a nervous glance towards Su Chan. Lin Ruo'er offered a small, encouraging smile.
Then, a commotion near one of the testing stones. A youth in simple, worn clothes, radiating stubborn pride despite his low cultivation. Handsome, with an air of arrogance barely veiled by determination.
Su Chan's eyes narrowed. There he is.
Ye Fan. The Son of Destiny had made his debut.