563: Marquis of Xibo died after fortune telling.

At the center of the platform's summit, the main body of the investiture of the gods list floated and slowly unfolded, with three hundred and sixty-five points of light representing divine positions flickering upon it.

On one side of the high platform, a massive golden stone stele rose from the ground. Inscribed upon it were the core tenets of the heavenly law of merit and virtue, emanating an aura of absolute impartiality and justice, overseeing all living beings.

The Investiture of the Gods Platform was complete!

In Biyou Palace, the Sect Leader Tongtian sat upon his cloud bed, gazing at the mirror-like illusion reflecting the Investiture of the Gods Platform outside the South Heaven Gate before him, and slowly closed his eyes.

"Duobao, Jinling, Wudang, Guiling..."

"Pass down this order: those who seal their Immortal Cave and quietly recite the Huangting Scripture may avoid the calamity."

"But if you are determined to enter the calamity... then go and fight!"

"Those with deep Karma may not necessarily survive, and those with deep Karma may also die; in the end, victory is determined by one's fists."

"Do not... disappoint your master."

In the hall, several Personal Disciples solemnly accepted the order, their expressions varied.

Lu Jiuyuan did not linger in the Heavenly Court, instead coming directly to the mortal realm, to the banks of the Wei River, where there was a ferry crossing and a few households.

By the roadside, a fortune-telling stall had appeared, and a young man sat there.

The stall was simple: a rough wooden table, two bamboo stools, and a half-old cloth banner hanging askew, inscribed with four ancient seal characters: "Divining Heavenly Secrets."

His stall had been set up abruptly, yet it felt natural, as if it had already experienced countless winters and summers in this very spot.

The folk customs of Western Qi were simple and honest, and the marketplace was bustling. For the first few days, the fortune-telling stall in this quiet corner went unnoticed.

Lu Jiuyuan was not in a rush. Every day he simply sat quietly, watching people come and go, observing the clouds rolling and unfurling, waiting for a fated person to come and ask for a fortune reading.

The Wei River flowed vast and mighty, heading east without ceasing.

Some said that the fortune-telling gentleman was excessively young, yet possessed a pair of eyes that had seen all the vicissitudes of life.

Some said they had seen wind and rain avoid his stall, and wild dogs keep away from his table; others claimed with certainty that when dusk fell, the four characters "Divining Heavenly Secrets" on the cloth banner appeared as if divine and holy.

These fragmented words scattered with the wind, eventually making their way into Western Qi City, and into the residence of the Marquis of the West.

Inside the quiet room, sandalwood incense curled in the air.

The Marquis of the West's beard and hair were already frosted with age, but his eyes remained clear and wise.

On the low table before him lay a scroll of ancient patterns rubbed from a tortoise shell, and beside him were scattered nine pieces of polished, smooth yarrow stalks.

He was divining, and he was also confused.

The Acquired Bagua circulated in his mind, and the threads of the mountains and rivers, the Luck of his Family, and the general trends of the world were faintly visible.

The hexagram clearly pointed to "The Phoenix Cries in Qishan," and his second son, Ji Fa, had the signs of a Dragon soaring in the sky, destined to rule the world.

The Heavenly Dao was brilliant, seemingly favoring Western Qi.

However, reality was like a wall of bronze and iron.

The current Emperor, Di Xin, although rumored in his early years to be brave and arrogant, seemed to have changed into a different person in recent years. He was diligent in governance and loved his people, striving for excellence. The imperial court was filled with virtuous ministers, the four seas were pacified, and the eight hundred feudal lords were submissive.

His eldest son, Bo Yikao, was benevolent, filial, humble, and gentle, possessing both virtue and talent. He was deeply loved by the subjects, and his position as the heir was as stable as Mount Tai.

Heavenly Dao and reality were like two lines that should have intersected, yet they extended in parallel in a bizarre way, trapping the Marquis of the West's mind in between, rushing left and right, unable to find a solution.

Every deep divination seemed to reveal an eye as large as the sky, looking down upon Western Qi, leaving him dazed.

Recently he had become increasingly restless. Whenever he cast a hexagram, he repeatedly saw the sign of "Purple Qi coming from the East, a Supreme descending to the mortal world."

"Purple Qi coming from the East... the banks of the Wei River..." the Marquis of the West muttered to himself.

That day, he changed into ordinary cloth clothes, took only one or two trusted attendants, and quietly left Western Qi City, following a faint intuition, arriving at this Wei River ferry.

From afar, he saw the fortune-telling stall.

A very ordinary stall, a very young gentleman.

But the Marquis of the West's footsteps faltered slightly. In his eyes, the aura around the stall was exceptionally clean, like a small piece of glaze in a turbid world, untainted by dust.

And that young gentleman sitting quietly with his head lowered was clearly right before him, yet he gave one the illusion of being faintly in harmony with the flowing water, the breeze, and even this entire world.

The Marquis of the West took a deep breath, stepped forward slowly, and bowed with cupped hands: "Greetings, sir."

Lu Jiuyuan looked up, his gaze calm as he looked at the Marquis of the West, with no surprise in his eyes, as if he had known he would come.

"What does the customer wish to ask?"

"Asking for the way."

The Marquis of the West sat down on the bamboo stool: "The path ahead is confused, I do not know whether to advance or retreat, I ask for your guidance, sir."

"The path is under your feet, and also in the heart of the Heavenly Dao. The opportunity to advance or retreat lies in a single thought."

"The confusion in your heart, customer, is not about the path under your feet, but about the sky above your head, the Dao in your bosom, and the descendants behind you. Is that not so?"

The Marquis of the West's hand trembled. He steadied himself and said in a deep voice: "Sir has a Wisdom Eye. That is indeed the case. May I ask, the will of Heaven is unfathomable, and moral order has its sequence, how should I conduct myself? How... can I fulfill it?"

Lu Jiuyuan looked at him and suddenly smiled slightly: "Why must the Marquis of the West be so humble? You control the Acquired Bagua and have already caught a glimpse of the mechanisms of the Heavenly Dao's operation."

"The Phoenix Crying in Qishan is true, and the hearts of the world turning towards you is a trend."

"However, trends have their compliance and resistance, and the Dao has its manifestation and obscurity. In the past, the Heavenly Dao was in Chaos, and the killing calamity came first; now, the net of law is spread, and Karma is the measure."

"In extraordinary times, there must be extraordinary choices."

Lu Jiuyuan's voice sounded as if it came directly from the bottom of the Marquis of the West's heart: "Of the eight hundred feudal lords, you are considered the most virtuous. A virtuous person does not merely maintain what has been achieved, but should follow the trend and guide it, sacrificing the small to preserve the great."

The Marquis of the West was struck as if by lightning, sitting frozen on the spot.

The other party did not state it clearly, but every word and sentence brushed away the clouds and mist, as if the sky that had originally been covered was now clearly placed before him.

The path that was once unclear was now crystal clear.

The Phoenix Crying in Qishan was once true, and the Martial King attacking Zhou was the path.

Now, Di Xin is virtuous, and the world belongs to the Yin, which is also the Heavenly Dao's mandate.

The Marquis of the West sat dazed for a long time as the sunlight slanted westward, stretching his shadow out long.

Finally, he slowly stood up and bowed deeply to Lu Jiuyuan with utmost solemnity: "The Marquis of the West thanks you, sir, for clearing my confusion. This favor and virtue will never be forgotten."

Lu Jiuyuan did not stand up, merely waving his hand.

The Marquis of the West took a deep breath and turned to leave.

Several days later, in Western Qi.

The atmosphere inside the Marquis's residence was solemn.

After returning from a sacrificial ceremony, the Marquis of the West "fell ill," and the illness was severe; medicine and stones were ineffective.

When the news spread, Western Qi was shaken, and the people were worried.

Before his sickbed, the Marquis of the West summoned his sons and important ministers.

His complexion was ashen, his breath weak, but his eyes were exceptionally clear.

He held the hand of his eldest son, Bo Yikao, and then took a deep look at Ji Fa, who was in the crowd with an anxious expression and tiger-eyes filled with tears, and slowly spoke:

"I observed the celestial phenomena at night and sensed the Heavenly Dao's mandate. The Phoenix Crying in Qishan was a result of Western Qi's virtuous governance; it is a blessing, not a sign of conquest."

"Now the Emperor is wise, and the four seas are peaceful; this is the good fortune of the myriad people and the Righteous Path of Heaven and Earth."

"Our Western Qi has been loyal for generations. We must strictly observe the duties of a subject, assist the Yin-Shang, protect the common people, and live up to our reputation for virtue."

"My time is coming to an end; this is the Heavenly Dao's mandate and cannot be defied."

"After I am gone, Bo Yikao will succeed me. You all must assist him wholeheartedly, defend the land, pacify the people, and accumulate Karma through good governance."

"Remember... do not harbor delusional thoughts, do not raise weapons of war."

"The good fortune of Western Qi lies in peace, in virtuous conduct, and not in... inappropriate desires."

"Father!" Ji Fa could not help but step forward, his tiger-eyes filled with tears, "You..."

The Marquis of the West lifted his hand with difficulty to stop him: "Fa'er... you are heroic and surpass others, but you must know that being too rigid leads to breaking, and being too strong leads to humiliation."

"There is more than one path in the world."

"Keep your original heart, accumulate Karma, and you will naturally... naturally have your own future."

He looked at Bo Yikao again: "Bo Yikao... Western Qi is entrusted to you."

"Remember... the word 'virtue' weighs more than a thousand jun."

"Your father... will be watching you from heaven."

After finishing his instructions, the Marquis of the West seemed to have settled all his worldly cares and peacefully closed his eyes. That night, a star fell, and the Marquis of the West passed away.

Western Qi went into mourning, and the myriad people wept bitterly.

When the news reached Zhaoge, Di Xin also felt his virtue, issued an imperial decree to bury him with honors, and posthumously conferred special honors upon him.