Immortal Paladin

018 Delayed Destiny

018 Delayed Destiny

An After-lunch walk.

The further we walked, the quieter the city became. The festival’s main streets were still buzzing with energy, but here, in the forested parts of Yellow Dragon City, the atmosphere was more relaxed. Patrol guards passed us by, their armor glinting in the afternoon sun. Families had set up picnic blankets under the trees, enjoying the festival in their own way. Even along the path, a few vendors had stationed themselves, selling snacks, trinkets, and teas brewed from local herbs.

Gu Jie kept pace beside me, carrying the fishbowl like some delicate treasure. Ren Jingyi swam in slow, lazy circles, either enjoying the scenery or just indifferent to it.

I glanced around and let out a low whistle. "Damn, they sure know how to party."

Eventually, we reached a small waterfall, tucked away from the bustling city. The water cascaded over smooth rocks, pooling into a shallow basin before continuing downstream. It was a peaceful spot—isolated, quiet. Exactly what I needed.

I found a large, flat rock and sat down. Gu Jie, however, just stood there, watching me carefully.

"Master, is there a problem?" she finally asked. "What are we doing here?"

I rested my elbows on my knees and exhaled. "We need to talk."

Gu Jie nodded. "I understand."

I studied her for a moment before getting to the point. "Tell me about the cultivation methods your old demonic master taught you."

Gu Jie hesitated for only a second before answering. "There were two. Besides Delayed Destiny of the Demonic Path, he also taught me Demonic Worshipping Mantra."

My brow furrowed. "And what does that do?"

"It forces the disciple to worship the person who bestowed the technique upon them. If the disciple is consumed—"

I blinked. "Wait. Consumed?"

Gu Jie nodded. "Yes. If the disciple is eaten, the effect multiplies tenfold. If they are refined into a pill, it multiplies twentyfold."

I stared at her, then slowly leaned back on my hands. "Okay? That escalated fast."

Gu Jie, as usual, remained eerily composed. "If a disciple begins practicing it, they cannot stop. Otherwise, they will suffer hallucinations."

I sucked in a breath. Demonic through and through.

It wasn’t just a method of control. It was a full-blown trap. A person ensnared by this technique wasn’t just bound by loyalty—they were turned into an investment. A resource. The longer they cultivated, the more valuable they became. And if their master decided to harvest them... well, they’d be worth more as a pill than as a person.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Gu Jie."

"Yes, Master?"

"Did you ever practice it?"

She looked me dead in the eyes. "No."

I searched her expression for any sign of hesitation, any hint of doubt. But she was completely steady.

I exhaled. "Good."

Because if she had... then she’d be cursed in more ways than one.

Gu Jie stood by the water’s edge, staring at her reflection. The gentle ripples distorted her image, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“I stopped practicing Demonic Worshipping Mantra after I escaped from my old master’s hands,” she clarified.

I tilted my head. “Is he dead?”

“Yes. He self-destructed in his fight against the righteous cultivators after his bounty.”

I nodded, relieved. At least there wouldn’t be some old demonic master suddenly springing out of the shadows for revenge. The last thing I needed was some lunatic chasing after his property and deciding to add me to the menu.

Gu Jie continued, “I’ve lived as a beggar and a bandit since then, until I met you, Master.”

Her voice was calm, but there was something heavy beneath it—years of hardship and survival. I didn’t press. If she wanted to share more, she would.

Instead, I asked, “What is your intention in becoming my follower?”

She turned, blinking at me as if the answer should have been obvious. “To repay you with my gratitude.”

Still wasn’t honest with herself. Fine. If she wanted to keep up the act, I wouldn’t call her out on it—yet.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Did you have any plans for solving your condition?”

The goldfish stall owner flinched. "Wu-wu-wu-what?"

He was playing dumb. A classic move for someone of his level.

I sighed, shaking my head with exaggerated disappointment. "Was it fun toying with my heart and then suddenly pretending you don’t know me after all the time we spent together?"

The old man gawked at me. "What is this bastard saying?!"

I ignored Gu Jie's bewildered stare and leaned in, lowering my voice just enough to make him think I knew more than I actually did. "I get it. Mingling with normal people is fun. It grounds you."

The old man tensed. Just for a second. Then he scowled. "What in the forsaken goddamn earth are you talking about? You know what? You're interfering with my business."

And just like that, he started packing up.

Ah. Retreating.

I had to press harder.

"Come on, old man," I said, stepping closer. "After rigging the game so much, and now that you're about to be found out, you're running away?"

The old man stiffened. "Rigged? I am an honest businessman!"

"Yeah? Tell that to my eighty-seven losses and the eighty-seven times you sabotaged me with qi."

Gu Jie choked on air.

The old man froze.

Yes, I couldn’t see qi. But with my high enough Perception, Wisdom, and Intelligence, I could brute-force my way into deducing its existence.

And this old man?

Definitely not some random NPC pretending to be Villager A.

This guy was a big shot.

And he could help us.

The old man regained his composure and huffed. "I don’t know what you're talking about."

People were starting to look.

I could hear the whispers.

“What’s happening?”

“That’s the weird goldfish guy, right?”

“Is he picking a fight with Old Man Jiang?”

Gu Jie tugged at my sleeve, her face flushing red. "Master, let’s go... This is... embarrassing."

I ignored her. The old man had already taken the bait.

Realizing the growing audience, the stall owner decided to double down—and, oh boy, did he go on a mean streak.

"Ah, if anything, this was a skill issue!" he sneered, throwing his hands up dramatically. "You failed eighty-seven times? Are you an idiot? What are you gonna do about it? Hit me? Pretend you're a cultivator?"

I exhaled through my nose.

"Come on, come on, try me!" The old man slammed his palm on the stall. "I will put you in your place, you good-for-nothing retard! Come on! Hit me!"

The crowd gasped.

Gu Jie’s grip on my sleeve tightened.

I just stared at the old man.

He grinned triumphantly. "Hah! Don’t blame me if you can’t win a simple arcade game! It’s definitely your fault, kid! A skill issue! Eh? Eh? What now? Gonna hit me?"

...

Ugh.

This vindictive old man.