"Master, you possess remarkable insight and make accurate judgments. We all admire you greatly. Tonight, I will host a banquet for you at the Celestial Ascension Tower, and I sincerely hope you will accept my invitation. Would you honor us with your presence?"
Dugu Qing was a pragmatic individual.
When the celestial being was alive, he would gladly serve and obey. Now that the celestial is dead, he has moved on from that concern.
His perspective on matters is always based on the potential benefits he can gain from others.
Everything is centered around interests.
It is precisely this mindset that allowed him to solidify his position in Celestial Ascension City.
Ultimately, his dealings with the celestial being were merely transactional.
He served the celestial in hopes of reaping rewards in return.
This enabled him to cheer on while the celestial bullied the citizens of Celestial Ascension City, like Jiang Bai.
However, he never imagined that a mere mortal like Jiang Bai could predict the celestial's demise.
Even more surprising was the emergence of a powerful Celestial King who swiftly eliminated the celestial being.
The Celestial King clearly favored Jiang Bai, indicating he had a high opinion of the young diviner.
Additionally, Jiang Bai's incredibly precise divination skills captivated Dugu Qing.
If the celestial's lifespan could be predicted so accurately, perhaps other matters could be too.
As a result, he quickly shifted his strategy, intending to befriend Jiang Bai.
Setting aside Jiang Bai's skills, the presence of the unknown Celestial King was reason enough to reach out to Jiang Bai.
In his view, the conflict between Jiang Bai and the deceased celestial was insignificant.
After all, no one seeks justice for the dead.
He also doubted that any ordinary celestial who offended the Celestial King would have friends or family willing to risk their safety to confront Jiang Bai.
The attendees, being astute, immediately recognized Dugu Qing's intentions.
"Lord Dugu is correct; we share the same thought!"
"Sir, you must not refuse! From our first meeting, I recognized your extraordinary nature!"
"Please visit my Qin family; we have an extensive collection of over a hundred thousand books and the finest stargazing tower in the city, which can surely enhance your divination skills!"
Just moments ago, these cultivators had supported the celestial's mistreatment of Jiang Bai, but now they had completely changed their demeanor, not mentioning previous events.
Jiang Bai looked at their seemingly sincere smiles, feeling bewildered.
Were these truly the same cultivators who had wanted to harm him?
A chill ran down his spine.
He felt as if he could see behind them a pack of predatory beasts, ready to pounce.
Perhaps the celestial had been the same, simply unlucky.
Strength—every fear stems from a lack of it.
While he seemed to have the benefits of a system, embodying the protagonist role, he remained vulnerable until he grew stronger.
They recognized Jiang Bai's exceptional divination skills and viewed him as a valuable prize.
Yet, they were wary of the Celestial King Lin Xiao and feared any association with him, which prevented them from acting.
Thus, they put on a facade of friendliness, trying to win him over with flattery.
Ultimately, it all came down to strength!
In this moment, the excitement he felt from his new life and abilities vanished.
What remained was a desire for power and caution towards the cultivators of the immortal realm.
He yearned for the strength to protect himself.
At the very least, he wanted to ensure his safety in the Celestial Realm.
"Esteemed seniors, I'm truly overwhelmed by your attention; I feel unworthy!"
Jiang Bai tried to compose himself.
"You're being modest, sir. Meeting someone like you is our privilege!"
This was said by Qin Xiaofeng, the head of the Qin family.
Among those present, he was the second most powerful figure after Dugu Qing.
As a late-stage Void Return expert, he showed no hesitation in complimenting Jiang Bai.
"Qin Lao is right!"
"Yes, yes, knowing you is a blessing for us!"
After the death of Long Tao, the attendees seemed to have split into two factions.
One was led by Dugu Qing, the other by Qin Xiaofeng.
Dugu Qing, smiling knowingly, glanced at Qin Xiaofeng and said to Jiang Bai, "There's no need for you to be modest. It's late now; let's head to the Celestial Ascension Tower for dinner and discussion."
He gave Jiang Bai no choice, commanding his subordinates, "Quickly prepare the divination tools for the master!"
Immediately, two late-stage Transformation experts stepped forward to assist Jiang Bai.
There wasn't much to gather.
He had only a small table, a divination tube, six copper coins, and a divination banner.
Feeling he had no choice, Jiang Bai stored his tools in the storage ring given to him by Long Tao.
Seeing no way to decline, he followed Dugu Qing to the Celestial Ascension Tower.
Qin Xiaofeng and the others followed as well.
Residents of Celestial Ascension City watched in disbelief as Jiang Bai walked with Dugu Qing and Qin Xiaofeng.
Everyone speculated about his identity.
In Celestial Ascension City, Dugu Qing and Qin Xiaofeng held immense authority.
What kind of person could walk alongside these two?
Some guessed he might be the legendary banished celestial.
Rumors had circulated that a celestial had come to the city.
Others speculated that Jiang Bai could be a holy figure from one of the top powers in the Celestial Realm, especially since he looked quite young.
In any case, various theories circulated.
As the news spread, it quickly reached people's ears.
The young diviner had accurately predicted the celestial's death.
When the celestial's time approached, a Celestial King appeared and personally ended his life.
The Celestial King seemed to hold the young divination master in high regard.
The concepts of the celestial, the Celestial King, and the divination master predicting the celestial's demise stirred excitement among the onlookers in Celestial Ascension City.
The entire city began buzzing with stories about the divination master who had foretold the celestial's fate.
Many began to strategize.
Smart minds were not limited to Dugu Qing and Qin Xiaofeng.
Everyone recognized what a divination master capable of predicting celestial fates could mean.
Secrets regarding hidden realms, spirit herb locations, spirit beast movements, and enemy traces...
There was so much that could be divined.
As long as Jiang Bai was around, nothing would remain a secret.
Some even wondered if cultivation techniques could be predicted.
Celestial Ascension City was in a frenzy.
However, when people learned that Jiang Bai had already been claimed by City Lord Dugu Qing and Qin Xiaofeng, they felt frustrated.
Why wasn't it them who found Jiang Bai first?
As for the cost of divination, they conveniently chose to ignore it.
If they had known that the celestial had directly paid 150,000 spirit stones for the service, they might have remained calmer.