The Dengtian Tower is the leading establishment in Dengtian City, signifying its immense power. The fact that it carries the name "Dengtian" indicates a significant influence. Rumors suggest that the owner of the tower is not from Dengtian City, and even the city lord, Dugong Qing, is wary of its presence, raising questions about the strength of the forces behind it.
Jiang Bai accompanied Dugong Qing and Qin Xiaofeng to Dengtian Tower. As he looked at the impressive structure, he was taken aback, perfectly capturing the essence of a naive outsider. The tower occupied a large corner of the city, its size comparable to a sports stadium from his previous life, and it was divided into nine levels. Each level catered to practitioners based on their strength, with the first floor serving as a hall and the subsequent levels accommodating those from the Transcendence realm to the Tribulation realm. Even the city lord could only access the eighth floor, while the ninth floor had only been opened three times since the tower's establishment.
Upon entering, a servant approached them. "Greetings, Lord City Master, and Elder Qin! Wishing you both long life!" Dugong Qing acknowledged him and said, "I've reserved the eighth floor for a banquet today. Ensure the chef shows off his best skills!" The servant spoke confidently, showing no fear in the presence of powerful figures.
Intrigued, Jiang Bai listened as Dugong Qing explained that the owner of the tower had significant power and influence, with even the lowest-ranking servant being at least a Foundation Establishment practitioner. Jiang Bai was astonished; what kind of force would employ Foundation Establishment practitioners as mere waitstaff? He soon realized he seemed to be the weakest one there, as everyone else around him was at least at the Transcendence realm.
Led by the servant, they arrived at the eighth floor, which was a large open area without private rooms. As Dugong Qing welcomed everyone, they took their seats, and Jiang Bai found himself in the honored position, flanked by Dugong Qing and Qin Xiaofeng.
"Today, you've truly opened my eyes, sir. Before meeting you, I never imagined there were such extraordinary individuals—almost like celestial beings," Dugong Qing toasted Jiang Bai. Qin Xiaofeng joined in, and the others offered their praises, overwhelming Jiang Bai with compliments.
After several rounds of drinks, Qin Xiaofeng asked, "I have a question about your fortune-telling skills. It must be quite challenging to practice, right?" The room fell silent as everyone waited for Jiang Bai's response. Realizing this was an attempt to probe his background, he was prepared.
"Feel free to ask, esteemed seniors. I will answer as best I can!"
Qin Xiaofeng wanted to know why Jiang Bai had no cultivation despite his impressive skills. Dugong Qing also seemed curious. Jiang Bai feigned helplessness, his expression shifting to sorrow.
"Esteemed seniors, you may not know this, but it's not that I don't want to cultivate; I simply can't!" The crowd gasped in surprise.
"Why is that, sir?" someone inquired.
"My family, the Jiang clan, has practiced fortune-telling for generations. Frankly, no one in the Celestial Realm surpasses us in this art. However, it involves causality, and the heavens prevent my family from pursuing such divine knowledge."
"Fortunately, there is a way to escape this, but the price is that anyone from the Jiang family who practices fortune-telling cannot cultivate in their lifetime. Each generation can only have one practitioner, and now, I am the last one left!"
As he spoke, tears filled his eyes, and he exuded an aura of deep sadness. The audience was moved, feeling the weight of his words. In this harsh world, being unable to cultivate was an unbearable truth.
Initially, many considered taking advantage of Jiang Bai's skills, but upon hearing the high cost, they abandoned the idea. For practitioners, self-cultivation was paramount; the art of benefiting others was better left to someone else.
Yet, among the crowd, Dugong Qing and Qin Xiaofeng appeared to have different thoughts. As the city lord and head of the Qin family, they were shrewd and calculating.
Jiang Bai pretended to wipe away tears, cautiously glancing at them. "Do they not believe me? Those two are quite perceptive!"
Seeing their expressions, Jiang Bai decided to add more fuel to the fire. "Furthermore, it seems my family is cursed!" The crowd gasped again.
Curses were rare in the Celestial Realm, where cultivation techniques were abundant.
"Please elaborate, sir," someone urged.
"Infertility!" The crowd was taken aback by such a curse.
"My family was once prosperous, but since mastering fortune-telling, our numbers have dwindled. Now, I am the only one left!"
Dugong Qing and Qin Xiaofeng were shocked. Regardless of the truth of Jiang Bai's claims, they could not afford to gamble on them. If it were just the inability to cultivate, they could find someone within their families to take up the mantle. In a large clan, sacrificing one for the family could be seen as a wise decision. But with the additional curse of infertility, they needed to think carefully. Trusting outsiders was out of the question for such critical matters.
For now, they needed to stabilize their relationship with Jiang Bai and consider their next steps.