Scholar Song mused to himself, "I must have caught something from the group. Even though the chat logs seem full of joy, I should probably leave the group after a while. Otherwise, I might end up being assimilated. Once I show my cousin that prescription and confirm whether those supplements are actually toxic, it's definitely time to leave."
In truth, they were just some peculiar group members... and he had been added without any rhyme or reason. Scholar Song could easily ignore their existence.
Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that if he knew the 'pills' they were taking were poisonous, he would at least have to try and dissuade them. Whether they listened or not was their choice, but at least he could say he tried.
Yes, it was about having a clear conscience.
Whether they chose to heed his warning was their business, but whether he offered the warning was his responsibility.
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After returning to his dorm, Scholar Song logged onto the chat app and sent his cousin, Zhao Yaya, a transcription of the list of herbs.
"Yaya, hypothetically speaking: if all the above herbs were thrown into a cauldron and boiled into a medicinal paste, would it be lethal? If you have time, please check it out for me."
He hit send and leaned back in his chair, emptying his mind.
Unlike him, his cousin Zhao Yaya was in her university internship phase and wasn't online much. Sometimes it would take her days to log on and reply, so waiting a week for a response wasn't unusual.
If he could help it, Scholar Song didn't want to ask this question online.
After all, some things were better said face-to-face to avoid misunderstandings. What if his cousin thought he wanted to take the medicine himself? He shuddered at the thought of his mother flying over to check on him.
However, today he felt increasingly like he was being 'assimilated' by the group—indeed, even if reading the chat logs was entertaining, it was better to leave the group sooner rather than later.
Since he had never engaged with the group and had no ties with its members, leaving wouldn't be too hard.
Still, his finger unconsciously clicked on the bottom right corner of the screen to open the Ninefold Land group chat.
It's easy to develop habits; he had gotten used to checking the group every day in just ten days.
Someone was online in the group.
Hermit of North River: "A Qi, has the tribulation ended? Did Little Sixteen level up?"
This message had been posted over ten minutes ago, yet Su Clan's A Qi hadn't responded.
"Is it safe from the thunder tribulation?" Phantom Spirit asked. This time, it was her speaking, not her father. The little girl had just joined the group but was charming enough to have made friends with several regulars already.
She knew that for cultivators, every thunder tribulation was serious business. Even the weakest tribulation could lead to major issues if mishandled.
"It should be fine. A Qi is here. A trifling third-grade postnatal tribulation won't pose a problem; he could disperse it if needed," Hermit of North River replied.
However, A Qi had remained silent, leaving him feeling uneasy.
At that moment, an ID Scholar Song had never seen before popped up. It was called 'Master Diviner of the Copper Hexagram': "Don't rush; let this master calculate a hexagram first, and we'll know the outcome."
Hermit of North River paused for a moment before replying, "Alright then."
This Master Diviner of the Copper Hexagram was apparently playing the role of an oracle?
In about two or three minutes, the Master Diviner chimed in again: "Haha, no worries. This master has calculated a supreme auspicious sign—great fortune is ahead! Su Clan's A Qi and his junior are definitely safe. Let's just wait for Little Sixteen to come challenge us!"
A supreme auspicious sign—shouldn't that bring some relief? Scholar Song thought. While divination shouldn't be taken too seriously, it could sometimes provide a bit of comfort.
But, hearing this result, Hermit of North River didn't look happy; instead, he fell silent.
Moments later, he sent a grimacing emoji: "It seems Little Sixteen really is in trouble, which is why A Qi hasn't logged in. Is anyone near H City? Please check on A Qi to see if he needs help?"
Wild Blade of Three Tides replied with a sigh: "Since the oracle calculated great fortune, then something indeed must have gone wrong. Unfortunately, I'm too far from H City; even if I wanted to rush over, it would take several days."
"?" Fay Yu was confused.
"Fay Yu, you might not know this, but the oracle here has never been right. If he predicts great fortune, you'd better prepare for a disaster because trouble is certainly coming. Conversely, if he predicts calamity, then you can breathe easy, as it means you're likely to encounter good luck. If one day he predicts an apocalyptic catastrophe, then you should throw a celebration, for it means you're about to find a powerful artifact!" Wild Blade of Three Tides explained.
Hermit of North River added: "On the flip side, the oracle is actually quite skilled. As long as you interpret his predictions in reverse, you'll usually get the correct answer."
Master Diviner of the Copper Hexagram: "…"
He wanted to scream in protest, but he was painfully aware of his long history of failures, leaving him conflicted.
"By the way, Miss Fay Yu, could you ask your father when he plans to come home? He's been a guest at my place for a long time. Doesn't he miss home or his adorable daughter?" Wild Blade of Three Tides asked, this time being smart enough to avoid provoking anyone.
"Sure, senior. I'll ask my dad when I have time." Fay Yu politely responded, but it was just an empty promise. She didn't specify when she would ask or confirm that she would tell her father to return.
Wild Blade of Three Tides was clever enough to understand Fay Yu's dismissive tone, and his eyes began to mist over once more.
"Are there any lurkers near H City?" Hermit of North River tagged everyone in the group.
The lurking members soon emerged, shaking their heads in unison. With such a vast land like the Middle Land, it was impossible for everyone in the group to congregate in one spot.
Scholar Song was in the Jiangnan region, which bordered H City, but he didn't know Su Clan's A Qi—besides, he believed that he was still sane enough not to accompany the group to find someone who had gone missing due to a 'thunder tribulation' and whose fate was predicted to be 'troubled' by an oracle.
He hadn't been assimilated yet.
At that moment, Fay Yu spoke up again: "I'm preparing to head to J City for some matters. I'll first take a flight to Jiangnan Airport, then transfer to J City. Since Jiangnan is close to H City, if you need assistance, feel free to reach out to me... Although I'm not familiar with H City, I'll do my best to help if needed."
"That would be great." Hermit of North River replied.
She's passing through Jiangnan? Scholar Song blinked in surprise.
Hermit of North River said excitedly, "I'll contact A Qi. If help is needed, I'll reach out to you, Fay Yu."
He had a good relationship with Su Clan's A Qi; they had been close friends even before they joined the Ninefold Land group. Now, the prediction from the Master Diviner had left Hermit of North River feeling anxious.
If it weren't for their deep bond, he wouldn't be so worried.
Just then, group leader Immortal Sage of Yellow Mountain appeared and tried to soothe the situation: "North River, don't worry too much. With A Qi around, even a trifling third-grade postnatal thunder tribulation won't faze him."
"That's true." Hermit of North River sighed, "Honestly, I wasn't worried at first; after all, it's just a minor third-grade postnatal thunder tribulation. It's just that the Master Diviner's auspicious prediction has me on edge."
"..." Immortal Sage of Yellow Mountain.
"..." Wild Blade of Three Tides.
Hermit of North River made a good point, leaving them both speechless.
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**End of Chapter**