Chapter 751: God's End

While not exactly exquisite, it was certainly enough to fill him up.

Peng Fang felt uneasy, as his treatment far exceeded that of a typical captive, yet he wondered if he would truly gain the gods' attention.

Not long after he finished eating, his eyelids grew heavy. Before he could even finish his third yawn, his head drooped, and he fell asleep against the wall.

Once his snores grew loud, He Lingchuan entered the cell and gently tapped the wall with his knuckles: “Lord Bilu, are you there?”

Peng Fang could only visit Bilu in his dreams, which indicated Bilu was more cautious than other deities. However, He Lingchuan couldn't meet gods in his dreams, as he didn't dream at all in the Panlong World. He could only summon the deity out for a conversation. At this point, Bilu was still a minor, undeveloped god, not yet Nairuo Tian, so summoning him should not be difficult.

Peng Fang remained asleep. He Lingchuan took out the Dragon Punishment Pillar and knocked it against the wall a few more times, making a sharp clanging sound. “If you don't come out, this will go to another god.”

He waited in place for a moment, but Peng Fang still didn't stir. He Lingchuan turned to leave.

Just then, a voice came from behind him: “Who is this impudent youth?”

He Lingchuan's heart tightened as he slowly turned around.

Peng Fang opened his eyes and sat up straight, leaning against the wall. It was the same face, but the expression and aura were completely different. Though seated on the ground, he looked down at He Lingchuan with an air of disdain.

He Lingchuan had seen this standard look of gods' contempt for humans many times before. General Hong, Hundred-Battle Heaven, and Shi Nan were all the same. Their disdain for humanity was barely, if at all, concealed.

“I'm the one who tied up your attendant and took this,” He Lingchuan said, taking a few steps closer and shaking the Dragon Punishment Pillar in his hand. “I have something to ask you.”

Peng Fang—no, it should be Bilu now—pointed to his injuries. “Is this how one asks for a favor?”

Peng Fang must have tearfully recounted the entire story in his dream.

He Lingchuan smiled. “Ignorance is no sin, is it?”

No hidden details could be discerned from Peng Fang’s face, but He Lingchuan continued to watch intently. Among all the gods, this was the one most closely linked to his destiny, even more so than Mi Tian. This Bilu wasn't real, or rather, the God Bilu of over a century ago would have had no connection whatsoever with He Lingchuan. He had always assumed the Panlong World was a historical past, so his attempt to consult Bilu seemed like an act of “creating something out of nothing.” Could it truly yield results? Would the behavior and mindset of this Bilu be the same as Nairuo Tian's over a century later? Could consulting this Bilu truly provide the answers he sought?

Two individuals from different timelines conversing in the same setting — this had been a constant occurrence since he stumbled into the Panlong World. He had grown accustomed to it, but now he realized this kind of evolution was quite extraordinary.

Wait a moment, evolution?

The word itself made He Lingchuan pause. Why did that word come to mind? It was as if it reflected his long-held impression of the Grand Abundant Gourd.

It was Bilu’s first time seeing someone space out in his presence, but he didn't rush He Lingchuan. Instead, he too seemed lost in thought. This young man seems somewhat peculiar.

He Lingchuan quickly snapped out of his trance and said earnestly, “Peng Fang said you can change destiny?”

Bilu raised an eyebrow. “You wish to change your destiny?”

“Can you discern my fate?” He Lingchuan wasn't wearing his mask, nor did he feel the need to, when speaking to Bilu.

“Just looking at your face isn't enough; I also need your name and birth date.”

He Lingchuan understood. “So the information you require is the same as a fortune teller’s.”

Bilu’s tone was severe. “Your facial features are unusual, which is why more information is needed. For anyone else, a single glance suffices.”

He Lingchuan touched his face. “What do you mean?”

“Most notably, you have the appearance of a short life yet the destiny of a long one. There also seem to be other encounters, making it difficult to say which outcome will ultimately prevail.”

He Lingchuan thought for a moment, then provided his name and birth information.

His name was unremarkable, but as soon as his birth information was spoken, Bilu’s brows furrowed deeply. Eventually, he even closed his eyes, as if silently calculating. He Lingchuan didn't disturb him, waiting quietly for roughly the time it takes to steep a pot of tea.

Just as he was about to yawn, Bilu opened his eyes and shot him a wary glance. “This birth information doesn't match your age!”

Based on that information, He Lingchuan should be over fifty years old. Even if he possessed techniques for preserving youth, the vitality and spirit of a young man differ greatly from those of an older person, a fact Bilu could discern at a glance.

“Yes, but it truly is my information,” He Lingchuan said, crossing his arms. “You calculated for so long, only to arrive at that conclusion?” He wanted to see what made Bilu different from an ordinary fortune teller.

Bilu shook his head. “It cannot be changed. Your destiny is too loosely intertwined with this world.”

He Lingchuan felt a jolt of surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Your fate does not lie in this realm!” Bilu declared, enunciating each word clearly. “You are not from this world!”

His gaze at He Lingchuan was exceptionally sharp. Silence fell in the prison cell. Fortunately, there was no one else present. He Lingchuan looked surprised. “Is that possible? I’m clearly standing right here!” *He certainly has some tricks up his sleeve.*

Bilu calmly replied, “Why not? Am I not here as well?” Deities reside in the divine realm but can descend to the human world. To some extent, both a deity's entry into the human world and He Lingchuan's arrival in the Panlong World could be considered “unauthorized intrusions.”

He Lingchuan let out a long breath and asked, “If I were in my own world and wished to defy destiny, what guidance could you, Lord Bilu, offer me?”

“I cannot help you,” Bilu replied. “You have intersections with two worlds. I cannot decipher the trajectory of your fate, and therefore cannot advise you.”

“Destiny” again? But He Lingchuan felt that Bilu, having calculated for so long, must have gleaned more than just that. After all, Bilu’s gaze towards him was peculiar, showing both surprise and caution. So, Bilu had lied. What exactly had this so-called “God of Destiny” foreseen?

What He Lingchuan didn't know was that, in Bilu's eyes, he had become a mere phantom. Behind him, thousands of dark threads intertwined and writhed, stretching like living tendrils into the distant void, an endless expanse as far as Bilu could see. How could a mere mortal possess such a complex web of destiny, constantly shifting and evolving? Who exactly was this young man? Even more frightening, Bilu faintly sensed that this young man was connected to him. Not in the present, but in… a distant, ethereal future. What was happening? Was this a glimpse of the distant future? But the young man clearly wasn't from this realm! He foresaw that He Lingchuan’s deeper connection with him also seemed to transcend this realm.

He Lingchuan’s words interrupted Bilu’s thoughts. “Can you see the destiny of anyone in this realm?”

“Of course,” Bilu replied, pointing to the straw mat in the corner of the room. “To you, destiny is intricate and elusive, impossible to grasp. But to me, your destinies are like the reeds woven into this mat—they follow a discernible pattern.”