Chapter 457: Do You Have Any Wishes?

"You are..."

Shi Wanyu recognized the young woman in front of her, dressed in a white inner layer, black jacket, black skirt, and black stockings, as the one who had told her fortune. However, she had no idea how to address her. She hadn't asked for a name back then, so she paused awkwardly.

"My name is... Chen Chun!" The young woman hesitated slightly but still spoke her name.

"Chen Chun... a very nice name," Shi Wanyu said politely after hearing it, though her mind was thinking: *It's the same surname as his...* Immediately, she reacted, picking up the card in her hand. With a slight frown, she asked Chen Chun, "Did you lead me here? Or are you also visiting?" In truth, Shi Wanyu was already leaning towards the first answer.

"Everyone who receives a Destiny Card from our Divine Mechanism Manor is destined to be connected with us. Our cultivation path requires us to guide those who are destined to constantly advance our spiritual power," Chen Chun affirmed with a nod, pointing to the card held between Shi Wanyu's fingers. "And you are one of those destined people for me."

Shi Wanyu listened, her face filled with confusion. If she remembered correctly, she had only gotten a fortune-telling session because she was with Chen Mobai. Logically, Chen Mobai should be Chen Chun's destined person. Or did it mean that anyone who had their fortune told was automatically considered destined? If so, wouldn't that be too casual?

"Um, I don't need another fortune-telling session. You can find someone else who's destined," Shi Wanyu said. She had never been interested in fortune-telling. If it were truly useful, she would have long ago flown wing-to-wing with him.

"Fortune-telling is merely the initial method to find those who are destined. Guiding the destined means revealing a way to fulfill your innermost desires," Chen Chun suddenly said just as Shi Wanyu turned to leave. The latter's steps halted. She immediately turned back, her eyes burning with intensity.

"Fulfill desires? Is that true?" Seeing Shi Wanyu's intense interest, Chen Chun inwardly let out a slight sigh of relief. Still, she maintained her composure as she explained to the young woman before her.

"It's not about fulfilling wishes directly; our lineage isn't composed of deities, so how could we achieve that? It's simply about informing you of a method to fulfill your desire. Whether it can truly be realized still depends on the destined person's own initiative."

Shi Wanyu felt a slight disappointment after hearing this. However, as she thought about her impending graduation and the hopelessness of reaching Foundation Establishment, a long-cherished wish, one she had never dared to aspire to, began to surface within her heart. It transformed into an unspoken impulse, almost spilling out. Fortunately, at the last moment, her sense of shame reined in the urge.

Chen Chun watched Shi Wanyu, who seemed to want to speak but then held back, then wanted to speak again, feeling a slight impatience herself. Other people, once she uttered that phrase, would immediately treat her like a wish-granting machine, pouring out their deepest desires. Why was this person so calm? Was it really because she was *that* person? Even without any memories now, merely a naive and innocent young woman, her composure remained remarkably steady.

"Speak your heart's desire, and I will tell you how to achieve it," Chen Chun said again, her gaze falling upon the Flowing Light Sword on Shi Wanyu's back. She had led her here precisely because this sword could help her achieve Foundation Establishment. Shi Wanyu was about to graduate after ten years of university, and if she didn't want to join the military, her most urgent wish was clearly to successfully establish her foundation. That way, she could avoid military service. As the current successor of the Divine Mechanism Manor, Chen Chun had already anticipated all of Shi Wanyu's thoughts. She simply waited for her to speak, then would calmly extend a finger and point to the Flowing Light Sword. Then she would add: "What you seek is right behind you!" Just imagining that moment, Chen Chun felt it would be profoundly impactful, fitting the consistently elegant and extraordinary demeanor of their Divine Mechanism Manor lineage.

"Um, my wish is a bit difficult to say," Shi Wanyu admitted. Under Chen Chun's persuasive words and the urgency of facing military service immediately after graduation, she finally decided it was worth a shot, like trying to revive a dead horse, and began to hesitantly reveal a little of her heart to Chen Chun.

"It's alright. Within the Immortal Sect, there's virtually nothing our lineage doesn't know," Chen Chun said. Although her tone was calm, the confidence it conveyed was palpable.

"As you know, I'm about to graduate, but since I haven't successfully reached Foundation Establishment and don't want to serve in the military, so..." Guided by Chen Chun, Shi Wanyu suppressed her sense of shame. Her pretty face flushed, and her eyes flickered as she spoke.

Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Chen Chun's lips. Indeed, everything was within her predictions; not a single word had been miscalculated. Just as Chen Chun was about to clear her throat, raise her finger, and point to the Flowing Light Sword on Shi Wanyu's back, the other half of the sentence, something Chen Chun could never have predicted in her lifetime, suddenly fell upon her ears.

"...I was thinking, if I could just have a child, then I wouldn't have to serve in the military." After Shi Wanyu finished speaking, her fair cheeks flushed crimson. She was so embarrassed that she raised her hands to cover her eyes, not daring to look at Chen Chun's reaction. It was fortunate she didn't look, otherwise Chen Chun's stunned expression, her Dao Heart almost shattered, would have extinguished any desire Shi Wanyu had to continue speaking.

After three seconds of shock, Chen Chun finally regained her composure. She immediately rearranged her expression, not allowing her utterly chaotic feelings to show on her face.

"Um... actually, there's another, better way for you to avoid military service," Chen Chun hinted tactfully after a long pause. This was already a slight breach of their rules. Their lineage of the Divine Mechanism Manor could only heed the wishes of those destined, not alter their internal desires. But Shi Wanyu's wish had still managed to break through Chen Chun's composure. In that moment, she felt that the profound knowledge she had been so proud of for years was nothing but a joke.

"Oh, really? Special clauses within the Immortal Sect? But I still want a child. Didn't you say there's a way to fulfill all wishes? Does this one not count?" There were indeed some special laws within the Immortal Sect that could exempt people from military service, such as after accumulating significant merits or being the sole pillar of a family, but the conditions were extremely strict and required cultivators at the Core Formation stage or higher to vouch for them. Shi Wanyu felt these didn't apply to her, a commoner, so she was still single-mindedly determined to use the "simplest" method to avoid military service.

"Of course... you can. What kind of child do you want?" Chen Chun said, almost gritting her teeth. Her previous statement had already been a slight breach of rules, and now she didn't dare to break them further, so she could only steel herself and continue the conversation.

"I want his child," Shi Wanyu said shyly again, lowering her head. She didn't dare to say Chen Mobai's name, so she took out her phone, found the photo of them taken at the Mountain Sea Academy, and held it up for Chen Chun to see. Never had Chen Chun found that handsome face so utterly offensive.

"This... presents some difficulty... but I can tell you the method." Chen Chun almost couldn't help but remind Shi Wanyu again that she could avoid military service simply by achieving Foundation Establishment. However, she suddenly felt a palpitation from an unseen force. She immediately knew she couldn't break the rules again, so she quickly changed her tack and continued to follow her client's request.

"What method?" Upon hearing this, Shi Wanyu no longer felt shy. She lifted her head, her gaze burning as she looked at Chen Chun, whose upper body was in shadow and whose expression was still well-managed.

"You go to this place... then..." Chen Chun could only sigh, reluctantly informing Shi Wanyu of the method to achieve this desire.

"Will this really work?" Shi Wanyu asked, half-believing, half-doubting.

"I've told you the method. Whether you can achieve this wish ultimately depends on your own initiative," Chen Chun replied. After speaking, she felt that the day's destiny had concluded. If she were to say anything more, she feared she would suffer karmic backlash for being too deliberate. Thus, she merely shook her head slightly, turned, and disappeared into the shadows.

Shi Wanyu was still skeptical and wanted to ask more questions, but when she pursued, she saw Chen Chun's figure merge into the wall, vanishing before her eyes. "Will this even work?" she wondered. Finally, still half-believing and half-doubting, Shi Wanyu looked at the card in her hand and left the museum.

After she disappeared, Chen Chun reappeared. She walked over to the Flowing Light Sword, took a few quick breaths, and finally managed to calm her shattered state of mind. After a long while, she regretfully bowed to the sword and then also vanished from the museum.

Chen Mobai, naturally, had no idea that someone was scheming against him in the shadows once again. He was currently following Che Yucheng to the principal's office on the top floor of Building No. 1.

This was his second visit there. He had been taken by Che Yucheng before, upon his enrollment, but that time it was with everyone from their Soul Transformation class, using the principal's Scarlet Heart Precious Mirror to illuminate their full body data for projection into the Formless Puppets for deduction. This time was different; he was genuinely going to meet the principal of the Martial Arts Dao Academy, Venerable Chengxuan, one of the fourteen Nascent Souls of the Immortal Sect.

This was Chen Mobai's first time meeting a Nascent Soul cultivator in his life, so he was extremely excited. Compared to him, Zhongli Tianyu, who was beside him, was much calmer.

It was just the two of them meeting Venerable Chengxuan this time. Among the graduation projects of the 5012 cohort, Venerable Chengxuan had chosen them as the top performers, granting them the opportunity to refine their Natal Artifact embryos.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Finally, the three of them arrived in front of the principal's office, and Che Yucheng politely knocked on the door.

"Come in," a gentle and kind voice echoed from inside. Che Yucheng opened the office door.

Chen Mobai looked up and saw Venerable Chengxuan sitting behind the desk. He appeared to be a benevolent and amiable elderly man with a gentle smile, short dark red hair, and an overall refined and graceful demeanor.

"Good day, Principal," Che Yucheng greeted. Chen Mobai immediately followed, bowing his head in greeting, and Zhongli Tianyu, though last, also showed respectful deference. Clearly, even someone of Zhongli Tianyu's standing held genuine respect for a Nascent Soul Venerable. This was a trailblazer who had reached the pinnacle of the cultivation path. Even with their exceptional talents, they weren't entirely confident they could reach Venerable Chengxuan's level in this lifetime. Therefore, Chen Mobai and Zhongli Tianyu looked at Venerable Chengxuan as if gazing upon a monument standing tall on a mountaintop, both respectful and yearning.

"I am very satisfied with both of your graduation projects, so I intend to give you a reward. Ah Cheng must have already told you about the reward, right?" *Who is Ah Cheng?* Chen Mobai didn't react at first, but then he quickly heard a cough from Che Yucheng.

"I still have some work to do, so I'll take my leave now." After speaking, Che Yucheng left the office, closing the door behind him. *So, that was his teacher!* Chen Mobai realized. He hadn't expected him to have such a youthful nickname.

"What kind of Natal Artifact embryo would you like? Little Chen, you go first," Venerable Chengxuan said with a gentle tone, entirely lacking the terrifying aura and majesty one might expect from a Nascent Soul Venerable. He was like a kind elderly neighbor having a heart-to-heart with them.

"I want to refine the Pure Yang Bell..." Chen Mobai immediately stated the idea he had long decided on.

"Hmm, a good choice. How do you plan to acquire the materials?" Venerable Chengxuan nodded and then asked.

"I have some assets in my hometown that I can mortgage to purchase third-tier crimson copper. However, since only cultivators at the Core Formation stage or above are qualified to buy third-tier materials, I might need the Dao Academy's assistance." Chen Mobai would not do anything in front of a Nascent Soul Venerable that might expose the turtle treasure. If he was going to refine the Pure Yang Bell, he would honestly acquire the third-tier crimson copper through the most legitimate channels within the Immortal Sect.

"Do you have a hundred academic credits?" Venerable Chengxuan asked with a smile after listening.

"Yes, I even have much more," Chen Mobai replied, a look of pleasant surprise on his face. Upon hearing this, he immediately understood the principal's meaning, recalling what Ming Yihua had once said.

"There should be a third-tier crimson copper artifact stored in a 'Container Orb' under Duanmu's care. Later, you can come with me to the Myriad Treasures Cave, exchange a token to open that Container Orb, and the material should be sufficient." "Yes, thank you, Principal." As Chen Mobai expressed his gratitude, Venerable Chengxuan turned to Zhongli Tianyu, asking him what kind of artifact embryo he desired.

"I already have a mirror; there's nothing else I want." However, Zhongli Tianyu said something that surprised them all.

"You should consider this carefully. Even if your Zhongli clan chief asked me to refine something, I might not necessarily act," Venerable Chengxuan stated. As a fifth-tier Artifact Refiner of the Immortal Sect, Venerable Chengxuan was certainly qualified to say this.

Zhongli Tianyu still shook his head, stating that he already felt somewhat overwhelmed just maintaining his Eight Trigram Mirror and truly had no energy to acquire a second Natal Artifact.

"Specializing in one thing is indeed not bad," Venerable Chengxuan said, nodding. He no longer pressed the matter.

"However, since I've offered, I must give you some benefit. I'll help you refine your Eight Trigram Mirror." At this, Zhongli Tianyu did not shake his head.

"I will take you to the Myriad Treasures Cave. Do not resist..." At this point, Venerable Chengxuan spoke, then came before them, extending his hands and placing them on Chen Mobai's and Zhongli Tianyu's shoulders. After a flash of silver light, Chen Mobai felt as if he had clicked the turtle treasure for teleportation, instantly warping from one place to another. It was precisely at this moment that Chen Mobai's phone began to vibrate. The turtle treasure, which had been quiet for a long time, started to pop up notifications again.