Chapter 463: A Very Important Person

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao pretended not to hear.

The two walked one ahead of the other, and soon arrived beneath Tushan's ancestral mountain.

Only then did Tu Shan Jiao Jiao turn around and look at Lin Chuan.

"Before we go up the mountain, there's something I need to tell you."

She stared into Lin Chuan's eyes, "Under the Fate Tree, you must not speak falsehoods or angry words; every word must be sincere, every sentence heartfelt."

"Can you do that?"

"If you can't, it's better not to go."

"I can," Lin Chuan smiled and nodded.

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao said no more and continued up the mountain.

The path upward was tiring; those who earnestly seek fate must climb step by step, without haste.

Because a love that shares tears and sips requires a lifetime of patience.

After a while, the two finally reached the summit.

Their gaze fell on a strange tree standing not far from the peak.

It bore no leaves, as if all vitality had condensed into the pink blossoms covering the tree.

The tree seemed born of a dream, its trunk sturdy as a dragon, twisting toward the heavens, pink flowers dotted the branches like countless stars.

Lin Chuan frowned, seeing many phantoms.

Perhaps they were not phantoms, but beautiful memories etched here.

Each blossom contained a fragment of fate memory.

It bore witness to love that grows old together, to the love that shares tears, and also to unspoken parting, the heart's tiny space a regret of the Star River.

It also recorded the weariness and separation of betrayed sincerity.

All these engraved emotions made the tree miraculous.

Lin Chuan had seen the Fate Tree in the original ancient era; its shadow still lingered in his memory, and seeing it again now still felt novel.

"This is the Fate Tree."

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao spoke.

Lin Chuan laughed, "So beautiful."

"Come with me."

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao strolled beneath the tree; its massive canopy blocked the sunlight, a gentle breeze brushed by, and a few pink petals drifted down.

She extended her hand, cupping a falling petal.

She placed one petal in her mouth and handed another to Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan took it and also placed it in his mouth.

The petal carried a faint fragrance, a slight sweetness, and a subtle mysterious energy.

"Lin Chuan, I have a question."

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao sat on the grass under the shade, the wind lifting her hair tips; behind her, NineFoxTails had sprouted unnoticed.

Her face took on a few more charming allure.

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao gathered courage, "Lin Chuan, what kind of person am I to you?"

"A very important person."

Lin Chuan answered earnestly.

The petal in Lin Chuan's mouth did not fade; instead it emitted tiny glimmers.

This signified that Lin Chuan's words were sincere.

If not sincere, the Fate Flower would turn to powder, merge into his body, and punish a treacherous heart.

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao quietly let out a breath.

When she asked this question, she was certainly nervous.

Fortunately she heard the answer she wanted.

"Do you have romantic feelings for me?"

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao asked again.

She didn't want to receive a "important status" that was merely "I consider you a younger sister."

"Hmm."

Lin Chuan nodded, not avoiding it.

Some matters can now be revealed slowly.

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao's eyes lit up, yet she was puzzled: since feelings were mutual, why did such a strange event occur?

Shouldn't they be happily together?

The crux of the problem must lie in that fate she cannot see.

"Then will you marry me and take me home?"

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao leapt over this indescribable question, heading straight for the conclusion.

"I will."

Lin Chuan was resolute.

"Hmm."

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao nodded, "I've asked everything I wanted; is there anything you want to ask me?"

"Nothing."

Lin Chuan need not ask a single word.

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao was surprised, but her heart grew more resolute, having guessed many things.

"Pay a bow to the ancestor."

She smiled, "The ancestor will protect us."

Having said that, she closed her eyes, pressed her palms together, and prayed devoutly.

Lin Chuan was just about to follow her when another gust rose, swirling countless petals into a pair of hands that lifted him, as if unwilling to bear his bow.

Faintly, Lin Chuan saw a vague soul.

It could no longer be called a soul.

Only a faint soul aura remained; the reason she still retained sentience was the collective will of Tushan's blessing.

Lin Chuan had seen her before.

The soul's will in the Affinity Tree was one of the wives of the Tianhu Shizu, his sworn brother in the Heavenly Demon Chaos dream-reincarnation.

That memory was very clear to him.

At that time, the Tianhu Shizu was targeted by the Mo Zu of the Blood-Painted Star Domain, and the entire Fox Clan suffered collateral damage.

He made a pact with the Tianhu Shizu.

The Tianhu Shizu took over the Heavenly Dao Divine Office for him, helping him regain his freedom, while he was responsible for settling the Fox Clan and eliminating the Mo Zu for them.

After that, he divided the Fox Clan into three lineages.

They were led respectively by the Tianhu Shizu's mother and two wives; the maternal lineage remained in the Ancestral Land but has now completely scattered, its ancestral line extinct.

The other two lineages were placed by him in Green Hill and Tushan.

Thus the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan reached its present pinnacle.

"Logically, memories of Tianmo Chuan in the world, except for a few, should have been erased."

"The Tianhu Shizu's wives should also be unable to recall."

"After achieving the obsession, it instead sensed me?"

Lin Chuan did not dwell on it.

He saw the soul's lingering resolve, as if deep in distant Shikong yet also within arm's reach, bowing toward her.

Lin Chuan felt this scene differed from the original ancient era, perhaps because he had honed the Way of the Soul to its utmost.

Thus he witnessed a different kind of splendor.

Just as Lin Chuan was pondering, more pink petals fell from the canopy, turning into powder that merged into his Sword of All Beings,

At that moment, he could clearly feel the Sword of All Beings' power soaring linearly.

Casting a variant spirit‑purifying Grand Array using the forms of all beings had always been difficult for him, but the mysterious power of the Affinity Tree greatly compensated the flaw,

Originally, seeing a former companion's wife was already an unexpected joy.

He did not expect such a chance; the Affinity Tree's aid fully enabled the Dragon Origin Yin‑Yang Pearl, and even more.

If previously his Sword of All Beings' forging progress had reached fifty percent,

Now it is eighty percent.

A full thirty percent boost saved him a great deal of time; relying on Myriad Symbol Pavilion to settle slowly would likely take over a hundred years.

"Thank you."

Lin Chuan clasped his hands and bowed.

When the breeze blew again, everything returned to normal.

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao slowly opened her eyes; just now, she had felt a blessing from the Affinity Tree.

It was like a calming pill, settling her lingering heart completely.

She no longer wrestled with that unknown issue, her smile bright as a spring breeze,

"Lin Chuan, I'll take you to see other scenery."