Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level?-Chapter 76[Vol. 6] - The Unfathomable Secrets of Fate

[Vol. 6] Chapter 76: The Unfathomable Secrets of Fate

The incense burned faster and faster, as if the act of attempting to steal secrets had been discovered by its cosmic guardians. The backlash of tampering with fate escalated rapidly.

At first, when the incense was lit, it burned steadily for nearly ten seconds before accelerating. Another ten seconds passed, and half of it had been consumed. But the remaining half suddenly ignited like a lit fuse, the flames surging threefold as the sticks burned down with a sharp *crackle*.

In just three seconds, the incense was completely consumed. The sticks, along with their bases, crumbled into ash. And then, a far more terrifying scene unfolded before everyone’s eyes.

“Crack… crack-crack-crack…”

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The bronze figurine, positioned to face Violet, began to show fractures spreading from within. The cracks rapidly widened and extended until, in an instant, the entire statue exploded from the inside out.

*Bang!!!*

“Ahhh!”

The sheer force of the blast, which shattered solid bronze into fragments, was immense. Xiao Yi let out a startled cry, but Violet acted quickly, constructing a radiant barrier that enveloped the explosion like a shield, preventing the shrapnel from harming anyone nearby.

Even so, Violet’s focus remained fixed on the one-eyed old man.

*Boom!!!*

As the three sticks of incense turned to ash and the bronze figurine violently disintegrated, the sheet of white paper in the diviner’s hands, bearing the single word [Dawn], suddenly ignited in fierce flames.

*Rumble… RUMBLE…!!!*

Outside the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild, a series of deafening thunderclaps rolled through the sky. The once-clear weather darkened as thick clouds rapidly gathered, blanketing the heavens. Lightning bolts tore through the sky, roaring with fury as if searching for the audacious culprit who dared to peer into the forbidden mysteries of fate.

Witnessing this celestial phenomenon, everyone in the area turned pale, their faces etched with fear. The ominous sight left them wondering what unspeakable secret could have triggered such wrath from the heavens.

*Cough!*

The one-eyed old man spat out a mouthful of blood, tossing the flaming remains in his hand to the ground without hesitation. Even so, the sudden burst of fire scorched away his sparse beard and a few strands of gray hair. His diviner’s robes were left with several charred holes, leaving him looking quite disheveled.

As for the sheet of paper, it had already been completely consumed by the flames while still in the air, leaving not even a trace of ash.

“Father! Are you okay?!”

Xiao Yi, panicked, rushed to support her father, who was swaying unsteadily in his chair. Ling Feng immediately stepped forward, pulling out a small porcelain bottle and a flask of water from her belongings.

“Here, this is a restorative elixir for nourishing vitality and improving circulation. Quickly, let him take it.”

“Thank you… thank you, big sister.”

With Murong Yun present, Xiao Yi didn’t doubt the medicine’s authenticity, and something personally provided by Ling Feng was unlikely to be anything less than exceptional.

After swallowing a few of the spiritual pills and resting for a moment, the old man’s pale complexion began to recover. Violet, having gathered and disposed of the shattered bronze fragments, cast a healing spell on him, allowing the diviner to regain enough strength to speak.

“Father…”

Patting his daughter’s small hand and glancing at Murong Yun, who had also stepped closer but seemed hesitant to speak, the old man leaned back in his chair and shook his head weakly.

“*Cough… cough.* I told you, it’s nothing to worry about. I’ve peeked into the secrets of fate countless times and always emerged unscathed. This time is no different. It’s just a shame that the time was too short, I couldn’t see more. The heavens are now on guard, and I fear such an opportunity may never come again.”

“But Father… the ancestral tools and the incense that shielded you from divine retribution… they’re all gone. What do we do now?”

“Gone is gone. What’s the big deal? Everything has its purpose. The fact that they allowed me to divine this result means their value has been fully realized. Don’t dwell on it!”

After comforting his tearful daughter, the old man straightened his posture and sat back at the table. His gaze shifted to the black-haired girl, who had been quietly observing him all along.

“Thank you for waiting,” the one-eyed old man said with a chuckle, his tone carrying a hint of lingering unease.

“This divination was truly extraordinary. If I hadn’t cleverly evaded the backlash, I might not even be alive to tell the tale.”

“As long as you’re okay,” Violet replied calmly. “So, what did you see?”

“Hmm…”

The old man hesitated for a moment. Following his gaze, Violet glanced at the group of three, one man and two women, behind her. Then she turned back and spoke with a composed demeanor.

“It’s fine. Just like the last two times, say whatever you saw. Don’t hold back.”

“No, you misunderstand,” he replied with a faint smile.

“I’m only pondering how to describe the bizarre and surreal imagery from the divination in a way that won’t provoke another backlash from fate. Some things… even if I want to say them, I might not be able to. Well, let’s try breaking it down step by step.”

The old man murmured in thought, his voice low.

“First, you’re not a native of the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. Your origins lie elsewhere.”

“Correct.”

Encouraged by Violet’s affirmation, the old man straightened up slightly, his energy returning as he continued.

“And, as I suspected, the name *Violet* is not your real name. Or rather, it’s more like a nickname or alias, without a surname. The word *Vi* isn’t your family name. Am I wrong about this?”

“…?”

The priestess studied the man’s expression, which seemed both uncertain and contemplative. Curious, she replied, “You’re correct, I don’t have a family name. But as for surnames… how do I put this? Where I’m from, people don’t always have them. It’s a cultural difference from the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. Back in my world, not everyone needs a surname.”

“Oh… is that so? But according to the earlier signs…”

“What about them?”

For some reason, the old man shook his head, turning his gaze to the stormy sky outside, where thunder continued to rumble. A conflicted look flashed across his face before he sighed.

“Let’s leave it at that. The fate surrounding you, Miss Violet, is far too profound and inscrutable. Even though I’ve exhausted my efforts, I could only glean three faint and hazy pieces of information. The first is what I’ve just shared. The second…”

He paused, his expression growing more serious.

“You came to the [Ancient Spirit Realm] to search for a friend, didn’t you?”

“That’s right. So, did you see where she is? I mean the person I’m truly looking for,” Violet asked, her tone steady but expectant.

The old man nodded slightly.

“Hidden Land of the Immortals.”

“Hidden Land…”

Violet furrowed her brow, carefully pondering the implications of those words.

The [Ancient Spirit Realm] was vast, but places genuinely associated with the word “Immortal” were exceedingly rare. The phrase “Hidden Land” could only refer to the [Spirit Veil Immortal Island].

This matched what Hen had hinted to her earlier.

“Is there any way to get more specific?”

The old man chuckled bitterly. “As I’ve said before, the secrets of fate cannot be fully disclosed. This is as much as I can reveal.”

“Fair enough…”

Violet didn’t press further and instead changed the topic.

“What about the third piece of information?”

“Please wait a moment.”

For some reason, this time, the old man didn’t continue explaining verbally. Instead, he picked up his brush and ink and began to draw on a fresh sheet of white paper.

His strokes were quick, and before long, he placed the completed artwork together with the turtle shell Violet had written on earlier. This time, however, the new sheet of paper was laid on the *outside* of the shell rather than inside.

Ling Feng and the others, standing behind Violet, noticed she made no attempt to hide the items. Naturally, they stepped closer to take a look.

“What does this mean? A little fox?”

“A fox… Could it represent some kind of spirit companion?”

Bai’er and Murong Yun started guessing aloud, clearly puzzled by the drawing’s significance. Even Ling Feng, typically knowledgeable, looked perplexed.

But Violet was different. For the first time, a genuine sense of surprise flickered across her face.

She glanced at the old one-eyed diviner, whose expression carried an air of subtle meaning, then returned her gaze to the paper.

The drawing depicted an adorable little fox with triangular, pointed ears. Its face was sketched in such a way that it resembled a mask.

Due to the paper’s thin texture, once it was laid atop the turtle shell, the faint outline of the previously inscribed word underneath subtly appeared at the center of the fox’s mask.

That word was [Dawn].