Pathway

However, since he wasn't a world ruler, he would be addressed as a stellar, instead of a monarch or emperor[monarch was a title taken by a ruler of a continent in a world with more than one continent and one ruler, while emperor was the title taken by the only ruler of a world]. He was the patriarch of the Sky-Sunder sect in the floating city of Sincho on the Anchu planet. 

"Stellar Wind-Eternal, I know very well that our patriarch would love to see you before you leave. Please, allow me to get in touch with him, if you'll permit." 

"No need for that grandelder. You have recieved me well. I knew my friend was in complete solitary meditation before coming here. I simply wanted to walk around that was why I came here myself. As you know, if I wanted to contact him before coming, I would have easily done that but that would have been a dent on him."

Replied stellar Wind-Eternal. He paused for few seconds as he went through some information in his head with his gaze on the floor. He looked at the bowing maids and  acolytes and sighed. Even the elders were under struggle to remain upright. This was after he had completely masked his aura and totally reduced his energy emission. He shook his head and turned to the grandelder.

"Ascension tribulation is a dangerous and deadly feat. Whether you want to ascend to the heavenly plane or reject ascension to become an hegemon, you must not fail the ascension tribulations. If not, you'll become a loose cultivator with numbered years to live unless you find the Jade-Dragon Spirit fruit. High preparation is needed to undergo the tribulations. Let him be, we will see, another time."

"Yes, stellar Wind-Eternal."

"Let me get going now. I thank you for my good reception. More than I expected."

"You are too kind, honored stellar Wind-Eternal. Your visit is more than pleasant to us."

It was at this time that the mind-voice of elder Wang Xiu sounded in the grandelder's own mind. This wasn't the right time to be interrupted, not when he was recieving an important guest like the stellar Wind-Eternal. Nevertheless, he knew there must be something of significance for her to be contacting him at this time.

"Elder Wang Xiu."

"Forgive my intrusion, grand elder. I know you are busy now, but if you have a second to spare later, you need to see this."

"True, not the right time. You can come by later when I'm through."

"I'm already on my way, grandelder."

"Alright. Stay around, I will see you when I'm through."

"Uh?"

Stellar Wind-Eternal who was about to take his leave, stirred as wind of divinity reached him and he raised his head in surprise. The words of an oracle had gone forth, a world oracle at the least. An oracle of such calibre wasn't that easy to come by at all. Utterances of an imminent death that must happen. He turned to the grandelder who was cautious of the surprise look on the stellar's face.

"What is the matter, stellar Wind-Eternal?"

"A fated-death."

"A fated-death?"

"Yes, grandelder. A fated-death. Through your mind connection, I could sense the wind of divinity. Whoever is on the other side of your connection must be related to the fated-death."

"Elder Wang Xiu?"

The grandelder asked himself a little bit aloud. Realizing this, he quickly turned to stellar Wind-Eternal apollogetically.

"Sorry for the trouble with this, stellar Wind-Eternal. We'll address this as soon as possible."

"It'a alright. Perhaps, I can be of assistance."

"That, I can't ask of you, honored stellar Wind-Eternal."

"It will be my pleasure to be of help, grandelder. Now, let's take a look and see."

Stellar Wind-Eternal retraced the wind pattern and having located elder Wang Xiu and Ju Feng, flicked his finger and both of them were pulled into a wind portal and re-manifested right in front of the stellar and grandelder, inside the haven.

Ju Feng fell on his knees and bowed his head in total compulsion. Elder Wang Xiu bowed her head in front of much more superior power before raising it after some struggle with herself. 

True power.

Even the grandelder nodded his head in acknowledgement of true power. He looked at the stellar who was examining the two in front of him. How could he trace his, grandelder's own, mind connection? He could accept the wind portal since he knew the stellar was a wind affiliated cultivator of the hegemon level, but this displays together, were still a power apart.

"How profound are the ways of the universe. Sometimes sorrowful and sometimes joyful."

Stellar Wind-Eternal said, shaking his head. 

"Terrible fate you have, young one. A fated-death is on you, but this you already know. Yes, your death was arraigned and your death has been uttered. Nothing can change your death, that's certain enough. But, your death is not now."

His death was not now! Ju Feng couldn't contain his total relief as he heard those words. He would die, but not now. His family and his friends, they would still see him for a longer time?

Heavens tears on his head!

Through the corner of his eye, Ju Feng glanced at the back of the leaving Stellar Wind-Eternal. That was an extremely powerful cultivator who could have used a flying treasure or even a portal, yet, he preferred to walk like a mortal. More so, he was more than concerned about him, who was just reaching the Zhuji stage, in regards to his fated-death.

As he was deep in contemplation, he recollected seeing something in the honoured stellar's eyes while he was addressing him. Though for a fraction of a second, it appeared to be something of a recognition. Could it be a flash of the memory of a past? Or maybe it was just his own Zhuji's mind displaying a ruse on him. Yet, he could have sworn he saw something he thought was an accreditation in the stellar's eyes.

After the departure of Stellar Wind-Eternal, Ju Feng heaved a sigh of relief as he stared at the life-stone in his hand. This was a farewell gift of a great significance, from a diviner who happened to know the impact and true extent of a fated-death. Although, it couldn't prevent his imminent death, the lumence stone could tell him how close his death was, after the honoured stellar had linked it to his life-force.

There were three colours that the stone would display regarding the nearness of his impending death. Blue colour was an indication of years, yellow would be for months while red signified days of impending death. At the moment, the stone was only transparent which meant that he had some time before beginning the herald of his death.

With a smile of relief on his face, Ju Feng decided to go back to his room. There were still many more days to go before the luminary week would come to an end. More so, his friends were all busy with their own at the moment. Hence, it would be the right time for him to visit planet Charat. He was just hoping they hadn't gone to his hillock to check for him. It would be a strangely suspicious sight if they couldn't find him inside, when they knew he should be, especially after his heavenly tribulations.

How would he explain it to them after re-appearing again? They might even think that he was a daemon or a member of another school, who could open a portal inside their protective arrays. That would be a scenario he wouldn't want to be in at all.

He was just turning to leave, when he saw Su Ming coming out from the other side of the haven. The true martial sister Su Ming, who had sacrificed a rare pill of hers to save his life. A debt he hoped he would be alive long enough to repay. The more she came into view, the more he realized something looked different about her appearance. Was it a more vibrant aura? Thinking faster, he recollected that he had also experienced this vibrant aura before. It was an aura of advancement in the stages of cultivation.

Had she advanced as a result of her near death experienced with the revenant?

Ju Feng's rapid hand wave caught her attention prompting her to slow down her movement as she turned her head in his direction. She stopped as the realization of Ju Feng's identity finally dawned on her.

That outer disciple?

Su Ming flicked her hand as an indication to approach. Ju Feng quickly flashstepped towards her. Su Ming gave a slight shake of her head as she acknowledged Ju Feng. There was something about him that kept nagging at the back of her mind. Anyway, just like herself, this was somebody who had reached the threshold of death but had survived to tell the tale. Wasn't it a great feeling to be alive?