Chapter 144 Prying into Heavenly Secrets

Hearing Qin Tian’s words, a wave of emotion washed over me. Perhaps this was destined by fate. For a thousand years, not a single person in the Qin family had been able to comprehend the Three-Purity Cloth Divination, yet this guy had actually mastered it. But come to think of it, after talking for so long, Qin Tian still hadn't gotten to the point! So I asked him, "You've said so much, but you still haven't told me why this cuts short one's lifespan!"

Qin Tian stopped pacing, looked at me intently, and let out a soft sigh. "You don't understand. This art of divination involves prying into the heavenly secrets and acting against the heavens! Losing years of one's lifespan is already getting off lightly. If used improperly, one might even burst apart and die on the spot!"

Seeing Qin Tian’s serious expression, as if he were dead earnest, I wondered if divination could really have such terrifying consequences. If so, this Book of Three Purity wasn't all that magical after all—it wasn't even as practical as my Heavenly Demon Art!

"However, for the sake of our friends, I'll risk it all! What's losing a couple of years of my life? Life is exhausting anyway; the sooner I die, the sooner I'll be reincarnated. May I be born as an ordinary person in my next life!" Qin Tian gazed into the void as he spoke these gloomy words, making me almost reluctant to let him perform the divination. Perhaps he really did live a very exhausting life, and I was exhausted too! Yet people must live, and to live means to live with dignity, to fulfill one's responsibilities, and not just for oneself. If it were me, I would have done the same.

I patted Qin Tian on the shoulder, suddenly at a loss for how to comfort him. As a friend—or even a brother, since we had been through life and death together—I realized I didn't understand him at all. I didn't understand anyone around me, but as long as they lived well, better than I did, I would be content.

Qin Tian let out a soft sigh, then glanced at me with a look of firm resolve in his eyes. I nodded slightly, stepped back from the stone, and gave him enough space to perform the technique. Once Qin Tian stood firmly in place, he closed his eyes slightly, pressed his palms together, and his lips moved as if muttering something.

I didn't dare to disturb him, not even daring to breathe too heavily. Beads of sweat had already broken out on Qin Tian's forehead. Brother, I, Li Yunfei, owe you this, and I will surely repay it in the future! A few seconds later, Qin Tian's forehead was covered in sweat, and his lips moved even faster. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans slid down his forehead. At that moment, Qin Tian's body swayed as if he were about to fall. I instinctively took a step forward to catch him, but fearing I might disturb him, I held back and kept my hands to myself. I had heard that when high-level cultivators were in secluded meditation, external disturbances were strictly forbidden; the slightest carelessness could lead to a deviation in cultivation, resulting in severe injury or madness at best, or vomiting blood and instant death at worst. I didn't know if divination worked the same way as cultivation, but I figured it was best not to disturb him.

Qin Tian's clothes were already drenched. His wide, otherworldly robe was soaked through with sweat, clinging to him in wrinkles. His chest heaved violently, and his breathing grew faster and faster. Suddenly, his left leg buckled, and it looked as though he was about to kneel, but he stubbornly straightened up again. The sweat had soaked the bangs on his forehead, dripping onto the ground like raindrops.

Driven by the military strategist, the Feathered People were clearing away the corpses of the zombies. Fearing that the noise would affect Qin Tian, I hurried over to the crowd and whispered for everyone to pause their work. The strategist and the Feathered People cooperated and stopped immediately, plunging the scene into sudden silence. The sound of everyone's breathing rose and fell. My sharp hearing even managed to catch the rhythm of Qin Tian's heartbeat—the thumping sound echoed in my ears like a beating drum, and I knew that was the sound made when physical stamina was on the verge of exhaustion.

I watched Qin Tian intently. He still maintained his posture with palms pressed together, unmoving. Over a minute passed this way, and his legs had already begun to tremble. I wanted to call out and remind him to stop forcing himself if he couldn't handle it! Several times the words hovered on my lips, but I swallowed them back for fear that interrupting him halfway would bring him harm.

Two minutes later, the beats of Qin Tian's heart had merged together, reaching a hundred and fifty beats per minute, far exceeding a normal person's heart rate. If this continued, he would die of tachycardia! I had to stop him!

Without hesitation, I opened my right hand and released a small amount of true Qi, intending to knock him out. This guy was truly stubborn—he always liked to push his luck. If he couldn't figure it out, so be it; why risk his own life? Who would have expected that just as I raised my hand like a knife to knock him down, my hand stopped three inches away from the back of his neck, unable to move forward an inch. Even when I increased the force in my hand, it was still immovable.

I had no choice but to pull my hand back, silently praying in my heart that this kid wouldn't suffer any mishaps. At that moment, the strategist patted my back. "Feather King, your friend seems to be in a state of trance. You must not disturb him at this time!"

I turned my head and asked, "The strategist is right, but I'm worried he might meet with some misfortune. Does the strategist know anything about divination?"

Hearing my question, the strategist pondered for a short moment. "I have heard of the art of divination, but I have never witnessed it. Could this friend of yours..."

I nodded. It seemed the strategist knew nothing about this art of divination either; now, all we could do was wait! Nearly another minute passed in this fashion. Suddenly, the sound of Qin Tian's heartbeat slowed down. Frowning, I focused my gaze on his figure. Half a minute later, his heart rate plummeted from 180 beats per minute down to 60 beats per minute. It seemed he was going to be fine! A wave of joy washed over me, and I was about to go over and support him when the strategist grabbed my arm. "Wait a moment, Feather King. He is still in his trance."

Hearing the strategist say this, I noticed it too. Qin Tian's forehead was still covered in sweat, his eyes remained half-closed, and his palms were still pressed together. If not for his lips constantly moving and that heartbeat, I wouldn't have been able to tell whether he was a living person or a statue.

Yet that heartbeat grew slower and slower: thirty beats a minute, ten beats a minute, until finally, the heartbeat stopped completely...

This was bad! Not only had he failed to divine anything useful, but he had managed to divine himself to death! Panicked, I rushed over to check on him, when suddenly Qin Tian snapped his eyes open, giving me a massive scare!

After opening his eyes, Qin Tian merely glanced at me and uttered a single sentence before passing out: "Failed to divine it. Lost three years of lifespan."

Three years? The backlash of the Three-Purity Cloth Divination was this immense? Just a single divination cost three years of life! And yet he hadn't even figured it out? How could this be? Brother! I truly pity you! I needed to check quickly if he was in any serious trouble. I hoisted Qin Tian onto my shoulder and carried him back to my cabin. The strategist followed closely behind. I asked the strategist if he knew any medicine, and he replied that Qin Tian was simply suffering from exhaustion and just needed to rest and replenish his true Qi. Without delay, I sat cross-legged and channeled true Qi into Qin Tian using the method the strategist had taught me. A moment later, Qin Tian regained consciousness.

"Water..."

Qin Tian said weakly. I hurriedly told the strategist to fetch some water. After drinking a couple of sips, Qin Tian spoke slowly, "I pried into the heavenly secrets, which cost me three years of my lifespan, and what's worse, my life might be in jeopardy in the near future. It's just a pity that I couldn't figure out where they are!"