Yun Lintian eyed the old man cautiously. He cast a quick glance around, finding no one else present.
"We're alone," the old man said calmly. "Just you and ."
Yun Lintian studied the old man for a mont, then walked over and sat on the boulder beside him, snatching the fishing rod.
A fleeting glance fell upon the old man's face. He appeared unremarkable, like any other rural elder. Yun Lintian glimpsed a hint of kindness in his clouded eyes, an inexplicable source of comfort.
With a smooth and proficient motion, Yun Lintian cast his line. The hook sailed in a graceful arc before settling with a soft plop on the water's surface.
Silence descended between them. The only sound was that of fish swimming around.
Yun Lintian's mind raced. Countless possibilities swirled in his head. He didn't know who this person was or his purpose.
As if reading Yun Lintian's thoughts, the old man suddenly spoke. "My na is Tian He."
Yun Lintian responded quickly. "Junior Yun Lintian greets Senior Tian."
"I know you," the old man, Tian He, turned to look at Yun Lintian with a kind smile. "A man of fate."
Yun Lintian's heart lurched. With a single glance from Tian He, he felt as if everything about him were exposed.
Tian He shifted his gaze to the lake and said gently, "It's hooked."
Yun Lintian snapped back to his senses and subconsciously yanked his fishing rod upwards. There was a gorgeous white carp at the end of the line.
"Not bad," Tian He smiled.
Yun Lintian was captivated by the carp's beautiful appearance. It was definitely the most beautiful fish he had ever seen.
He carefully removed the hook from the carp's mouth and released it back into the lake. He had no intention of keeping it anyway.
Tian He observed him and said, "You have a kind soul… It may be your greatest weakness and strength at the sa ti."
Yun Lintian regarded the old man with a serious expression and asked, "May I inquire about your purpose, Senior?"
"Continue," Tian He smiled and returned his gaze to the lake.
Yun Lintian frowned deeply. He cast his line again without further comnt.
Silence descended once more. This ti, Yun Lintian felt even more anxious. He yearned to know the old man's purpose.
"Still not accustod to it?" Tian He finally spoke.
"Forgive , Senior, I don't understand your aning," Yun Lintian replied, puzzled.
"You've been kept in the dark all your life," Tian He said with a faint smile. "Why the anxiety now?"
Yun Lintian was stunned. Tian He was right. Every ti he desperately craved answers, he would end up empty-handed. Why should he be anxious here? It wasn't his first ti facing the unknown, after all.
Realizing this, Yun Lintian let go of his worries and began to appreciate the breathtaking scenery before him.
He hadn't noticed before how incredibly beautiful the lake was. It dwarfed the Misty Lake in the Land of Beyond Heaven in its splendor. There were also many exotic and rare plants around.
"What do you think of this place?" Tian He asked gently.
"Beautiful and srizing," Yun Lintian answered truthfully. "It grants a sense of tranquility."
Tian He smiled faintly. "Unfortunately, appearances can be deceiving."
Before Yun Lintian could respond, Tian He yanked his fishing rod upwards with surprising speed. A colossal black form erged from the water at the end of the line. It was a monstrous water serpent.
Yun Lintian gaped in astonishnt. A single glance revealed the black serpent to be a creature of the God Ascension Realm.
Despair flickered in the black serpent's eyes as it t Tian He's gaze. It thrashed its body violently in a desperate attempt to escape.
Tian He sighed, his expression troubled. "Seems my luck isn't on my side today."
With a flick of his wrist, the black serpent fell back into the lake with a resounding splash. Tian He casually rebaited his hook and cast his line once more. He turned to Yun Lintian and asked, "What do you make of that?"
Yun Lintian remained speechless, unsure of how to react.
"The vastness of the lake," Tian He continued, his gaze lingering on the water, "benefits only the fisherman."
He cast his eyes over the teeming life in the lake. "These fishes," he spoke, his voice low, "no matter their power or beauty, are ultimately at the rcy of the fisherman's will."
Yun Lintian grasped at so unspoken truth, yet the words eluded him.
Tian He turned to Yun Lintian, his voice gentle. "Which role do you see yourself in? The fisherman... or the fish?"
Yun Lintian's heart hamred in his chest. A long silence stretched between them before he finally muttered, "A fish."
"Indeed," Tian He offered a knowing smile. "Honesty becos you."
Yun Lintian remained contemplative. Words failed to capture the turmoil within him.
Reflecting on his life's journey, a chilling realization dawned. He had been a pawn, his path predetermined. He rely followed the paved road, unaware of the unseen hand guiding him.
"Fisherman," Tian He's voice cut through the silence. "Many wait to snag a fish like you. They bide their ti, waiting for you to mature."
Unease gnawed at Yun Lintian. Despite the so-called legacy of the Beyond Heaven King and the God of Fate, he felt powerless. The path to becoming a fisherman remained shrouded in mist.
Moreover, his captors remained naless. Was it Si Junyi? Or perhaps other inheritors of the Primordial Gods?
A sharp breeze ruffled the water's surface, montarily shattering the tranquility. Tian He chuckled softly. "The ga is afoot. Now, the question is, how do you want to play?"
Yun Lintian's brow furrowed. A ga? He was a re pawn monts ago, yet now, he was offered a chance to participate?
"A... ga?" he managed to ask, his voice tight with confusion.
Tian He smiled kindly. "A grand sche, woven by the unseen hands of powerful entities. A dance between fate and free will."
He gestured vaguely towards the lake. "Look around you. See the seemingly calm surface? Beneath it lies a churning current, pulling unsuspecting souls towards their destinies."
Yun Lintian's gaze darted between the tranquil lake and Tian He's kind smile. A prickling sensation of unease ran down his spine.
"The fishern," Tian He continued, his voice low, "have cast their nets. You, Yun Lintian, are a prized catch."
"Who are these fishern?" Yun Lintian asked.
Tian He answered gently. "Those who seek to control the flow of fate, those who believe they hold the strings that bind existence."
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