Chapter 1: The Imprisoned Destiny

Lin Fan's heart rate accelerated, and an urgent desire surged within his heart.

"Earth…"

Thinking of his frustrating death on Earth.

He couldn't help but want to enter the Heavenly Mechanism Array as soon as possible to find the path back to Earth.

At this moment, Su Wanqing leaned gently toward Lin Fan's ear and whispered, "What are you spacing out for? Let's keep moving."

Lin Fan snapped back to reality, quickly pulling his thoughts together, and gave a light cough. "No, it's nothing."

The group continued forward, passing through a dense forest. Beneath their feet was soft grass; the air was fresh, and all was quiet around them.

With every step they took, the atmosphere of Tianji Pavilion seemed to grow increasingly mysterious, as if the entire world were shifting to accommodate their pace.

Finally, as the last leaf drifted from his line of sight, the scene before them changed completely.

Ahead was no longer a dense forest, but a magnificent and strange city—Tianji City.

This city was unlike any land of cultivation Lin Fan had ever seen; it was a Fusion of technology and cultivation elements, resembling a wondrous place where the future and ancient civilizations intertwined.

On the main street of Tianji City, massive building complexes seemed to float in the air.

Smooth glass and metal exterior walls refracted dazzling radiance, and the architectural style was extremely modern.

Yet the tops of every building were curved into the shapes of ancient runes, faintly exuding an ancient Aura.

In the city's sky, several trains were suspended, shuttling rapidly between the building complexes.

And in the center of the city stood a building with a magnificent Aura.

It was a structure that combined an ancient palace with modern technology, and a huge orb of light floated at its peak, emitting a brilliant radiance.

The shops on both sides of the street hung all kinds of Spiritual Artifacts and technological products. The air was filled with a rich scent of Spiritual Qi and mechanical ink, as if time and space intersected here, where the ancient and the future coexisted.

Pedestrians walked along the street; some wore ancient Daoist robes, while others wore modern clothing, holding various Spiritual Artifacts or high-tech equipment in their hands.

Lin Fan walked in the group, his gaze involuntarily drawn to it all.

Every step made him feel that this place was completely different from any world he had experienced before.

The Fusion of technology and cultivation brought him a sense of novelty, as if he were in a brand-new era.

Those trains floating in the air and the buildings shimmering with radiance made him unable to help but exclaim that the power and wisdom of this city were truly beyond imagination.

"This is Tianji City," Su Wanqing's voice interrupted his thoughts again. "It is not only the core of Tianji Pavilion but also the center of the entire Tianji world. As you can see now, everything here is closely related to the Heavenly Mechanism Array."

Lin Fan nodded, a trace of doubt flashing in his eyes. "Why is there such a Fusion of technology and cultivation here? I have never seen such a strange place."

Su Wanqing smiled slightly. "The Heavenly Mechanism Array here is different from other worlds; it combines cultivation and technology to create such a miracle that spans time and space."

Lin Fan remained silent, but the shock inside him continued to surge.

The Heavenly Mechanism Array, returning to Earth… all of this was waiting for him to unravel.

Su Wanqing whispered instructions to Judge Lu and Zhao Xing: "Judge Lu, Zhao Xing, both of you take the team to receive their rewards, and then disband the team. Everyone should get some good rest; you've worked hard during this time. Oh, and for those Disciples who died, arrange for them to go on a vacation in the mortal realm; make sure they have a good time."

"Yes!" Judge Lu and Zhao Xing replied, their expressions remaining calm and solemn, as if they were already accustomed to such commands being delivered.

Watching them leave, Lin Fan was filled with doubt: "The dead Disciples are actually going on a vacation in the mortal realm? What is going on here?"

Just then, Xiao Du's voice suddenly sounded in Lin Fan's mind: "Congratulations, Little Master, you have discovered the first clue to your imprisoned destiny: Arranged Destiny."

Lin Fan was stunned for a moment, and the indignation in his heart was ignited once again.

So, he had always thought his life could be controlled by himself, and had even thought about striving for his own destiny.

But now he realized that he was merely a piece on a chessboard of life that had been set up long ago.

"Damn it…" he cursed in a low voice, his heart filled with unwillingness regarding the arrangements of fate.

At this moment, Su Wanqing gently patted his shoulder, pulling him back from his deep thoughts: "Lin Fan, what are you thinking about? Come with me; I will take you to see the Elder."

"Mm."

"Lin Fan, when we see the Elder in a moment, try to speak as little as possible. Let me do the talking, understand?"

"Okay!"

Su Wanqing, with a light step, walked toward the glowing orb in the very center of Tianji City.

"Follow me!"

Lin Fan followed behind her, with the three well-behaved book attendants—Yin Miaoxue, Princess Hu Qinlan, and Princess Jin Xuan—close behind.

They walked toward the central glowing orb. The orb emitted a soft light, and it seemed as if endless energy was flowing within it.

The surrounding air vibrated slightly, and the rhythm of space seemed to be responding to the existence of this orb.

Lin Fan felt the subtle changes in the air; with every step he took, he could feel an invisible sense of oppression surging into his heart.

The orb was like a massive entity, as if it were observing everyone who stepped into it.

Su Wanqing stopped and waved her hand. The light around the orb gradually became clear, and a passageway slowly opened under her guidance.

"Go in." She said softly to Lin Fan.

Lin Fan nodded. Although there was still a little unease in his heart, he had no choice at this moment.

Together with Yin Miaoxue, Princess Hu Qinlan, and Princess Jin Xuan, they stepped into the brilliantly glowing passageway.

As they entered, the surrounding space suddenly blurred, and a wave of dizziness hit him, as if he were traversing some kind of unstable time and space.

In an instant, his vision became clear again.

They were in a vast hall, where the surrounding walls were made of transparent crystal, emitting a soft radiance.

In the center of the hall floated a huge platform, on which sat three Elders draped in simple, ancient robes.

These Elders had an extremely powerful Aura, as if they could envelop everything within it.

Their gazes pierced through the air, easily observing everything. Even for a person with keen perception like Lin Fan, he could feel an invisible pressure, almost suffocating him.

Su Wanqing smiled slightly and led Lin Fan forward: "Greetings to the three Elders. This is Lin Fan; he is the messenger I found to repair the Heavenly Mechanism Array."

The Elders' gazes fell upon Lin Fan in unison, as if they were examining a strange treasure.

Lin Fan's heart tightened slightly, but he still maintained a calm posture, lowering his head to show respect.

One of the older Elders, with a sharp gaze, spoke up: "You are Lin Fan? It is rumored that you have extraordinary talent in repairing the Heavenly Mechanism Array. Seeing you today, you are indeed remarkable."

Seeing this, Su Wanqing immediately interjected: "Lin Fan has come this time indeed to repair the Heavenly Mechanism Array. Although I cannot guarantee it will be completely repaired, stabilizing it for a short time will certainly be no problem."