A Farmer's Journey To Immortality

Previously, the Astral Third Eye had only allowed Aksai to perceive a person’s Fortune Flames.

The color and quality of those flames roughly represented the target’s fortune. Based on Aksai’s current cultivation realm and mastery of the Fortune Telling Arts, there were six color-graded Fortune Flames, including his own colorless flames.

Black Fortune Flames were the worst grade, causing their owners to face far more dangers than opportunities, sometimes with almost no opportunities at all.

At the other end of the spectrum were magenta Fortune Flames, possessed by individuals destined to encounter at least one tremendous opportunity during their lives.

Furthermore, each color grade had its own sub-grades. The brighter and purer the flame, the greater the opportunities waiting for its owner. The duller the flame, the more ordinary their destiny relative to others within the same color grade.

The new ability went one step further than merely identifying the grades of Fortune Flames possessed by others. It allowed Aksai to borrow fortune itself.

Or more accurately, it allowed him to plunder it. However, because Aksai’s own Fortune Flames were colorless, he could only borrow the effects of the plundered Fortune Flames for a limited period before they reverted to their original state. Hence, saying that they were borrowed wasn’t wrong either.

The Fortune Flames Plundering was only possible if the target possessed sufficient fortune and was not stronger than Aksai at the moment of plundering.

Arkaal had failed to meet that requirement.

Before his death, the old alchemist’s Fortune Flame had merely been whitish-green. It represented someone with slightly above-average luck.

A person whose opportunities and dangers remained almost perfectly balanced.

Looking back now, Aksai felt that Arkaal had reached the peak of the Lord Realm mostly through intelligence, patience, and relentless hard work rather than extraordinary fortune. Or perhaps his master, the Poison King, had influenced his fate, allowing Arkaal to benefit from some of his master’s fortune throughout his cultivation journey.

However, by the time Aksai encountered Arkaal, most of his future opportunities had already been exhausted. There had been very little worth borrowing.

And after Arkaal transformed into a Sentient Fiend and became Aksai’s subordinate, everything changed. His Fortune Flame became almost completely colorless. Just like Aksai’s own.

That strange phenomenon made Aksai realize something.

People who became deeply connected to him, especially those who came under his direct control, gradually became Fate Anomalies as well. Not to the same extent as Aksai himself, but enough for their destinies to become difficult to read.

Since then, Aksai had been waiting for a better target.

Someone with genuine fortune.

His Astral Third Eye slowly focused on Kalina.

The world changed.

Or rather, it was his vision that changed.

Everything lost its color.

The poisonous mist disappeared.

The ruined battlefield disappeared.

Only Kalina remained.

Then...

Flames quietly appeared above her head.

They were blue.

A beautiful, pure blue.

The flames danced silently without producing any heat. Their brilliance far surpassed anything Aksai had witnessed before.

His pupils shrank.

A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.

"Kekeke. This girl was indeed lucky before meeting me. My guess wasn’t wrong."

According to Aksai’s current understanding, blue Fortune Flames represented someone only a single step away from becoming one of the major figures of their era.

Such people possessed destinies far beyond those of ordinary geniuses.

Provided they survived, great fortuitous encounters would naturally gather around them.

Hidden inheritances. Rare treasures. Powerful mentors.

Kalina’s inventory alone spoke volumes about her extraordinary fortune.

The world itself seemed inclined to push people with blue Fortune Flames beyond their natural limits. Had she survived tonight, Kalina would likely have continued rising until even her current limitations could no longer restrain her.

In a way, she truly possessed the qualifications to act arrogantly in front of most native Lords of the Dadangar Subcontinent.

Aksai quietly stared at the dancing blue flames. The corners of his lips slowly curled upward.

’I hope it works. Kalina, hang in there. At least until I’m completely done with you.’

Aksai thought to himself. The Fortune Telling Arts were among the most mysterious inheritances he possessed. Even his Aether Clone had only recently grasped this particular technique after spending countless hours studying the ancient records.

Failure was entirely possible.

After all, this was the first time Aksai himself was about to use it. He slowly raised both hands. His fingers moved one after another.

Mudra after Mudra appeared. Unlike ordinary Spirit Spell Mudras, these gestures carried an indescribable rhythm.

A faint silver glow spread from his Astral Third Eye.

The blue Fortune Flames above Kalina’s head flickered.

Aksai immediately narrowed his eyes, his expressions turning grim.

"They’re fading..."

He understood why. If Kalina died the Fortune Flames would disappear naturally. He had to act now.

What Aksai did not know was that the flames had already weakened long before this moment.

Before tonight’s battle, Kalina’s Fortune Flames had been a much deeper shade of blue. If one looked carefully, there had even been the faintest trace of magenta hidden within them.

However, her repeated injuries, shattered destiny, and approaching death had already begun extinguishing her fortune. The world itself no longer regarded her as someone destined for greatness. Thus her fate had already begun collapsing.

Kalina also somewhat sensed what Aksai was up to. Her bloodshot eyes widened.

However, Aksai never looked at his dying opponent. As far as he was concerned, the plundering of Fortune Flame was no different from claiming the spoils after his battle.

His entire focus remained upon the blue flames. His fingers accelerated. More Mudras formed. The light emitted by his Astral Third Eye became brighter.

Finally, he reached forward. His fingers did not touch Kalina. Instead, they grabbed the blue Fortune Flames themselves.

The flames violently resisted. As though invisible chains tied them to their rightful owner.

Aksai frowned and poured more of his understanding into the technique. The invisible tug-of-war intensified.

Then—

Rip!

A portion of the blue flames was forcefully torn away.