Zang Tianji said with a somewhat slow and deliberate tone, "Don't forget, I am a fate master. Heaven knows, I know. If heaven doesn't know, I don't know either."

I said in a deep voice, "Are you a successor of Wu Buzhi?"

Legend has it that the first fate master of heaven and earth, Wu Buzhi, was known as "Heaven knows, I know. If heaven doesn't know, I don't know either."

Zang Tianji smiled without a word, picking up his teacup. "Hall Master Li can certainly say that I am not the only fate master in the world. At least, the successors of the Banming Dao (Half-Fate Way) are more skilled than I am. If you can find the Banming Sanjie (Three Heroes of the Half-Fate), you can also deduce the location of the Cursed Land."

"Hall Master Li, would you like to take a gamble?"

I couldn't possibly find the Banming Sanjie. According to the information Zhao Ci had gathered, only Seventh Shui Lan of the Banming Dao was walking in the world, and her whereabouts were uncertain. As long as Seventh Shui Lan didn't want to show herself, no one in the entire art could deduce her location. Anyone who dared to deduce Seventh Shui Lan's location would die violently on the spot.

I tapped the table with my fingers and said, "It seems that you are determined to get this drought demon. But what I don't understand is, why are you using Tianji (Heaven's Secret) to exchange for the drought demon?"

Zang Tianji said, "I understand what you mean. You're saying that we are enemies, not friends, so why would I help you through a disaster, right?"

I killed Zang Tianji's disciple, Meng Die, and Zang Tianji had also come to trouble me several times. To put it bluntly, we were enemies.

Zang Tianji said lightly, "The grievances of the martial world arise from interests, but they can also be resolved with interests. Could it be that Hall Master Li is also a person who only talks about grievances and not about interests?"

"What I can tell you is that I don't want you to live. But you can't die now. Because there is still a Tianji involved with you."

I raised my eyebrows slightly and said, "That Tianji is related to your Emperor!"

Zang Tianji's face darkened slightly. "Don't make wild guesses about the Emperor."

I smiled and said, "Sir, you are not suitable for negotiations. I should have ripped you off. However, both of us have reasons why we can't delay any longer."

"So, a fixed price."

"First, I want three years of lifespan."

"Second, I not only want the specific location of the Cursed Land, but also a glimmer of hope there."

"You…" Zang Tianji's face sank. "Your demands are too high."

I shook my head and said, "Zang Tianji, to be honest, Liangjie Tang (Two Worlds Hall) can afford to gamble with fate, but you, Dong A Pang, may not be able to."

Zang Tianji was silent for a moment and said, "Three years of lifespan, I can offer with both hands. As for whether you want to gamble on a glimmer of hope…"

Zang Tianji's voice sank. "The hope lies with Xie Sanbao. If you can return from that forbidden area, I will tell you the specific location of the Cursed Land. If you can't return, everything is off."

"We will set a deadline of two months. Today, two months from now, I will come to Liangjie Tang again, bringing you three years of lifespan and what you want."

"I will only wait for you for one shichen (two hours), and after that shichen, our deal will be void."

I looked up at the clock on the wall. "Are you talking about noon?"

"Yes!" Zang Tianji nodded. "After that shichen, I will be tainted by the karma of your Liangjie Tang, so I won't wait past the time."

"Deal!" After I exchanged a palm strike with Zang Tianji, he stood up and walked outside.

"Zang Tianji!" I suddenly shouted and drew my saber, slashing at Zang Tianji. Before he could react, the blade was pressed against his neck.

Holding the hilt of the saber, I said, "Zang Tianji, can you really calculate accurately?"

Zang Tianji said coldly, "Are you doubting my ability?"

I slowly retracted the blade. "I want to tell you that you can't even control your own destiny, so how can you calculate the fate of others?"

Zang Tianji's face turned pale, and he took two steps backward.

I returned the curved saber to its sheath. "I have heard the legends of the Banming Dao. They snatched back half of their fate from the heavens, so they could surpass heaven by half a move. You can't even grasp half of your fate, how can you surpass heaven?"

"Fate is not something you can see just by becoming blind!"

Zang Tianji staggered back two steps as if struck by lightning, barely managing to steady himself with his cane. Blood then oozed from the corner of his mouth: "You shattered my Dao heart?"

I shook my head and said, "You're wrong. I'm helping you rebuild your Dao heart."

Zang Tianji stood there for a long time, his face changing uncertainly, before turning around and leaving Liangjie Tang. He didn't stop until he had walked out of the door: "Li Po, I owe you a favor."

A voice said, "If you reshape Zang Tianji, he will definitely have a death tribulation within a year. Be careful."

I laughed and said, "Don't I have enough death tribulations already?"

Zang Tianji was slightly silent. "But this shouldn't be your tribulation."

"What is or isn't mine? Nothing in this world is fixed as belonging to anyone." I laughed. "You're still attached to appearances."

Zang Tianji's body trembled slightly, and then he quickly walked outside. "Li Po, your favor is not easy to repay, but I, Zang Tianji, will definitely repay your favor."

As Zang Tianji spoke, his figure became faint. In just a moment, Zang Tianji seemed to have merged into the heavens and earth, leaving no trace.

"A Tianming Shi (Heaven's Fate Master)?" Lin Zhao, who was standing next to me, gasped. "Li Po, you have created a Tianming Shi. How much karma will this involve? You…"

Lin Zhao shook his head slightly and said, "Forget it, you did it for Ye Yang. If it were him, he would do the same."

The sign of a Tianming Shi is to be one with the heavenly Dao, peering into fate from within the heavenly secrets.

Feng Ruoxing looked at me and said, "How do you know how to become a Tianming Shi?"