After he was done, Jiang Zuo rose from the bathtub.

By now, the scars on his body had vanished. The effects were quite good.

In truth, if his Cultivation were higher, a simple Healing Technique would have sufficed.

Jiang Zuo walked into the main hall and scooped up Sweet Potato. It was time for him to go for a walk.

’Whether or not I can enter the ritual safely all depends on that Daoist.’

Jiang Zuo then headed out, releasing Duan Qiao as he went.

Duan Qiao was a bit dazed when it was dropped on the ground, but it quickly came to its senses.

Seeing Jiang Zuo, it hurried after him.

"Wait up! I can’t keep up..."

Jiang Zuo was debating what to do with Duan Qiao’s manifestation.

’If I devour it, things would probably be quiet for a while. The spiritual manifestation would be gone, but its true self, the Artifact Spirit, is the bridge. As long as the bridge exists, the Broken Bridge Fishing Rod will remain the Broken Bridge Fishing Rod.’

Huddling next to Sweet Potato, Duan Qiao asked Jiang Zuo, "What are you thinking? Why do I suddenly have a chill down my spine?"

It had just managed to pull itself together when it felt a sudden cold draft, just like that time ages ago when it was about to be struck down.

Jiang Zuo said flatly, "Is there any need for you to exist?"

Cold sweat broke out on Duan Qiao’s back, but this was also an opportunity to convince him.

"I’ve lived for countless years, I—"

Jiang Zuo cut it off. "Something practical. I don’t need any of your intangible benefits. All I need is the core function of the Broken Bridge Fishing Rod."

"...I, I know many Cultivation Techniques."

"You have two more chances," Jiang Zuo said coldly.

Duan Qiao hesitated for a long time before putting on an adorable expression and asking in a cutesy voice, "I could act cute?"

It even blinked twice for effect.

Without turning his head, Jiang Zuo said, "Last chance."

’Act cute?’

’In this world, only one person could get away with acting cute around him—and she didn’t even have to, of course.’

Jiang Zuo waited another moment before shaking his head. "It seems you’re useless after all."

As he spoke, Jiang Zuo began to gather his Innate Two Qi, preparing to devour Duan Qiao.

"Hey?! Wait, don’t! I’m useful! I—I can be a signal tower! Right, I can get you a signal, just like yesterday! Without me, you wouldn’t have been able to take that call, right?

Even if I haven’t done much, at least I tried!" Duan Qiao cried out in a panic.

This was the first time in countless years it had been able to appear in such a form.

It was also the first time it had ever had such a bizarre stroke of luck.

Recovering its spiritual form would be easy enough, but it might never get another lucky break like this again.

It didn’t want to go back to being stuck inside a fishing rod.

Jiang Zuo hesitated, then withdrew his Innate Two Qi. That was true.

He really didn’t want to miss a call from Su Qi, but service was spotty in many places.

It was very inconvenient when he was out on business, and he’d be the one who had to answer for it later.

"Are there any situations where you can’t get a signal?" Jiang Zuo asked.

Hearing this, Duan Qiao breathed a sigh of relief. ’As long as he’s willing to talk, I’m safe.’

Then it said, "Probably not. I can actually ’fish’ for a signal, too. The only exceptions would be extremely special places, like isolated pocket dimensions or something like that.

Oh, and I can’t do this without my consciousness being active. Even if you used some other unorthodox method to make it work, you wouldn’t be able to hear the phone ring."

Jiang Zuo nodded. It seemed the artifact spirit really was worth keeping around. As for figuring out how to do it himself...

Unfortunately, he had no idea how.

’This would require research. In his past life, no one ever called him, so he’d never looked into things like signal reception at all.’

Seeing Jiang Zuo nod, Duan Qiao was thoroughly relieved. It had initially planned to negotiate from a position of superiority, but now the tables had completely turned.

’This person’s Cultivation is clearly very low, but he’s so difficult to deal with. It’s as if everything I know seems insignificant in his eyes.’

Duan Qiao didn’t dwell on it. It couldn’t figure him out even if it tried.

However, it subconsciously put the matter of finding its other half on the back burner. Just staying alive was already taking all its effort.

This wasn’t the time to expect him to help with that.

It was thankful enough just for not being killed.

Then Jiang Zuo spoke again. "From now on, just stay with Sweet Potato. Don’t bother me unless you have to."

Duan Qiao: "..."

’This person isn’t friendly at all,’ it thought. But it couldn’t say anything. ’Staying with a stupid duck is fine, I guess. At least I’ll feel a sense of superiority.’

It would have to worry about everything else later.

Soon, Jiang Zuo arrived at the entrance to the ritual. The area was already packed with people, and countless vendors had set up stalls.

Most of the vendors were people who didn’t qualify to enter the ritual itself.

After all, who with the right to enter would waste time setting up a stall here? Why pass up a great opportunity to raise one’s Cultivation? Only a fool would do that.

Besides, the Eight Trigrams Fish offered more than just a simple boost to one’s Cultivation.

Their very essence was evolution—in other words, potential.

Of course, some people truly weren’t interested, like Chi Xue Child’s five senior brothers and one senior sister.

They all had the qualifications to enter, but none of them came.

Jiang Zuo took out a coin and began to walk forward.

He had barely taken two steps before he stopped. ’And here I thought finding him would be a hassle.’ It turned out the man was right there on the street, telling fortunes and specifically targeting women.

He’d barely get two sentences out before being slapped. Just then, the middle-aged Daoist found a little girl.

It was Xiaoye.

"Little miss, wait a moment."

Boss He was beside Xiaoye, and he watched the fortune-telling Daoist warily. "Is there something you need, Master?"

The Daoist said with a grave expression, "Your daughter is marked by a bloody calamity. Although it has been temporarily suppressed, the aura of blood still shines brightly. Within seven days, she will surely die."

Boss He was shocked and immediately said, "Master..."

"Say no more. To save a life is a greater merit than building a seven-story pagoda. A life is priceless. For just one Third-Grade Spirit Stone, the little girl’s life can be saved," the Daoist said.

Hearing this, the corner of Boss He’s mouth twitched. ’This guy has to be a scammer, right?’

But after a glance at Xiaoye beside him, Boss He handed over a Third-Grade Spirit Stone.

Perhaps it was fate; he noticed that Xiaoye didn’t seem to dislike the Daoist.

After accepting the Spirit Stone, the Daoist continued, "The bloody calamity can be averted. The key is the person who suppressed it in the first place.

Once you enter the ritual, if you meet this person, stay close to him.

He will be your daughter’s beacon of hope.

Remember, do not doubt this for a moment. This is very important.

And don’t worry about finding him. You will meet him."

Boss He was taken aback. He knew who the Daoist was talking about, and he committed the man’s words deeply to memory.

Only after Boss He had left did Jiang Zuo walk toward the Daoist.

Jiang Zuo now realized that this Daoist truly only dealt with those he was fated to meet. If you were destined, he might give you a Divine Artifact. If you were destined, he could save you from a mortal crisis.

And fate... the single word itself was wonderfully profound.

Some people go their whole lives without encountering it. Others encounter it but cannot grasp it. Only a rare few both encounter it and hold on to it.

Jiang Zuo, of course, had no need for so-called fate. To him, fate was just another word for opportunity. And if an opportunity didn’t present itself, he would create one.

For instance, when the Daoist saw Jiang Zuo and turned to leave, Jiang Zuo was a step faster, appearing right in front of him.

The middle-aged Daoist said, "...Young friend, we are not fated to meet today."

Jiang Zuo stated his purpose directly. "I want to buy something from you to conceal my aura."