The girls were quite understanding with his decision of giving Tianshi this Fate Spirit. She was the weakest from the group with the least fighting experience so Xuefeng prioritized her this time. Having something that could help her in need would greatly lessen the worry in his heart.
As he planned on convincing the new Fate Spirit to join them willingly, Xuefeng gathered his team of Fate Holders as well as Tianshi and entered the temple with confidence.
But, he didn't expect that instead of receiving a scolding or some initial insults, Xuefeng would be greeted politely.
"I was waiting for you boy. Welcome." The interior of the temple was filled with the lady's voice as if she was talking to them from all sides. "It's a rare phenomenon to find someone's future change as abruptly as yours."
The temple wasn't spacious, having only one exit tunnel inside which was blocked halfway by a transparent barrier. Just as they neared it, they were discovered by the Fate Spirit.
"Mhmm, thank you." Xuefeng displayed basic courtesy before getting straight to the point. "Then I guess you know what we came here for."
He expected an affirmative answer yet the Fate Spirit didn't fulfill his wish.
"I know, but I'm sorry. I don't share any future with you." The Fate Spirit rejected politely. "Also, you already have other Fate Spirits anyway so you will do well without me."
Xuefeng wasn't mad at her and continued to convince her.
"Us having such a powerful group should actually be a reason to join us. Are you planning to stay here forever?" He asked as he walked up to the barrier, touching it.
He quickly received Drakos' confirmation that he can consume it easily, exactly what he wanted.
"No, I don't but I know my destiny. As you came with the lady that once visited me, you should know I can foretell the future. Though, when you touched the barrier, I didn't feel anything as if your future is constantly changing. I won't be useful to you." The Fate Spirit tried really hard to explain. "Please leave."
The last two words of hers were definitely not something Xuefeng wanted to hear. He glanced at Nuwa, Xiao Wen and Yi before taking Tianshi's hand.
"What about her?" Xuefeng pressed Tianshi's hand against the barrier, trying to test something but the Fate Spirit didn't change her opinion.
"Her future is surprisingly similar to yours. They seemed to be entwined with each other, making it extremely cloudy as well." She sounded as if she was a little bit curious but something was stopping her. "Anyway, that doesn't change anything. You all can leave. I can't help you."
'Little Ming, Ling, can you two convince her in any way?' Xuefeng asked in his mind, thinking through his options.
'I doubt she will listen. Spirits like her are loners, separated from the Fate Kingdom for thousands of years. She won't consider me as her Queen, especially with my current body.' Little Ming replied sweetly. 'I think that my big sister could think of something but she is tired now. I don't want to wake her up…'
Even though Ming and little Ming were just two different personalities, they treated each other like sisters.
'No, it's okay. I have another idea.' Xuefeng rejected her proposal, knowing that Ming already helped him enough recently.
"Do you enjoy living here with those people worshiping you?" He asked out of blue, changing the subject.
"I don't mind it. At least they keep away any pests and don't bother me too much." The foretelling Fate Spirit found the question weird but replied honestly, wanting to satisfy them and make them leave sooner than later.
"Mhmm, what about your powers. I am interested. Even if you can't tell my future, you can still foretell about others, am I right?" Xuefeng questioned once again.
This time, the lady Fate Spirit smelled something was wrong and didn't answer straight away.
"What are you trying to achieve asking those questions? …Even if I can, I won't. Each foretelling requires a lot of Fate Qi, I won't waste it." She didn't resist for long, exposing another vital information, making Xuefeng smile.
"So that's what you are worried about? Maybe this place is a spot which provides you with Fate Essence and that's why you don't want to leave?" Xuefeng voiced out his theory while secretly contacting Ling. 'Can you check the area for any sources like that?'
'I'm on it.' She immediately got to work, even before Xuefeng finished his sentence.
When he didn't get an immediate response, Xuefeng realized he was spot on. Though, just as he wanted to question her again, the lady's voice resounded in the temple.
"Wait!" She was suddenly up to talk it out. "Stop your spirit. It is indeed such a place. There is a treasure underneath this mountain that provides me with nine elements but its barely enough to feed me. It's not that great."
'She is telling the truth. There is something underground. Her barrier extends down there.' Ling reported after she finished her investigation, finally leading them to culmination. Xuefeng had a move up his sleeve that this Fate Spirit couldn't resist.
He grinned to himself and pulled out eight Fate Stones, holding them in between his fingers. The word confidence was written on his forehead.
"You see, I have a lot of this stuff… Isn't that exactly what you want?" Xuefeng asked as he waved with his hands left and right, showing off his riches before throwing the stones with a flick, sending two stones to each lady in the room.
"Also, I take good care of my women. They usually get a few thousand stones every month." He muttered as he hugged Tianshi into his arms, caressing her cheek with care. "It could be yours if only you decided to join us. Imagine how much foretelling you could do…"
Before she said anything, Xuefeng turned around and announced to the ladies.
"I guess we are not welcomed here. Let's return back to the capital." He acted cool and walked towards the exit with others following after him.
Luckily, Xuefeng wasn't wrong this time either.
"Wait!" The same voice that stopped him before resounded once again. "We didn't finish talking."
'Hehe, I knew it.' Xuefeng thought with enjoyment as he halted before asking sarcastically. "Didn't you ask me to leave earlier?"
"Doesn't matter. You can't expect me to believe you this easily, right? Anyone can pull out eight Fate Stones. If you can't prove your words are true then I can't risk this much." The Fate Spirit approached the conversation cautiously.
"It would be easy for me to prove by just pulling them out," Xuefeng muttered as he turned around. "But if you can't even foretell this much then maybe you are really no use for me. I might as well just let my spirit absorb you and be over with it."
Xuefeng didn't look like he was joking when he walked up to the barrier which stood at that place for many years and broke it with just a simple touch. The barrier started losing power as if someone was sucking the energy from the inside before breaking after a slight push.
The Fate Spirit was too shocked, feeling her barrier crumble after barely a second and only reacted after Xuefeng entered her cave, walking towards the golden crystal placed on the rock platform.
"Fine! I agree! I will join you!" She quickly called out, slightly in panic. Too bad that Xuefeng was up to give her a lesson first.
"Too late. I already changed my mind." He muttered with a shrug and walked up to the crystal with the intention to grab it.
"Nooo! I'm sorry! I will join you guys and connect with your woman! I will be a good Spirit!" She now regretted rejecting Xuefeng in the first place.
The Fate Spirit prepared for the worst, knowing she didn't have much fighting ability but what she expected didn't happen.
Xuefeng picked the golden crystal before giving it to Tianshi after he returned to the hall.
"Remember you promised to be good." He reminded, happy with the outcome.