Chapter 9 - Who’s Messing with Me?! (1/2)

The time in the mortal and immortal realms flowed differently. A year in the human world equaled just one day in the nine heavens. Normally, the gods wouldn't feel this to be a long time. They were immortal, after all. How long could one day be, when you live for eternity?

But on this day, even one shichen felt painfully long for the fate's scribe Shun Tao. He had been staring at his newest creation since his last amendments. Each time one of the small black signs solidified into the unchangeable form of a fulfilled fate, he wanted to leap from his seat and dance around his chamber.

He didn't follow through with this urge, though, because he felt like he couldn't leave. There were still characters, that hadn't solidified.

Another changed, showing that this part of Zhong Jing Yi's fate had been fulfilled: The Zhongs and the other villagers got into an argument. Shun Tao stared at the black lines, his whole body tensed.

Just one more step, just one more step …, he chanted inside his head. Nothing can go wrong here!

Madam Zhong fell. Shun Tao sprang up. He sucked in a large breath, opened his lips, prepared to laugh.

The next character lit up, about to solidify and … crumbled. The air got stuck in Shun Tao's throat. He dropped the scroll, bent over, pressing a hand to his chest, and coughed until tears spilled from his eyes.

Bloody hell! Did I jinx it?!

Shun Tao threw an accusing gaze at the scroll lying motionless on his writing table. The damned thing glowed and changed his carefully crafted characters. Again!

”Why did I become the fate's scribe? Why didn't I apply for another job?” He sniffled and slumped into his seat. Without any motivation whatsoever, he watched the changes on his scroll. ”Once is a coincidence, twice is an accident, thrice is someone messing with me. So … This could just be an accident?”

Zhong Jing Yi's mother hadn't died at birth and now she hadn't died in the scuffle.