A single divination predicts life and death; the entire internet begs me to start a live stream.

Inside the Qin Family Ancestral Hall.

The black invitation sat quietly on the table.

Black background.

The character "金" (gold).

A dark pattern is pressed around the edge.

At first glance, it looks like an invitation to a regular high-end dinner party.

But if you look at it for just a couple more seconds, you'll realize that the dark pattern isn't just decoration at all.

It looks like a closed eye.

The outer corners of her eyes were adorned with long, thin lines that coiled like a snake.

Black life mark.

Chen Bufan could even faintly sense the subtle energy surging within the invitation letter.

Qin Ruoxue stood to the side.

She had just experienced the Seven Killings Stealing Wealth Formation and then witnessed the discovery of a money-borrowing jar in the ground beneath the Qin Family Ancestral Hall.

Seeing this invitation now, I just feel that everything happened so coincidentally, the timing was perfect.

"Mr. Chen."

Don't go.

She hardly hesitated.

Qin Ruoxue took a deep breath and lowered her voice.

"The Changsheng Foundation is not an ordinary organization."

"It's related to the Qin family's debt from twenty years ago."

"It's also related to the old waterworks case."

"I think that as long as we continue the investigation, we will be able to connect with more cases."

Inside the ancestral hall, the Qin family members, who had just recovered from their fear, found excuses to slip away upon seeing this situation.

The black earthenware jar was still placed in front of the coffin.

Uncle Qin has been sent to the hospital.

Bloodstains that hadn't been wiped clean remained on the ground.

Old Master Qin's coffin was cracked.

Black smoke could be faintly seeping out from the crack.

In the middle of the night, you can still hear the calls of a few night birds in the distance.

This invitation is not clean.

Uncle Fu said in a trembling voice:

"Mr. Chen, Miss is right."

"This thing came from a very strange place."

"Perhaps... you shouldn't go."

Chen Bufan did not answer.

As if remembering something, he unfolded the invitation again.

He grabbed a handful of cinnabar from the cloth bag and smeared it on.

The line of text on the back has disappeared.

The previously simple information about the dinner party on the front has been re-emerged with more complete content.

Mr. Chen, I have long admired your name.

The recent events in Haicheng are all due to a confluence of circumstances.

[The gentleman's insightful predictions and ability to break through the predicament are truly admirable.]

The Chang Sheng Foundation has always focused on fortune telling, medical care, charity, and humanitarian aid.

I would like to invite you to discuss fortune telling and philanthropy.

[Tomorrow night at 8 PM.]

[Nameless Clubhouse.]

[Lu Changsheng.]

Chen Bufan snorted. Sure enough, those people still liked to play tricks and show off their skills.

When the last three words appeared, Qin Ruoxue clearly felt the temperature in the ancestral hall drop a little.

It's not an illusion.

The three black copper coins next to the coffin trembled slightly.

hum.

Qin Ruoxue looked at the signature, her voice tightening.

"Lu Changsheng?"

"Is this the person behind the Changsheng Foundation?"

Chen Bufan took the damp towel handed to him by Uncle Fu and wiped the remaining cinnabar from his hands.

"It's already obvious."

Lu Changsheng.

Changsheng Foundation.

Changing one's fate.

The character "长生" (longevity) is inscribed on the bottom of the Qin family's money-borrowing jar.

These clues finally emerged from the fog, revealing a blurry face.

No longer Xuan Qingzi.

It is no longer Qin Yuanshan.

No longer a pawn like Jiang Kun.

Instead, they were the ones who actually sat in the back and watched all of this happen.

Qin Ruoxue continued:

"This invitation is far too polite."

"They're being too polite for a dinner party."

"Like issuing a challenge."

Chen Bufan said calmly:

"That's how it is."

Qin Ruoxue was taken aback.

"Then you absolutely cannot go."

Chen Bufan closed the invitation.

Qin Ruoxue frowned.

"You know it's a setup, so why are you asking?"

"The fact that they were able to deliver the invitation to the Qin family's old residence means they know where you are now."

"They know you're investigating the Qin family's old debts."

"I also know that you have connections with the police and with me."

"The fact that they still dare to invite you under these circumstances shows that they are not afraid at all."

Chen Bufan glanced at her.

"so what?"

Qin Ruoxue was taken aback by his question.

"Just because they're not afraid, doesn't mean I shouldn't go?"

Qin Ruoxue fell silent.

After these two days of interaction, just when she thought she understood Chen Bufan, he would always reveal a completely new side of himself. Qin Ruoxue naturally knew that Chen Bufan wouldn't choose that path.

From the Shen Qingyue case onwards, he was not one to shirk responsibility.

But this time is different.

In the past, it was others who begged him to save their lives.

This time, it was the Changsheng Foundation that took the initiative to open the door.

Everyone knows what's behind the door is a huge trap.

If it were anyone else, they certainly wouldn't go, but this trap was tailor-made for Chen Bufan, and his temperament had been calculated long ago.

Just then, Chen Bufan's phone rang.

It's Lin Wanqing.

Chen Bufan answered the call.

"explain."

On the other end of the phone, Lin Wanqing's voice was very serious.

"I understand about the invitation."

Chen Bufan glanced at Qin Ruoxue.

Qin Ruoxue explained in a low voice:

"I just sent the photos to Officer Lin."

Chen Bufan didn't say anything.

Lin Wanqing continued:

"Chen Bufan, don't go alone."

"As I just mentioned, we are investigating the Changsheng Foundation."

"This organization has a wide reach and a very complex financial chain."

"It may be linked to multiple unusual events."

"If it's inviting you now, it's very likely the Harmony Banquet."

"That's what I said too, Officer Lin," Qin Ruoxue interjected.

Chen Bufan said:

"Know."

Lin Wanqing paused for a moment on the other end of the phone.

"You knew that, yet you still went?"

Chen Bufan countered:

"If I don't go, it will stop?"

"Because you all know this is a trap set for me, I am actually safe."

"They're not that stupid, and neither am I."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Chen Bufan continued:

"The Longevity Foundation has kept it hidden for over twenty years."

"They're sending out invitations now not because they want to see me."

"I'm the one forcing them to see me."

Lin Wanqing remained silent.

She knew he was right.

But that doesn't mean she approves of him going in alone.

"We can't force our way in."

Lin Wanqing said.

Even if you go, they might not take immediate action.

"But I will definitely test you."

"You can't be sure how many people are inside."

"We also cannot be certain who Lu Changsheng really is."

"The only thing we can be sure of is that a trap must have been set up there beforehand."

Chen Bufan said calmly:

That's why I'm going.

Lin Wanqing frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Chen Bufan looked at the invitation in his hand.

"They're hiding in the shadows, I can't find them."

"Now they've opened the door themselves."

Lin Wanqing took a deep breath.

"I will bring people to the outer perimeter tomorrow night."

Chen Bufan said:

"Need not."

"This is a police operation; you can't just say you don't need to."

Lin Wanqing's attitude left no room for Chen Bufan to question.

"Chen Bufan, I know you're capable."

"But you're not invulnerable."

Chen Bufan shrugged.

"That's your job, the police."

He naturally understood this as well.

He is not invincible.

The Book of Destiny can help him see his fate and break through his predicament.

It will also backfire on his life.

He could even see through Xuan Qingzi at a glance.

But Lu Changsheng is different.

A person who stands behind all events.

A person who can make even the "Records of Destiny" react cannot be simple.

If you can't know yourself and your enemy, it's good to have a backup plan.

Lin Wanqing continued:

"Tomorrow night at 8 PM, Nameless Club."

"We will make preparations in advance."

"You don't have to cooperate."

"But I won't withdraw my personnel either."

Chen Bufan smiled.

"Officer Lin, you're becoming less and less like a materialist."

Lin Wanqing said coldly:

"I believe in evidence."

"Now the evidence tells me that wherever you go, trouble follows."

Chen Bufan: "..."

Qin Ruoxue couldn't help but laugh when she heard this.

It really does seem to be true; it's just like that little boy with round-framed glasses from a certain anime I watched when I was a kid.

The atmosphere actually eased.

Chen Bufan hung up the phone.

Qin Ruoxue looked at him.

"Are you really going?"

Chen Bufan nodded.

"go."

Qin Ruoxue asked in a low voice:

Are you confident?

Chen Bufan looked at the three words "Lu Changsheng" on the invitation.

"no."

Qin Ruoxue was taken aback.

She hadn't expected Chen Bufan to answer so bluntly.

Chen Bufan continued:

"But who knew this wasn't part of my plan?"

Qin Ruoxue remained silent for a moment before placing the old photograph back on the table.

In the photo, a young Mr. Qin stands next to a man in black.

The black jade pendant with the black life pattern on the man's chest seemed to be watching them from more than twenty years ago.

"What if this Lu Changsheng is the same man in the photo from back then?"

Qin Ruoxue asked.

Chen Bufan said:

"We'll find the creditor for the Qin family's debt tomorrow night."

Qin Ruoxue's eyes flickered.

"Are you going there because of the Qin family's debts?"

Chen Bufan looked at her.

"Yes, and not entirely. Don't think too highly of yourself."

Qin Ruoxue pouted, understanding.

There are also debts owed by the Chen family in this matter.

She also saw the sentence on the back of the invitation.

The old scores of the Chen family can be settled tomorrow night.

The Changsheng Foundation is not just provoking the Qin family.

It was a provocation against Chen Bufan.

Or to put it another way, the preceding events were just a prelude, and ultimately it was all for Chen Bufan.

Chen Bufan put the invitation away.

"Don't let anyone stay at the ancestral hall tonight."

Qin Ruoxue snapped out of her daze.

"What about the earthenware jar?"

"Don't touch it."

Chen Bufan said.

"Cover it with a red cloth and light lamps at the four corners."

"After daybreak, have someone seal up the ancestral hall."

"No one is allowed to open the coffin or touch the pottery jars until I return."

Qin Ruoxue nodded.

"I'll arrange it."

Grandpa San couldn't help but ask:

"What do we do since all the names of the Qin family are on that piece of paper?"

Chen Bufan glanced at him.

"If you want to live, listen to me."

Third Grandfather's face was grim.

But this time, no one dared to refute it.

The image of my fourth uncle bleeding from all seven orifices is still there.

Nobody wants to be the second one.

When we left the Qin family's old house, the sky was already beginning to turn gray.

Qin Ruoxue escorted Chen Bufan to the door and arranged for a driver.

She remained silent for a long time, then suddenly said:

"Mr. Chen."

"I've already arranged for people to take care of the people inside the Nameless Guild, and I'll also have people keeping watch around the area. Just tell me if you need anything else done."

Chen Bufan said:

"Organize the old documents of the Qin family."

Qin Ruoxue nodded.

"Anything else?"

Chen Bufan glanced in the direction of the old house and ancestral hall.

"Preparing to pay off debts."

"How will you repay it?"

"Let me see Lu Changsheng first."

Qin Ruoxue did not ask any further questions.

She felt a vague unease; many things would change after the banquet tomorrow night.

When Chen Bufan returned to his rented room, it was nearly six in the morning.

He lay in bed, tossed and turned for a while, and then got up again.

I drank a large glass of ice water, which finally calmed my mind.

Place the invitation on the table.

Black background with gold lettering.

Lu Changsheng.

With this medium, she could connect herself with Lu Changsheng.

He reached out and opened the "Records of Destiny".

This time, he didn't bite his finger.

He spoke in a low voice:

"Chen Bufan, the 73rd generation fortune teller of the Chen family."

"Please record Lu Changsheng."

The room was quiet.

The pages of "The Record of Destiny" turned slowly.

One page.

Two pages.

Three pages.

Finally, it stopped on a blank page.

Chen Bufan looked down.

In the past, as long as the other party was human, even if their fate was obscured, there would still be some trace.

The lamp of life.

Fate line.

A fleeting image of a birthday.

The seal of cause and effect.

Even if Jiang Kun has a life-protecting talisman, the words "Black Fate Covers the Sky" will still appear in the "Destiny Record".

But this time...

There was nothing on the pages.

There are no words.

There is no wire.

There was no bloodstain.

There is no life lamp.

Blank.

It was blindingly white.

Chen Bufan's brows furrowed slightly.

He bit his fingertip and dripped a drop of blood onto it.

Blood fell onto the paper.

It did not seep out.

It was not absorbed either.

Instead, it's like a drop of water falling onto a piece of dead jade, slowly sliding down.

Snapped.

Blood droplets fell onto the table.

The Record of Destiny did not respond.

Chen Bufan stared at the blank page, somewhat surprised.

Lu Changsheng's destiny.

It was empty.