After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

Changling City Night Market

Although it was night, Zhuque Street, the most bustling street in Changling City, was still teeming with people and brightly lit.

Colorful lanterns hung high, and the cries of vendors and cheers of acrobats mingled together, adding to the glamorous atmosphere even more so than during the day.

Jiang Dusheng walked through the bustling crowd, his gaze sweeping over the brightly lit shops and taverns on both sides.

She walked to the front of a rather grand restaurant and saw a small fortune-telling stall set up on the open ground to the right of the entrance.

A desk, and a cloth banner that reads "Ironclad Predictions".

An old man with a sparse goatee, wearing a worn Taoist robe, and squinting his eyes to appear profound sat behind the table.

Jiang Dusheng's eyes suddenly lit up, and the corners of her lips turned up. Wasn't this the "soulmate" she had been searching for?

She walked slowly forward and went straight to the fortune-telling stall.

The old man was taking a nap when he saw a guest arrive, a young woman with an extraordinary air about her.

He immediately perked up, stroked his beard, and asked in a drawn-out tone, "Young lady, do you wish to inquire about your marriage prospects or your future?"

Jiang Dusheng shook his head, his voice clear and melodious: "I won't ask."

The old man was taken aback: "And who are you?"

Jiang Dusheng smiled slightly and said something surprising: "I'll give you money, and I'll tell your fortune. If my prediction is inaccurate..."

She pulled out the last ten taels of silver she had on her. "This silver is a free gift. How about it?"

Upon hearing this, not only was the old man stunned.

Even the few curious onlookers who were passing by or waiting at the restaurant entrance gathered around.

"Oh? That's something new!"

"What did this girl say? She paid the fortune teller, and now she's doing the fortune telling?"

"Whose daughter is this? She's so beautiful, could she be... not quite right in the head?" someone muttered under their breath, pointing to their head.

"That's right! Everyone knows that Master Xu has been setting up his stall here for half a year. This girl is probably going to make a fool of herself!"

The old man was initially annoyed and embarrassed, feeling that he had been provoked by a young girl.

But then I thought, free money? Is there really such a good thing?

His eyes darted around, and he immediately suppressed his displeasure, adopting an air of superiority as he chuckled:

"Very well, I'll make this a friendly occasion for you. Since you're in such a good mood, please speak up. If your prediction is accurate, I'll accept it!"

He was secretly delighted and made up his mind that no matter what the girl said, he would firmly deny it.

He's definitely going to make a profit from this.

Jiang Dusheng saw through his thoughts but didn't point them out.

Her gaze swept calmly across the old man's face, carefully observing his features and complexion, and she had already made up her mind.

She spoke slowly, her voice soft, yet clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"Your temples are sunken, indicating a weak bond with your parents. If I am not mistaken, you lost both your parents when you were young, around seven or eight years old."

The old man's feigned profound smile froze slightly.

Jiang Dusheng continued, speaking at a steady pace:

"Your eyebrows are light and scattered, with the ends drooping down. Although there is a connection between you and your brothers, it is also distant. You should still have an elder brother who is alive, but the two of you have long since separated and lived separately. Your relationship is weak, and you have not even had contact for many years."

The old man's expression began to change, and his eyes revealed surprise and doubt.

"Looking at your wife/concubine palace, it is flat and without flesh, and there are faint horizontal lines cutting it off. You are destined to be without a wife or children, and to grow old alone."

The surrounding chatter that had been spectating gradually subsided, and everyone held their breath as they watched the old man's increasingly grim expression.

The old man forced himself to remain calm, chuckled twice, and tried to save face:

"Hmph, young lady, you've certainly found out quite a bit! I've been running this stall here for half a year, and I've told people about these old stories before. You can find out with just a little inquiry."

His words, though seemingly a rebuttal, were in fact a tacit admission that what Jiang Dusheng said was true.

Jiang Dusheng didn't argue; his smile deepened, revealing a hint of understanding.

"Oh? So even the neighbors know about that mark in your destiny chart that indicates a life-or-death crisis at age thirty-five, which you were only able to avert with the help of a benefactor?"

The old man's eyes widened suddenly, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He abruptly stood up, his finger trembling slightly as he pointed at Jiang Dusheng:

"Who...who are you?!"

The near-fatal ordeal he suffered at the age of thirty-five was a secret he never told anyone.

Jiang Dusheng did not answer, but continued calmly, "You have a barely visible small black mole on the left side of the bridge of your nose. This is an omen of dying far from home."

"Master, you are not from Changling City, are you? Moreover, your hometown should be in the southwest, near water."

"You!" The old man's face turned completely pale. He staggered back a step, knocking over the stool behind him with a loud crash.

The look in his eyes as he looked at Jiang Dusheng had changed from surprise and doubt to fear.

There was silence all around.

Everyone was stunned by this reversal, staring in disbelief at the scene.

Jiang Dusheng then asked leisurely, "How was it, sir? Was my divination accurate?"

Xu Banxian's lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word. At this moment, he was completely convinced.

Seeing that Jiang Dusheng did not leave immediately, he quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and bowed.

His attitude was completely different from before; his tone was more respectful than ever before.

"Young lady... no, Immortal Master! I was blind and offended you just now. Please forgive me; a magnanimous person will not hold a grudge!"

Jiang Dusheng turned slightly to the side, refusing the full bow, and said calmly, "It's alright. I don't mean to make things difficult for you, I just want to borrow your stall."

Upon hearing this, Xu Banxian had no reason to refuse; he couldn't have asked for it more.

Witnessing such masterful skills firsthand might even bring some benefit.

He hurriedly made way for her, even wiping the wooden stool with his sleeve in a courteous manner.

"Please, Immortal Master, use this as you please! It's my good fortune to be able to use this old man's things!"

Jiang Dusheng sat down calmly, his gaze sweeping over the growing and murmuring crowd around him, and said in a clear voice:

"I'm visiting your esteemed place today, hoping to establish a good connection. I'd like to have my fortune told free of charge."

The crowd immediately stirred.

Some were curious, some were eager to try, but most looked on with suspicion.

Although what just happened was astonishing, it's possible that it was a pre-arranged act by the old man and the girl, specifically staged for them.

At this moment, a young man dressed in brocade robes, with the air of arrogance typical of scions of noble families, walked out of the restaurant, fanning himself with a folding fan.

He was clearly there with his friends to have some fun, and was drawn out by the commotion outside.

Hearing Jiang Dusheng's words and seeing that she was such a beautiful girl, he immediately found it interesting.

He parted the crowd, swaggered to the stall, plopped down, snapped his folding fan shut, pointed at Jiang Dusheng, and spoke in a flippant, mocking tone:

"Oh? Free fortune telling? Interesting!"

"Come on, give me a few words of advice? Let's see... how's my luck today? Any luck with women?"

As he spoke, he winked at Jiang Dusheng, which drew laughter from his equally well-dressed companions behind him.

Jiang Dusheng's gaze fell on his face, and upon closer inspection, he couldn't help but shake his head slightly, a smile of ambiguity curving his lips.

The rich man has arrived.

This young master has the natural appearance of boundless wealth and nobility.

His broad eyebrows and clear eyes, though tinged with arrogance, were devoid of malice, indicating a wealthy family background and the favor of his elders, suggesting that he was not a truly wicked person.

What's even more remarkable is that his heavenly granary and earthly storehouse are both full, indicating a life of abundant blessings and a smooth, worry-free existence.

only……

At this moment, his forehead was shrouded in a dark gray, which was out of place with his overall bright and clear appearance. This indicated that he would face a close call today, but it would be a close call, and it would happen on water or at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM).

Jiang Dusheng withdrew his gaze, ignoring his teasing, and simply said:

"At midnight, one should be wary of the sound of water from the pavilion."

Eight words, spoken clearly.

The young man's playful and frivolous smile froze completely on his face.

His pupils contracted sharply, and he tightened his grip on the folding fan, his knuckles turning white.

He did indeed meet someone at the Wangjiang Tower by the river at midnight tonight.

And downstairs, there is the shimmering Mirror Lake.

A chill instantly shot up his spine from the soles of his feet, and his scalp tingled.

He stared intently at Jiang Dusheng, all traces of his earlier frivolity vanishing.

His companions noticed his unusual behavior, their laughter abruptly stopped, and they looked at each other, wondering what had happened.

The young man's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice was dry, and he no longer had any intention of joking:

"Young lady," he changed his address with difficulty, "where is your residence? I have a friend whose family has recently been experiencing some strange and inexplicable events, and all the experts we've consulted are helpless."

"If you have some free time, young lady, would you please come and take a look?"