Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 98 Divine Prediction? (Two Chapters Combined)

Two or three days later, Li Fu, Song Zhaoxue, and Wei Ying rode their horses to a market town called Qingfeng Town.

This town has the only market within a radius of hundreds of miles, making it exceptionally lively.

As noon approached, the town gradually became busier with vehicles and pedestrians. Wine flags and tea banners fluttered along the roadside, and the aroma of food mixed with the smells of dust and livestock wafted through the air.

After days of traveling and sleeping outdoors, all three of them were somewhat travel-worn.

Sitting on her horse, Song Zhaoxue watched the steam rising from the food stalls along the street and rubbed her stomach.

"Finally, we've arrived at a decent, bustling town."

Let's find a place to have a proper meal. I've been eating dry rations for the past few days, and I've almost forgotten what hot food tastes like.

As Wei Ying rode on her horse, her sharp eyes scanned her surroundings, paying particular attention to pedestrians, porters, and even beggars dozing under the eaves of houses on the street who seemed to be approaching unintentionally.

One of her hands rested on the saddle, seemingly poised to strike at any moment.

"Wei Ying, relax a bit." Song Zhaoxue noticed her tension and smiled, "It looks strange to others when you're so tense."

Look at that porter over there carrying a load; he looks a bit fierce.

His steps were unsteady, his breathing heavy; he was clearly just an ordinary person, but when you stared at him for a long time, he almost dropped his carrying pole in fright.

"Miss, we must not be careless."

Those twelve treacherous individuals are cunning and unpredictable. If they were to join forces to assassinate you, they would surely be scheming and utterly impossible to defend against.

As the Rooster said, the Sheep, Tiger, and Dragon are even more capable of unexpectedly breaking through your and Li Fu's protective aura.

"My duty is to protect your safety, Miss. If anything happens to you, I will be held responsible even unto death."

Wei Ying remained serious, scanning and staring intently at everyone around her, as if they were all assassins.

"The assassination methods of the Rat and the Rooster have already shown that any passerby you brush past on the road, or even—even a child playing on the street—could be an assassin in disguise."

It is better to be wrongly suspected than to overlook something.

Just then, a waiter from a teahouse by the roadside happened to be holding a copper kettle, greeting customers at the door with a beaming smile.

"Would you like to rest and have some tea, gentlemen?"

The shop has excellent pre-rain beer —

Before he could finish speaking, Wei Ying's cold, scrutinizing gaze swept over him.

The waiter was startled by her gaze, tripped, and the copper kettle in his hand tilted, spilling scalding tea that nearly splashed onto the horse's leg.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"

These horses were all excellent; even if he sold them, he couldn't afford to lose them. The waiter was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he apologized repeatedly.

"See, what did I tell you?"

He was just a waiter trying to attract customers.

"Li Fu, tell her about her. The day before yesterday, we stopped at a teahouse for a rest, and an old farmer came over to ask for directions, but he seemed a bit unwell."

She stared at the person for a long time, suspecting him to be an assassin, making the person feel very uncomfortable, so he turned and ran away.

Yesterday by the river, a woman washing clothes approached us carrying a wooden basin. Suspecting a dagger was hidden under her clothes, she stared at us with wide eyes, nearly causing the woman to fall into the river.

Song Zhaoxue rubbed her forehead, saying helplessly.

"And the night before last, when we stayed at an inn, the waiter brought hot water in the middle of the night. The knocking was a little urgent, and she suspected it was a bad guy. She hid by the door, which scared the waiter so much that he almost poured the hot water on my head. All the way here, whenever anyone gets within three zhang of us, she acts as if she is facing a great enemy."

How are we supposed to keep going like this?

Wherever he goes, he causes chaos and disorder.

To be honest, before encountering the Rooster and learning that one of the Twelve Fierce Signs could break through their protective aura with a single blow, Wei Ying remained quite calm.

But things changed after I found out.

Li Fu smiled and glanced across the street.

"It's part of Miss Wei's job to be cautious."

The twelve fierce signs are cunning and ruthless; it is indeed necessary to be wary of them.

He changed the subject.

"However, it would be bad if one were to become overly suspicious of others and exhaust one's mental energy as a result."

The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light; the assassination must be carried out at what they deem the most advantageous time.

We only need to remain outwardly relaxed but inwardly vigilant; there's no need to be constantly on edge as if facing a formidable enemy. Otherwise, we'll be exhausted before the killer even arrives.

Upon hearing this, Wei Ying relaxed her tense shoulders and back slightly, and said in a low voice, "Officer Li is right, I was too nervous."

Even so, the wariness in her eyes had not completely disappeared; she simply no longer scrutinized every passerby so deliberately.

The three were talking.

In front of a local earth god temple, under a lush old locust tree, a large crowd had gathered, blocking half of the road.

There seemed to be a stall in the middle of the crowd, and you could vaguely see people sitting behind a table with a cloth banner standing next to them.

The crowd listened quietly at times, and occasionally let out low exclamations or discussions, creating a lively atmosphere.

Song Zhaoxue, with her keenest curiosity, was immediately drawn to the view and craned her neck to look from the horse's back.

"Huh? There are so many people gathered over there, what are they doing? It looks like they're having their fortunes told?"

She vaguely saw words like "iron-clad prediction" on the banner.

Li Fu also looked up.

Under the shade of the locust tree, there was a simple wooden table with a Bagua diagram on it, along with a divination stick container, tortoise shells, and a few worn-out copper coins.

Behind the table sat an elderly man wearing a faded blue cloth gown and a square scarf on his head.

The old man's eyes were cloudy and unfocused. He held a cloth banner with the words "Iron Mouth, Straightforward Prediction" written on it. He was a blind fortune teller.

There were many people seeking divination at the table, men, women, young and old, all with respectful expressions.

Locals nearby were discussing it.

"Master Chen only has a few divinations left today!"

"For many years, Master Chen has only performed ten divinations a day; he won't count even one more. His rules are extremely strict!"

"Hey, but they're right on the mark!"

Before leaving home, the peddler Zhang asked about his fortune. The fortune teller Chen said, "Wealth lies in the east, but beware of gossip." Sure enough, Zhang made money at the eastern market, but only a few words were exchanged over the price – exactly as predicted!

"And then there's Widow Zhao from the front street. We asked her if there was any news about her lost son. Fortune teller Chen said, 'People strive for higher positions, water flows downhill; there should be news around the Autumn Equinox.' And sure enough, on the day of the Autumn Equinox, news came from the county!"

"Fortune teller?"

It seems to work quite well.

So many people are gathered around.

Hearing this, Song Zhaoxue became interested and pulled Li Fu and Wei Ying along.

"Li Fu, Wei Ying, let's go over and see what's going on, and while we're at it—let's also have our fortunes told."

Let's see if our team can successfully eliminate the twelve malevolent spirits.

She was naturally lively, and the boredom of traveling for days and Wei Ying's excessive tension made her feel rather dull. Seeing the bustling city, she immediately wanted to join in.

At the same time, they found fortune telling quite novel.

"I've never told anyone's fortune before."

"Miss, be careful."

Wei Ying said.

"What are you afraid of? This fortune teller sounds like a famous local fortune teller. Could it be that he's been planning this assassination years in advance?"

Song Zhaoxue didn't take it to heart.

There is some truth to that.

Wei Ying's lips moved, but she swallowed the words that were about to come out. Instead, she focused her attention more intently, scanning the crowd around the fortune-telling stall, wary of any possible abnormalities.

Li Fu felt that most charlatans relied on their ability to read people's expressions and their clever words.

It is clear that Song Zhaoxue was in high spirits.

Some people enthusiastically explore new and unfamiliar things, while others nearby simply say, "What's the point?" as if to make the person seem more knowledgeable and insightful. Those kinds of people are truly the most boring.

Li Fu was unwilling to be the kind of person who spoils the fun.

The three dismounted, tied their horses to the hitching posts at the tea stall next to them, and then squeezed into the outer part of the crowd to stand.

Just then, a burly man with a non-local accent squeezed to the front of the table, sat down casually, and spoke in a loud voice.

"Old man, I've been passing by and everyone says you're a great fortune teller. I've come here today to have my fortune told too!"

Let's calculate where I came from, where I'm going, and whether this trip will be smooth sailing.

The blind old man wasn't annoyed: "Please give me your birth date and time."

The man blurted it out.

The old man's withered fingers gently stroked the Bagua diagram on the table for a moment, then picked up three copper coins, held them in his palm, prayed silently for a moment, and tossed them onto the table.

The copper coins jingled, and although the old man couldn't see them, he seemed to sense where they would land, and then reached out to touch them.

"Heaven above, Wind below, Heaven Wind Encounter."

The first line of the hexagram is moving, and the hexagram is bound to metal.

The old man was muttering incantations.

"Sir, you come from the southeast. In your early years, you worked in a water-related business, but in the last five years you have switched to land-based work. You have two older brothers and one younger sister."

Last summer, I faced a calamity, but fortunately, I received help from a benefactor, which saved me from financial loss.

This trip north is to collect an old debt, but the divination shows that the other party's luck is down and they have no money. Forcing the issue may lead to arguments and even bloodshed.

It is advisable to proceed cautiously and wait until next spring; there may be a turning point then.

The man initially looked disdainful, but as he listened, his expression gradually changed. When he heard that collecting old debts could lead to bloodshed, sweat beaded on his forehead.

They were all right.

"This is amazing!"

The crowd was even more astonished by the change in his expression.

"Master Chen's divination is still as accurate as ever."

The man, no longer arrogant, quickly took out a silver ingot and placed it on the table, saying respectfully, "Thank you for your guidance, Master! Thank you, Master!"

After saying that, he hurriedly pushed through the crowd and left.

Immediately afterwards, a couple who looked like a married couple came forward to inquire about their children's future, and a middle-aged man who looked like a scholar asked about the imperial examination results.

The fortune teller Chen made his predictions based on the divination, and his words always hit the nail on the head. Although he was not detailed in every aspect, he always got to the heart of the matter and made people believe him.

Soon, two more divinations were performed.

"Only two divinations remain."

"I wonder who will be lucky enough to have that opportunity."

""

Song Zhaoxue, unable to contain her curiosity, pulled Wei Ying and Li Fu forward, urging, "Quick, let's get these last two divinations done!"

As she spoke, she squeezed to the front of the table.

"This fortune teller seems to have really pinpointed the fates of quite a few people. Is he using shills?"

Or could it be that he actually has some skill?

Looking around, Li Fu secretly observed the blind old man, a sense of curiosity rising in his heart.

Having lived a second life and experienced many strange events, he dared not deny the existence of gods and monsters.

While other fortune tellers might charge a few dozen coins, it costs a dime to have Chen Banxian tell your fortune—it's not something an ordinary person can afford.

But Song Zhaoxue didn't care at all. She put down a silver ingot and cleared her throat.

"Sir, please tell my fortune."

She gave him her birth date and time as instructed.

The old man stroked his beard and pondered, his fingers gently caressing the Bagua diagram on the table. He then tossed in a coin and said slowly.

"Heaven above Earth below, Heaven and Earth in opposition."

The second line of the hexagram is moving—"The father is alive, but the mother dies first."

Am I right?

Song Zhaoxue's eyes lit up.

"The old man is right!"

My mother passed away a long time ago, but my father—my father—is still alive.

The old man continued.

"The young master's destiny is outwardly carefree and fond of playing and having fun, not bothered by trivial matters, but inwardly he is wise, loyal and righteous, not as carefree as he appears."

As the saying goes, laughter, anger, and scolding all come from the heart; what seems heartless is actually deep affection.

Li Fu listened from the side, crossing his arms.

Just now you were so certain of your words, but now you've suddenly become ambiguous.

The phrase "father alive, mother dead" can be interpreted as either the father dying before the mother or the father alive, but the mother dying first. It is indeed a common trick used by fortune tellers to make things work in both directions.

The phrase "the deepest affection can also be ruthless" sounds mysterious, but it is actually universally applicable and can always be applied to oneself.

"That person just now was probably a shill."

The fortune teller was a blind man who had made a living this way in the area for many years, so he didn't bother to expose him or ruin his business.

Song Zhaoxue nodded repeatedly, feeling that the old man's words had hit the nail on the head.

The old man then seemed to agree with her, and despite his young age, he showed no signs of distress; this was not the tone of any poor person.

In wealthy families, there are naturally servants attending to their every need.

Furthermore, it was deduced that she came from a wealthy family, that she took this trip voluntarily, and that she was often accompanied and assisted by caring people.

Although most of it was general talk, Song Zhaoxue found it quite accurate.

The blind old man stroked his sparse beard and continued speaking.

"Young master, you are of noble birth and have a solid foundation. You will have no worries about food and clothing throughout your life and enjoy lasting blessings."

However, the hexagram shows that fortune and misfortune are interdependent, and yin and yang alternate.

Although you, sir, possess blessings beyond the reach of ordinary people, you are also constantly accompanied by worries. As the saying goes, "Tall trees often face mournful winds," and occasional hardships and anxieties are simply part of your destiny.

"The old man is right. My family is well-off, but we have a lot of worries and anxieties. We are not as happy and harmonious as most families."

Song Zhaoxue was taken aback for a moment, then nodded repeatedly in agreement.

It felt as if the old gentleman's words had struck a chord with me.

Li Fuli stood half a step behind her and heard the conversation clearly.

"Such a statement is applicable everywhere."

Let alone ordinary members of the imperial family, even those truly born into the imperial family and enjoying all the riches and honors of the world, how could they possibly have everything go smoothly and be without worries?

Occasionally there are hardships, but these are described in an extremely vague way.

The pampered sons of wealthy families and members of the imperial clan, who were usually protected as if they were made of glass, were considered unlucky and worrying if their fingers were pricked by a needle, they tripped over a threshold, or their parents forbade them to go out for a spring outing.

The old man's words were merely a clever use of the common life experiences of the children of wealthy families, as well as the tendency of those seeking divination to seek self-affirmation.

Li Fu listened, becoming increasingly dismissive.

But the more Song Zhaoxue listened, the more mysterious it seemed. After the old man finished speaking, she quickly asked, "Old sir, to be honest, I would also like to ask you to predict—I am about to undertake a very important matter, which is quite dangerous. I wonder if I will succeed?"

What she was referring to was, of course, eliminating the twelve malevolent spirits.

Upon hearing this, the old man twirled the copper coin again, pondered for a long time, and then slowly said, "This matter—the divination is gloomy, fraught with danger, and shrouded in malevolent energy; it is indeed an ominous sign."

However, a hint of noble assistance is also hidden in the hexagram.

If you wish to accomplish this, you will need the full assistance of a noble person.

Otherwise, the effort might be wasted, and one might even suffer losses.

"A benefactor?"