"Yeah, you're right, I'll definitely be more careful next time…"
After returning from Yixuan, Yi Jing was in his room talking on the phone with someone, his attitude even more respectful than when speaking to the Sect Master.
"Don't worry. As long as things get done, I won't short you on any of the benefits I promised…"
A woman's voice came from the other end of the call.
"The Sect Master… she's planning to go to the Suibian Temple herself. What do you think…?"
"Waifei Peninsula, huh…"
The woman seemed to ponder. "I understand. I'll handle the matter at Waifei Peninsula. You just focus on your own task, understood?"
"Understood, understood!"
"Good!"
Beep—beep—beep…
The call was disconnected.
"Yunkui Summit… will be mine sooner or later!"
…
The next day.
"Waaah~~ It feels like I haven't been back in forever. It's almost unfamiliar now."
"Yeah, it's been about two months."
Nearly two months after joining Yunkui Summit, this was Arden Xu and Ju Fufu's first time returning to Waifei Peninsula.
Instead of rushing to Suibian Temple to meet with Sect Master Yixuan, they first stopped by home, then Arden took Ju Fufu for a roast chicken feast to satisfy her tiger-like appetite. Only afterward, in the afternoon, did they ride their beloved sidecar motorcycle to Suibian Temple located in Failume Heights.
"As expected of Master Yixuan—her influence is incredible!"
Looking at the packed crowd inside Suibian Temple, Ju Fufu exclaimed in amazement.
She and Arden weren't strangers to this place. After all, it was one of the well-known attractions of Waifei Peninsula. But normally, Suibian Temple only had a few scattered visitors. This time, however, the place was as crowded as a festival.
"Hm?"
Arden soon noticed something was off.
Ju Fufu, limited by her height, couldn't see what was going on inside. But Arden realized that many of the people crowding here weren't here to pray or seek divination—a good number of them were just spectators watching a commotion.
Something seemed to be happening inside Suibian Temple.
"What's going on?"
Arden asked one of the onlookers.
"Ahh~ The divination master just got hospitalized, and now that Master Yixuan has come to fill in, someone came making trouble… If you ask me, they're obviously just here to pick a fight!"
"Picking a fight?"
Hearing that, Arden frowned slightly. "That's way too much of a coincidence…"
"Let's go in and see. Fufu—open the way!"
"Got it!"
Though small, Ju Fufu was strong. Even back at the old market, she was always the one opening a path for Arden. This time was no different.
Soon, Arden and Ju Fufu squeezed their way inside.
…
"What kind of garbage talisman is this!? It doesn't work at all! Refund! I said refund!! Otherwise… I'll smash this shabby temple to pieces!"
A yellow-haired delinquent shouted, his tone aggressive.
"That's right, that's right!"
"Don't think you people from Yunkui Summit can do whatever you want… New Eridu still has laws!"
"Waifei Peninsula is Porcelumex territory—we're not afraid of you!"
"…"
A group of hoodlums echoed him, all glaring at Sect Master Yixuan.
"No refund? Then this won't end today!"
The yellow-haired punk waved the talisman in his hand, looking as if he wouldn't back down.
"How dare you cause trouble in Suibian Temple? Are you tired of living?"
The moment Ju Fufu squeezed her way in and saw the scene, her temper shot up. When she and Arden were younger, they'd been bullied by punks countless times—and though they paid those bullies back after growing up, her disgust for hooligans had never changed.
"He's hitting me!!"
Seeing Ju Fufu charge in aggressively, wearing her Yunkui Summit uniform, the yellow-haired punk instantly threw himself to the ground like a professional scammer.
"Everyone look! Yunkui Summit has no reason and is using force to attack people!! Is there no justice left in this world!?"
"You…!!"
Seeing him act like a shameless clown made Ju Fufu even angrier, but reason told her that if she hit him now, they'd instantly become the ones in the wrong.
Her little face turned red with pent-up fury—she was practically choking on it.
"Don't bother with trash."
Arden held her back, then walked to Yixuan's side. "Sect Master, what happened?"
"Ahhh~~…"
Hearing Arden's question, Yixuan sighed and rubbed her temples helplessly.
Sometimes, she truly felt that people were far more troublesome than Ethereals.
"This morning, I arrived at Suibian Temple…"
The matter wasn't complicated. In the morning, Yixuan had done a reading for the yellow-haired punk, who had come asking about romance. The divination showed that he would have absolutely no romantic luck in his entire life. Then, he bought a romance talisman.
Everything seemed normal—until the afternoon, when he returned claiming the romance talisman didn't work and started causing trouble.
"Don't worry about him. I already called the New Eridu Public Security. They'll be here soon."
Yixuan couldn't handle this with force—they couldn't just beat him up. Better to let the Public Security officers deal with it.
"This… is clearly intentional!"
Looking at the punk rolling on the floor, Arden narrowed his eyes.
Most visitors who came for divination were just seeking comfort. Nobody truly bet their whole life on a single reading. Even Yixuan's divinations couldn't be 100% perfect. As for the romance talisman…
Arden himself had drawn it—he naturally knew its effects.
Carrying it acted like a low-grade beautifying charm, using appearance to slightly raise the chance of "romance." But things like "fate tying a red string in the dark"... a talisman for four thousand dennies—the price of two bowls of noodles—obviously couldn't reach that level.
Look at that ugly mug… and he wants a girlfriend?
Plain looks aside, he had dyed yellow hair, multiple piercings, a tongue stud, and tattoos—everything about him screamed "stay away." Any normal girl would steer clear.
Right now, Arden was certain that Yixuan's reading of "no romantic luck in this lifetime" was absolutely correct… This punk was clearly here to cause trouble.
Is he acting alone… or being instructed by someone?
Arden glanced at the surrounding crowd.
Either way, I can't let him ruin Suibian Temple's business!
Yunkui Summit's meals depended on divination income and shop revenue here. Ju Fufu needed her meat just like Master Yixuan's black stockings needed shrimp shells removed. That's wrong, but close enough.
In short—Arden couldn't take Ju Fufu down the mountain to eat chicken every day. The food hall needed improvement.
"Sect Master, let me handle this!"
After thinking briefly, Arden came up with an idea and volunteered to take care of the punk.
"Oh? And who are you?"
The punk heard him clearly and looked at Arden with disdain. "I'm delicate and precious, you know. If I get hurt, you broke and shabby Yunkui Summit can't afford to compensate!"
"I am Arden Xu, fourteenth-generation disciple of Yunkui Summit."
Arden introduced himself with a harmless smile.
But Ju Fufu, who knew her brother well, understood that Arden had already decided to deal with this man—and with Arden's personality, even if the punk didn't die, he'd be miserable.
May you become a better person in your next life…
Ju Fufu silently prayed for him.
"Oh? So, if the master doesn't work, you send out a student?"
The punk sneered.
"Heh."
Arden's smile deepened slightly.
Since he'd mistaken him for Yixuan's student, Arden would spare his life… but a lesson was unavoidable.
"Everyone has their specialty. Mine just happens to be making talismans."
As he spoke, Arden pulled an explosion talisman from his pouch and tossed it into the air.
BOOM—!
A burst of fire and a sharp explosion erupted.
"!!"
The surrounding crowd gasped, and the punk jolted in fear.
He had come to stir trouble—not to die.
Sure, Arden would be arrested for murder and spend life in prison… but the punk himself would already be dead. That hardly helped him.
"And then?"
Yet after a moment, the punk seemed emboldened. "How's this going to be resolved? If you don't refund me, I'm not letting this go… Of course, you could also find me a girlfriend."
His gaze drifted toward Yixuan and Ju Fufu, as if saying: Preferably one like them.
Arden immediately blocked his view.
He could tolerate people glancing at what was "in the pot" or "in the bowl," but not with filthy eyes.
A star of death seemed to flicker above the punk's head.
"A girlfriend? That's simple."
Arden emphasized "girlfriend," not "refund." "I'll give you a peach-blossom talisman for free. I guarantee a massive stroke of luck in romance—within three days, you will definitely get the girlfriend you desire."
He drew out a pink talisman—not the yellow of explosion talismans, but an enticing rose-colored charm.
"A peach-blossom talisman?"
The punk hesitated. "And what if it still doesn't work? How will you compensate me then?"
"Heh. Then I'll give you an even stronger talisman. Don't worry—before you die, I'll make sure you get a girlfriend."
Arden never made empty promises. Every plan had a chance of failure, and if it failed, he needed a backup.
"That won't do…"
The punk seemed unwilling.
"Make way, make way!"
"Public Security—move aside!"
But the approaching officers of New Eridu Public Security made the punk rethink.
"Fine! It's settled then! Everyone here is a witness! If this peach-blossom talisman doesn't work, then I'll— I'll make sure all of Yunkui Summit suffers for it!"
Snatching the pink talisman, he threw out one last threat and ran off with his gang before the Public Security officers arrived.