Chapter 243: I Think You Have a Little Green Head!
Even if Ye Yan knew that the Ye Family's downfall was their own doing, a consequence of their own actions—if Ye Yan's father hadn't played dirty in business and arranged a car accident for Shen Anyu's mother, the Yanxia Shen Family wouldn't have been so enraged as to directly bankrupt the Ye Family.
But if he didn't avenge this, his thoughts wouldn't be clear.
Even if his father, the Ye Family Patriarch, was ninety-nine percent at fault, did the Yanxia Shen Family not have even one percent of the blame? In Ye Yan's world, if you hurt my family, you die. Logic and law were secondary to his dao of vengeance.
Ye Yan took several deep breaths, inhaling the scent of old sandalwood and cheap street food that permeated the air. He adjusted the cloth-wrapped blade on his back, his eyes cold and focused, preparing to leave this noisy Ancient Street.
However, just as he took a step, a voice drifted over, light as a feather but heavy with intent.
"Young man, please wait."
Ye Yan paused. He was actually stopped by someone.
He turned his head slowly, his gaze sharp enough to cut glass. Standing there was a young man dressed in rough, grey linen clothes that looked like they belonged in a museum or a costume drama. Behind him stood a small, newly renovated shop named [Tianji Pavilion].
A wooden couplet hung by the door, the calligraphy bold and arrogant: [Linen-Clad Diviner, Calculating All Life.]
The young man, Chen Tianji, leaned against the doorframe, fanning himself with a folding fan despite the cool autumn air. He looked at Ye Yan with eyes that seemed to smile yet held no warmth.
"Little brother, I see a dark omen on your face," Chen Tianji said, his voice carrying a practiced rhythm. "It is covered by dark clouds, indicating a coming bloody disaster. Would you like me, Chen Tianji, to tell your fortune?"
He paused for effect, then added with a grin that showed too many teeth:
"Don't worry, I'm not a con artist. If it's not accurate, you don't pay!"
Ye Yan was instantly dumbfounded. A fortune-telling swindler actually tried to trick him? The mighty War God?
One must know that Ye Yan's Master, Tian Yunzi, was an extraordinary person. Not only was his martial arts skill heaven-reaching, placing him among the mighty experts at the [Heavenly Human Unity] level, but he also mastered some mystical arts and fortune-telling, and had even befriended several Masters of mystical arts in the hidden world.
But even Master Zhou Longhu, the top diviner in Hong Kong known as the "Golden Mouth," wouldn't dare claim to [Calculate All Life].
This boast was sky-high! It was arrogant to the point of absurdity.
Especially since a truly skilled Master of mystical calculations would not be without cultivation. Divining the secrets of heaven required immense spiritual energy to withstand the backlash of karma. Just like Master Zhou Longhu, he was an expert comparable to a Martial Dao Grandmaster, almost at the Heavenly Human Unity level!
In Hong Kong, countless top tycoons worshipped him, lining up to offer millions just for a word of advice, and he was renowned throughout the vast world.
However, the con artist named Chen Tianji before him had no cultivation whatsoever. Ye Yan's spiritual sense swept over the man—nothing. His dantian was empty, his meridians blocked. He was utterly powerless. A complete mortal ant.
Ye Yan estimated that a mere breath could kill him. A flick of his finger would turn this charlatan into a blood mist.
And he dared to boast about calculating all life?
Ye Yan had important matters—the ambush at the ruins, the safety of his sister-in-law—so he didn't bother with this person. With a flicker of his body, he utilized his movement technique, blurring slightly as he dodged past him, preparing to continue towards the Ye Family's old residence.
At this moment, Chen Tianji's meaningful voice came from behind him, cutting through the noise of the crowd like a sharp knife:
"Little brother, you carry a deep-seated hatred, do you not? Do you know that ahead lies a dragon's den, a tiger's lair? It is an ambush from all sides, like the maw of a giant dragon swallowing everything. If you step through, you will surely die without a burial place!"
Screech!
Ye Yan abruptly stopped. The soles of his shoes ground against the stone pavement.
He turned around, frowned deeply, and looked with surprise and uncertainty at Chen Tianji, who wore a mysterious, confident smile.
This... this was different.
Ordinary con artists, fortune-tellers, and Taoist priests always spoke in riddles, shrouded in mist. They used ambiguous phrases like "You have encountered trouble recently" or "You seek something lost," never making precise judgments, so they could leave themselves an escape route and room for maneuver. This was the Cold Reading technique 101.
For example, the most common trick is to say that a "dark omen" indicates a "bloody disaster." If you ask what kind of disaster or when, they stall.
But this young fortune-teller Chen Tianji, dressed in linen, was resolute and assertive. He didn't just say "bad luck." He specifically mentioned a "Dragon's Den," "Tiger's Lair," and "Ambush from all sides."
And most importantly, he recognized at a glance that Ye Yan carried a deep-seated hatred.
How could this not shock Ye Yan?
At first, Ye Yan didn't think Chen Tianji had real ability; instead, his paranoia kicked in. He thought Chen Tianji might be a scout for his enemies, recognizing his identity and knowing about his enmity with the Yanxia Shen Family.
'Is he a spy from the Shen Family? Or perhaps from the Netherworld Palace?' Ye Yan wondered, his hand inching towards the blade handle on his back.
But after Chen Tianji said that, he ignored Ye Yan completely. He turned his attention to the bustling street, his eyes scanning the crowd like a predator looking for prey.
He suddenly reached out and pulled a rather portly middle-aged man who was passing by, adorned with gold chains and a designer watch.
Chen Tianji grinned:
"Sir, I see a bit of green on your head. A vibrant, glowing green. Would you like me to tell your fortune?"
The portly man froze. The crowd froze.
In Yanxia culture, "wearing a green hat" was the ultimate insult for a man. It meant his wife was cheating on him.
"Get lost! My wife is incredibly virtuous, praised by everyone! She serves me tea and washes my feet! How could she cheat on me? I'll beat you to death, you cursed scammer!"
The portly middle-aged man instantly exploded in anger. His face turned beet red, and he swung his meaty fist directly at Chen Tianji's face.
"Oh, sir, what I'm telling you is true, absolutely accurate. If it's not accurate, you don't pay. Don't get excited, don't get excited..."
Chen Tianji dodged with a smile.
He moved strangely. He wasn't fast, and he used no martial arts footwork. He simply... stepped aside at the exact moment the fist arrived, as if he knew where the punch would be three seconds ago.
People on the surrounding Ancient Street, seeing the commotion, immediately gathered with expressions of eager spectators.
"Fight! Fight!"
"This fortune teller has a foul mouth!"
Ye Yan, however, narrowed his eyes, looking at Chen Tianji with some surprise.
Although Chen Tianji had no martial arts skill whatsoever, he always managed to narrowly avoid the portly middle-aged man's pursuit. It was like watching a clumsy dance where one partner knew the choreography perfectly.
It was somewhat strange.
'Is it luck? Or...'
Ye Yan needed to know if this man was truly capable. If he was, then the warning about the "Ambush" at the ruins might be real.
After thinking for a moment, Ye Yan stepped forward. He raised his hand and easily caught the fat man's wrist, stopping him in his tracks.
"Stop," Ye Yan said coolly. Then he turned his cold gaze to Chen Tianji.
"I'll pay for him; you tell his fortune. If it's not accurate, I'll smash your Tianji Pavilion!"
"Alright! One reading is one hundred thousand. You can pay by card! No WeChat, no Alipay, strictly direct transfer or card swipe!"
Chen Tianji's eyes narrowed with a smile, shining with the greed of a weasel that had stolen a chicken. He immediately produced a POS machine from his wide sleeve like a magic trick.
One hundred thousand for a reading?
The surrounding crowd immediately erupted in chatter:
"Good heavens, isn't this highway robbery? There are many fortune-tellers, but I've never seen one charge one hundred thousand for a reading!"
"This Tianji Pavilion seems to have just moved in recently. I didn't expect such an unreliable boss. He's crazy about money!"
"Heh heh, a young man with no experience can't handle things well. He insulted a rich guy and now he's demanding a ransom? He's done for."
"..."
The portly middle-aged man was also startled, wiping sweat from his forehead. He looked at Ye Yan, who was dressed simply but had an extraordinary aura.
"Little brother, don't believe these con artists! Save your money!"
Ye Yan said calmly, reaching into his pocket:
"One hundred thousand is nothing to me."
Saying that, he pulled out a card that made the crowd gasp. It was black, sleek, and adorned with diamonds.
The International Bank Supreme Black Card.
"Swipe it."
With the Supreme Black Card given by his Master, with no spending limit, Ye Yan didn't care about money at all. Money was just a number to a cultivator.
For Ye Yan, verifying whether this Chen Tianji had real ability was what mattered. If 100,000 yuan could buy him accurate intelligence on a life-or-death situation, it was a bargain.
Chen Tianji watched this scene with a smile, his eyes twinkling as the machine beeped.
[Transaction Successful.]
After Ye Yan paid, Chen Tianji put away the machine satisfiedly. He adjusted his linen robes and pointed a slender finger at the fat man's phone.
"Sir, if you call your wife right now, you can verify that what I said is true."
"You..." The portly man gritted his teeth. "Fine! I'll call her! And when she answers, I'll make you kneel and apologize!"
The portly middle-aged man was somewhat skeptical, but at the urging of the surrounding crowd who were chanting "Call her! Call her!", he dialed his wife's number.
He put it on speaker mode for everyone to hear, declaring loudly:
"My wife is incredibly virtuous; she definitely wouldn't do anything to betray me. She's probably at yoga or cooking!"
Beep... beep... beep...
The ringtone echoed in the silent street. Everyone held their breath.
Click.
As the call connected, a slightly breathless, disjointed female voice came from the other end of the line:
"Husband... ah... why are you... calling me? Aren't you... mmph... going to the Ancient Street to... buy antiques?"
The voice was shaky, rhythmic, and filled with a strange suppressed energy.
The portly middle-aged man asked somewhat confused, scratching his head:
"Wife, why are you so out of breath? Are you sick?"
"Huff huff... I... I'm running right now... yes, running on the treadmill! Didn't you say I've gained some weight recently? I'm going to lose some weight... ah! ... After I finish running, I'll... oh god... I'll make your favorite braised pork..."
"Wife, you work too hard. I love you even if you're fat."
The portly middle-aged man said with a chuckle, looking touched. He glared at Chen Tianji triumphantly, thinking this con artist was talking nonsense; his wife was so good, exercising just to please him!
"See? She's running!"
Ye Yan, however, had a strange expression.
His pupils contracted slightly.
With his [Grandmaster Peak] martial arts cultivation, his five senses were dozens of times sharper than an ordinary person. He could hear the drop of a needle from a hundred meters away.
Naturally, he heard much more than the fat man.
Through the speaker, underneath the breathless female voice, there were other sounds on the other end of the phone.
Slap... Slap... Slap...
It was the rhythmic sound of skin colliding with skin. Intense. Fast.
Creak... Creak...
The sound of a bed frame groaning under heavy impact.
And a man's low, rough growl: "Harder? You want it harder, you little slut?"
Ye Yan's face twitched. This wasn't running. Unless she was running a marathon on someone's crotch.
The divination... was real.
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