Looking at the grand mansion of the Li family, I deeply felt the benefits of being rich.
The mansion's decoration style was similar to that of ancient affluent courtyards. Almost all doors and windows showed no trace of modern technology, all adorned with ancient decorative styles. On the way to the reception hall, I saw several service staff serving tea and water, all dressed as ancient maids and attendants.
This further solidified my belief that Li Zuoquan harbored thoughts of replacing the Fifth Prince, aiming to monopolize the Yin world and achieve his ambition of becoming an underground emperor.
Upon entering the reception hall, I found several other people already seated, enjoying tea. My arrival with Zhang Dabiao merely drew a glance from them before they resumed their tea drinking, seemingly unconcerned by our presence.
There were three people in total. One was dressed as a Taoist priest, while the other two were a man in modern attire and another in an ancient long gown, who looked somewhat familiar.
Seeing me look his way, he grinned at me. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was Zhao Defu!
Previously, Zhao Defu had given me the impression of an old farmer, and his attire matched. But today, he was wearing an ancient dark green long gown, and his hair was meticulously combed. If not for the cunning smile on his face, I truly wouldn't have recognized him.
Although I didn't have a good impression of this old fellow, I returned his smile. It was the least I could do as a matter of courtesy, wasn't it?
After Zhang Dabiao and I found seats, someone naturally came to serve us tea and water, making one feel completely transported back to ancient times.
"Your kid has quite a wide circle of friends! You've only been here a few days and you already know some high-profile individuals," Zhang Dabiao remarked meaningfully after we sat down.
I gave a wry smile, knowing what he meant. He was referring to the faint smell of decay and the Yin energy emanating from Zhao Defu. Zhao Defu's scent wasn't as strong as Wang Jun's, perhaps because he hadn't been underground much. However, a Feng Shui master could discern it at a glance.
At the time, I didn't realize Zhao Defu was a tomb raider. Firstly, his farmer's attire naturally carried a bit of earthy smell, which was normal given his frequent work in the fields. There was also a slight Yin energy about him, but as he had just lost his son, I attributed it to his grief and didn't think in that direction at all.
Now, I realized I was too naive. No wonder a sage once said, "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles." That saying held true. My theoretical knowledge was not lacking, and my master had even practiced various emergency situations with me. However, no matter how well-prepared I was, there was still a significant gap compared to actual experience.
If Zhang Dabiao had been present when Zhao Defu approached me, he would have immediately recognized Zhao Defu's problematic nature. But then again, Zhang Dabiao should be grateful to Zhao Defu. Otherwise, how would I have gone to the old house west of the village? If I hadn't gone, Zhang Dabiao would have been in dire straits.
"He's Zhao Defu."
Zhang Dabiao was taken aback for a moment, then fell silent.
My relationship with Zhao Defu was rather complicated. If I called him a bad person, he had led me to the old house west of the village and saved Zhang Dabiao's life. If I called him a good person, then the words I overheard that day made me doubt it.
Not long after we sat down, Li Zuoquan entered in a wheelchair, pushed by Li Jian.
Except for Zhang Dabiao and me, who remained seated, the other three stood up to greet Li Zuoquan.
"Everyone, please be seated!"
Li Zuoquan was then pushed to the head seat. After scanning the room, he slowly said, "You are all distinguished figures in your respective fields. I am deeply grateful for your presence here today at my invitation."
As soon as Li Zuoquan finished speaking, the Taoist priest stood up.
"Mr. Li, you say everyone here is a distinguished figure in their field. I cannot agree with that statement. If they do not even understand basic etiquette, I fear they are here to fill a quota."
Li Zuoquan was taken aback and his gaze seemed to sweep over me. "Oh? What do you mean, Fang Da Zhang?"
"I, Fang, have been cultivating for five years and have achieved minor success. It took ten years for my master to permit me to descend the mountain to slay demons and vanquish evil. I have been cultivating for over twenty years and can only be considered to have achieved minor perfection, having just touched the threshold. Yet, one person present is barely twenty years of age. How can he be considered a distinguished figure in his field?"
As soon as the Taoist priest Fang finished speaking, I noticed that everyone, except Zhang Dabiao, turned their gaze towards me. Even Li Zuoquan wore a faint, almost imperceptible smile as he looked at me.
To ensure I hadn't misunderstood the meaning, I specifically asked Zhang Dabiao beside me.
"Brother Zhang, is he talking about me?"
Zhang Dabiao gave me a look that said "figure it out yourself," almost as if he were about to move to a separate seat to distance himself from me.
I looked speechlessly at the "fang" Taoist priest, wishing I could disappear into the ground. All my life, I had studied divination and tracking Yin energy, but I never had the time for formal studies of the classics. I needed that time to practice and deal with unexpected situations.
I hadn't immediately understood the meaning of "ruo guan" (at the age of twenty), but now I knew. He was implying that I was young and all show.
My face flushed slightly, but then I quickly regained my composure. I had thought of a way to avoid participating. Since I was going to cause trouble whether I participated or not, why not use this opportunity to test the waters?
With that thought, I suddenly stood up, looking at the Taoist priest with ill intent.
"You old Taoist, don't look down on people with your arrogant eyes. Let me tell you, Old Li invited me with five million US dollars. Since you say my skills are inadequate, you are not only questioning my abilities but also Old Li's judgment in choosing people. Since you think I'm not good enough, fine, I'm leaving now."
After saying that, I gave Zhang Dabiao a meaningful look and then walked towards the exit. My move not only surprised Zhang Dabiao but also stunned everyone else in the room.
It wasn't until I was about to walk out the door that Li Zuoquan coughed and said, "Young friend, please stay."
I turned around and looked at Li Zuoquan, whose expression was somewhat strange. "What is it? They've questioned my abilities, so why should I participate! Don't you agree, Old Li?" My face was serious, but inwardly, I was overjoyed.
You old geezer, if you didn't orchestrate this with the Fang fellow, I wouldn't believe it. You want to use me and probe my depths? Do you really think I'm a fool? If you want to make me unhappy, I won't let you have an easy time either. Even if I can't ruin this matter, I won't let you proceed smoothly.
With my outburst, not only did the Taoist priest named Fang look at Li Zuoquan, but Zhao Defu and another unfamiliar person also turned their gazes towards him, as if questioning why he had hired this young brat with five million US dollars.
Li Zuoquan glared at me, then coughed and explained, "Everyone, this young friend is no ordinary person! He is an Yin Gua Master."
"What Yin Gua Master?"
"Him?"
"Impossible, right?"
Li Zuoquan had only revealed my identity, and I instantly became the focus again. Even the Taoist priest named Fang's eyes flickered, as if he were assessing the credibility of Li Zuoquan's statement.
"Mr. Li, this is not a matter to be trifled with. When it comes to finding and tracking Yin entities, Yin Gua Masters are the most reliable. I recall that after the last Yin Gua Master disappeared ten years ago, no Yin Gua Masters have appeared in the world. Moreover, even that master only emerged to travel the world in his thirties. How can he, who is not yet twenty, be an Yin Gua Master?"
Another unfamiliar middle-aged man chimed in, "Old Li, this cannot be a joke! Although our lives are not worth much, we cannot casually entrust them to an unknown youngster."
Zhao Defu remained silent, merely sipping his tea. However, the occasional glance he cast my way held a hint of confusion, even suspicion.
Li Zuoquan smiled at the two who had raised objections, looking at them calmly. "Then what do you want?"
"This..."
The middle-aged man glanced at the Taoist priest named Fang, his demeanor suggesting he would follow his lead.
Fang, the Taoist priest, also frowned. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Yin Gua Masters are known for their skill in divination of Yin Gua. Since Mr. Li claims he is an Yin Gua Master, then let us use the simplest method: have him divine a卦 for an Yin entity or evil spirit, and the truth will be revealed."
"Good! Let's do that." Li Zuoquan then turned his gaze to me.
I shot a sideways glance at the Taoist priest named Fang. "On what grounds? You want to test me, you want to examine me? What, am I an Yin Gua Master, so you get to pay me?" Su Dan Novel Network
Hearing this, the Taoist priest Fang's face immediately darkened. "I am a cultivator, and my duty is to eradicate Yin entities and evil spirits. How could I carry such worldly possessions on me?"
"If you don't have money, what are you talking about? Who would divine for free?"
"You..."
Seeing that the situation was about to escalate, Li Zuoquan quickly intervened, "Daoist Priest Fang, please do not be angered. Since you wish to know if he is truly an Yin Gua Master, I am willing to grant your wish." He then looked at me, his expression somewhat grim. "One million."
"Deal!"