Yin San'er motionlessly picked up the money. He rubbed it between his fingers, and a greedy glint appeared in his cloudy, aged eyes.
"Ah, well, this 'walking ghost' fellow, I do know of one, but..."
After receiving the money, Yin San'er revealed some information, then began to stammer again.
Chen Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly. He had figured it out; the old man was treating him like a fat sheep.
But he didn't mind. If something could be solved with money, it wasn't a problem at all.
"Old Qi!"
Chen Xiao called out.
Qi Tianhu took out two more stacks of cash and placed them by the edge of the kang.
Yin San'er, like a cat smelling fish, snatched the money and stuffed it into his waistband.
"Heh heh, this young sir is truly generous. One look and I can tell you're a dragon among men! Your future achievements are immeasurable. In my humble opinion..."
Yin San'er spoke in a roundabout way, showering Chen Xiao with flattery.
However, regarding the matter of the 'walking ghost,' he skirted the issue and remained silent.
Chen Xiao's expression immediately turned grim.
For fortune tellers, besides being eloquent, the ability to read people was a basic skill.
Seeing Chen Xiao's change in demeanor, Yin San'er quickly stopped his flattery and said seriously, "Young sir, may I know your name?"
"My name is Chen Xiao."
Chen Xiao decided to give the old man one last chance. If he still didn't see reason, Chen Xiao would have no qualms about turning hostile.
"Mr. Chen, since you can utter the words 'walking ghost,' you must have some understanding of this profession... This concerns the secrets of yin and yang, and I dare not reveal them lightly!"
Yin San'er sighed at length.
"What, you want more money?"
Chen Xiao sneered.
Yin San'er gave an awkward smile. "Not at all, Mr. Chen. As the saying goes, 'take someone's money and resolve their troubles.' Since I have already accepted your payment, I will naturally tell you everything I know."
"However, my doing so would be considered revealing heavenly secrets. Therefore, I need to fast for three days. This way, I can minimize the backlash from revealing such secrets."
"So, Mr. Chen, please return in three days. For today, you are dismissed!"
After taking the money, this Yin San'er had gone in circles, spoken a lot of nonsense, and then ordered Chen Xiao and his companion to leave.
He thought Chen Xiao was a fat sheep and, according to his rules, had to be fleeced multiple times, or his ancestors wouldn't approve.
"Damn it, old man, I think you're pushing your luck..."
Before Chen Xiao could get angry, Qi Tianhu's face fell.
He cursed at Yin San'er, glaring at him.
"Insolent!"
The young man pointed at Qi Tianhu's nose and shouted, "My master has already asked you to come back another day. Don't cause trouble and be ungrateful. Don't think that just because you are Qi Tianhu, we are afraid of you!"
"Oh, for crying out loud!"
Qi Tianhu was so angry he almost laughed. In the entire Jiangcheng, there were fewer than five people who dared to speak to him like that.
"Damn your mother, you little brat! Am I giving you too much face?"
Qi Tianhu couldn't stand it any longer. He kicked the arrogant youth to the ground and proceeded to unleash a barrage of punches and kicks.
"Master, save me..."
The young man cried out for help. The old man sitting on the kang was furious.
"Bold ruffian, stop!"
Yin San'er, barefoot, leaped from the kang and landed on the ground.
"If I don't teach you a lesson today, you won't know how many eyes I have!"
Yin San'er reached into his robe and took out a Bagua mirror. He shone it at Qi Tianhu, and the surroundings were immediately filled with a chorus of ghostly wails.
In an instant, Qi Tianhu felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
Goosebumps erupted all over his body, and his teeth chattered uncontrollably.
A wisp of black smoke emerged from the Bagua mirror and shot towards Qi Tianhu.
In a gasp, the black smoke engulfed Qi Tianhu.
A series of tragic sounds emanated from the black smoke, a cacophony of ghostly wails, mournful and heart-wrenching.
Chen Xiao glanced over and saw it clearly.
The black smoke was filled with the souls of the deceased.
This old scoundrel Yin San'er indeed had some tricks up his sleeve.
Ordinary fortune tellers wouldn't possess such evil artifacts.
Seeing the spirits and souls pounce on Qi Tianhu, as if to tear him apart, Chen Xiao naturally wouldn't stand by and watch.
"Mere spirits, you wish to harm my brother? You old fool, today I'll show you my prowess!"
Chen Xiao let out a stern shout, forming his fingers into a sword.
A burst of fire suddenly ignited between his fingers.
*Whoosh—*
Chen Xiao flicked his wrist, and the flame shot out, instantly igniting the group of spirits.
*Roar!*
The flames soared into the sky, burning the spirits with a sizzling sound.
In just a moment, the spirits were completely incinerated.
"Little thief, who exactly are you to dare harm my spirits? I'll take your life!"
Yin San'er was so enraged his eyes bulged. The spirits in his Bagua mirror were something he had collected for more than half his life.
He never expected them to be burned to ashes by Chen Xiao's fire.
In his fury, he gritted his teeth and prepared to fight Chen Xiao to the death.
He hadn't realized yet that trying to fight Chen Xiao was as difficult as an ant trying to trip an elephant.
Chen Xiao was merely keeping him alive because he was useful; otherwise, with a single thought, he could make the old man vanish into thin air.
With a mental suppression, Yin San'er suddenly found himself completely unable to move his limbs, let alone perform incantations.
It was then that he realized he had truly picked a fight with the wrong person today.
He had initially thought Chen Xiao was a fat sheep, but it turned out he was playing the role of a pig to devour a tiger, his cultivation far surpassing his own.
"Master, spare me! This old man knows his mistake. Please, Master, spare this old man's life. I will return your money immediately and move away, never to set foot in Jiangcheng again."
Yin San'er begged for mercy desperately.
If his body hadn't been controlled by Chen Xiao, he would have already knelt before Chen Xiao and kowtowed repeatedly.
"I don't need you to return the money, nor do I need you to move out of Jiangcheng. I only need you to tell me about the 'walking ghost.'"
Chen Xiao said calmly, his gaze as indifferent as if he were looking at a dead man.
His patience was wearing thin. If Yin San'er dared to play any more tricks, Chen Xiao would unleash his wrath.
After all, there were plenty of fortune tellers in the world; Yin San'er wasn't the only one.
Yin San'er's ability to read people was top-notch. The moment he saw Chen Xiao's eyes, he suddenly realized this was someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill.
He immediately dared not play any more tricks and honestly said, "Master, I do know a 'walking ghost,' but we don't have a deep acquaintance. We're merely nodding acquaintances. I can introduce him to you, but whether he will help you is something I cannot guarantee."
"Who asked for your guarantee?"
Chen Xiao withdrew his mental power and calmly commanded, "Tell me all the information you know about him!"