Volume 3: Qiongzhou ? Wu Xing Volume Chapter 2: Turning Calamity into Good Fortune, Quickly Find Chu Qi

  However, as soon as he heard about fortune-telling, Chu Jiu thought of the day when Tian Lao shot a divination for himself in "Wu You Dong", but didn't tell him the meaning of the divination. Instead, he just smiled slightly and said: "Thank you, sir, for your kindness, but my fate has always been bad, I can only swallow my breath."

  Although he didn't turn his head, he somehow knew that the young man in green was walking over, so he continued to say: "However, after seeing the brother behind you with a fiery temper, it would be better to ask Mr. to calculate a life for him! Let's divine when he can clear the heat and calm the fire!"

  That young man in green was originally furious, and now he's standing near the tea table on the ninth day of the New Year, able to hear the conversation between the two clearly. Now that he hears these two still have the leisure to chat about fortune-telling for themselves, it's really laughable and tearful. For a moment, because he was also young and hadn't gone down the mountain to venture into the world for many years, he didn't know what to do, and just stood stupidly in front of the tea table, motionless.

  The three burly men at the two tables next to them, as well as a family of four, also looked over with great interest. It wasn't until now that they saw the middle-aged couple's faces clearly; the man was quite kind and gentle, while the woman was elegant and refined. At first, they glanced at themselves with concern, but then both of them only stared at the pale-faced fortune teller.

  But the three bare-armed men, seeing the package on Lin Ping'er's horseback and the bundle on Chu Jiu's back, lit up their eyes. However, after what happened on the tea table of that green-clothed youth earlier, they also knew that the two people's martial arts seemed not weak, and absolutely did not dare to act rashly. Moreover, they were determined to get the attention of that family at the southern table, and had been staring at them for two days already.

  "No, no way. I've always been one to charge for fortune-telling first, two coins per person, no cheating of the young or old. If you want to have your fortune told yourself, it's free; but if you want me to tell someone else's fortune, you have to pay first!" The fortune teller had initially offered to tell Chūjiu's fortune for free, but now that he heard Chūjiu's request, his expression changed and he stroked his beard, saying...

  Lin Meng'er couldn't help but laugh and say, "Fortune-telling uncle, you're really petty, it's just two cents! Could it be that my senior brother and I would owe you?" She disliked talking to the young man in green clothes, seeing him follow her, she wanted to shoo him away, also wanting to hear how this fortune teller would spout nonsense, recklessly judging people's fates, what a delightful spectacle.

  Then Lin Ming'er took out her purse and gave two coins to the fortune teller.

  Diancang Sect's Tian Nanwei Town, the nineteen peaks are rich in countless specialties. With Liu Chenfei's management for nearly twenty years, the sect has an abundance of mountain products, medicinal herbs, wild beasts, land, and mansions. Diancang Sect is also wealthy. Before Lin Canghai went down the mountain, although she didn't know what specific things would be useful for adventuring in Jianghu, she still went to the account room to take a considerable amount of silver. Therefore, two taels of silver are truly not a problem for her.

  She smiled and asked, "Uncle, why don't you charge my senior brother for fortune-telling?" The fortune teller flipped his eyes, indeed having more white pupils than black, with a hint of genuine fortune teller's appearance. He replied, "Fortune-telling is also about predestined relationships, I see that your senior brother and I have a connection at first sight, so I'm happy to do it for free, but others will be charged!"

  Lin Meng'er let out an "oh" and pretended to be unhappy, intentionally asking Chu Jiu, "Brother, when did you get to know this gentleman?"

  "Really? I'm also meeting the master for the first time!" Lin Ming'er said, "Then why did you only give him a free fortune-telling? Ah, why didn't I have such a good opportunity?" The sigh of "Ah" behind her was intentionally let out for the fortune-teller to hear. As she sighed, she turned her big, shiny eyes and looked at the fortune-teller.

  The fortune teller burst out laughing, stroking his beard and said: "Indeed, there are girls as clever and difficult to deal with as you in this world. I originally intended to read your fortune, but was afraid you wouldn't agree, so I didn't ask you. If I had known earlier that you were willing, I would have only read the fortune for a lively girl like you. As for your senior fellow disciple, he is just an ordinary man and naturally comes after you!"

  Lin Meng'er listened, and her girlish nature made her think that the more lively and mischievous it was, the more fun it would be. Seeing the fortune teller say this, she was finally satisfied. Just as she was about to say something else, she saw the young man in green clothes wake up from his daze and quickly walk over to their table. She pointed at him and said: "Uncle, according to what you and my senior brother said, I've already paid the money. You should calculate his fortune first!"

  That fortune teller put the two copper coins in front of him, looked at them repeatedly, touched them repeatedly, and carefully placed them in his own wallet. He then pretended to move his five fingers, and slowly said to Chu Jiu and Lin Xiang'er: "Today, the sun rises and breaks through the fog, with water yin in front and mountain yang behind. The harmony of yin and yang, the five elements are balanced, showing great auspiciousness. Today is a good day for the north, but the west is full of troubles. Therefore, it's a good omen that you two young heroes have come to sit at this table on the north side with me!"

  On the ninth day, she suppressed her smile. Although she didn't quite fully understand what the fortune teller meant, she seemed to vaguely comprehend it. It was as if she knew that he had received the teachings of Fuxi's eight trigrams, the five elements of the North Dipper, and the study of yin and yang in the "Worry-Free Cave". Seeing how the fortune teller didn't concentrate his mind, nor did he use divination or draw lots, but instead simply glanced at the atmosphere of the surroundings before making his judgment, she was also somewhat skeptical.

  But the fortune teller's last sentence "Great luck in the north, but trouble never ends in the west!" was clearly heard by Qing Yi on the ninth day, which coincided with his dislike for the young man in green clothes. He smiled and said: "Uncle, then my junior sister and I should have sat next to you as soon as we came in, so as not to bring bad luck!" He looked at Lin Meng'er again and smiled: "Junior sister, no wonder you're unlucky, someone is looking for trouble, it turns out that the direction of the seat is wrong!"

  The young man in the green robe had already arrived before the three of them, seeing that they were all ignoring him and making fun of him. Suddenly he said: "Why should someone else pay for my life?"

  He pulled out a piece of silver from his waist, weighing at least one or two taels, and threw it onto the table with a flourish. He then pulled out an empty long bench in front of him, about two meters away from the northern table, and sat down, slowly unfolding a fan and gently waving it back and forth. Although it was already daytime and there was no need to fan himself for coolness, he said: "Fortune teller, I am right in front of you now. If you can accurately predict my fortune, where did I come from? What is my purpose here? Where will I go afterwards? If what you say about me is accurate, I will spare your lives; otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

  On the ninth day of the New Year, I saw a great show and was actually very happy in my heart, but I pretended to be serious. Suddenly turning around, I shouted: "Little brother, where are the buns and steamed bread here?"

  The shopkeeper bustled around in a circle, delivering the buns and mantou to the table. As it was already early ninth day of the lunar month, Lin Ning'er was getting hungry, so she grabbed some mantou and started eating.

  Lin Meng'er laughed as she ate, and the more fun things that happened in Jianghu, the better!

  That fortune teller, however, remained calm and unhurried. First, he carefully examined the silver coins from all sides, then carefully put them away, a very ordinary fortune teller who loved money. He flipped his eyes, shook his head from side to side, and moved his fingers back and forth. After a while, he slowly said: "Although you have a Sichuan accent, your horse's head is facing west, thinking of your hometown; and the soles of your boots are worn out, it seems that you have traveled a long way. You must be from afar, coming from the west to this Yangtze River bank!"

  He finished these two sentences, and at first, Jiǔ and Lín Biàn'ér thought he was talking nonsense. When they turned their heads to look at the young man, the disdain on his face had suddenly disappeared. It seemed that what the fortune teller said was quite accurate, and the young man was also very surprised!

  That fortune teller, however, was not concerned and continued: "Although the young master has a folding fan in his hand, there is a bulge at his waist, which means he must have a soft sword on him; although the young master took the lead in dealing with that little girl just now, his style is indeed unorthodox, but his moves are regular, it seems that he is not a disciple of the Western Kunlun School, but rather a disciple of the Kongtong School!"

  After hearing his words, Chu Jiu and Lin Ming'er exchanged a glance, both of them were shocked!

  He could never have imagined that the fortune teller he occasionally met in this small tea shop would actually mention the names of Kunlun and Kongtong, were these ordinary tea shops also people from the rivers and lakes?

  That young man in green was even more surprised, he was originally a person from this place, but for ten years he had been studying martial arts on the northwest mountain of Xuefeng. Just now, he didn't draw his sword, yet this fortune teller was able to see through his sword art as being from Xuefeng. He carefully examined the man again for a good while, and was certain that in the Jianghu there wasn't such a famous fortune teller with three moles on his face. When he came down the mountain, his masters had never mentioned that there was such a person in the Jianghu either.

  So he was the most confused, Mr. Fortune Teller knew his own secrets, who the other person was, but he himself had no idea.

  "Then is he a Kunlun or a Kongtong?" Lin Meng'er asked, seeing the blue-clad youth's face change color, seemingly impressed by the fortune teller's accuracy.

  She thought to herself, although she hadn't seen Kunlun Sect's Chu Shu for five years, people like him and Sword Master Bai's disciples, such as Di Feng Shixiong, were all top-notch and wouldn't have any young rascals. She smiled and asked, but in her heart, she also had her own plans, leaning towards the Kunlun side, but didn't expect this fortune-telling uncle to say that the young rascal was from the Kunlun Sect.

  "Although the Kunlun and Qionghua sects are both in the west, how can there be such an ignorant young man among the disciples of the renowned Kunlun sect?" As soon as the fortune teller said this, Chujiu and Lin Meng'er couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and they continued to listen intently.

  Either you're a disciple of Kunlun Sect, or you're a disciple of Kongtong Sect!

  On the ninth day, he laughed and said: "Even if what Uncle said is not wrong, he is a disciple of the Kongtong Sect. If Uncle can calculate which door he belongs to, it will be considered a divine calculation!"

  "In the Qingtong Sect, only 'Cold Sword' Hengbian uses such a soft sword. It seems that this young man is likely to be Hengbian's disciple!" The fortune teller listened to Chujiu finish speaking, and didn't even look at the green-clothed youth again, slowly saying it as if it was just a very ordinary thing, then continued to drink tea by himself."

  The young man in the green robe had already turned pale, and with a sudden turn of his body, he drew out the soft sword at his waist. With both hands clasped together, he bowed deeply and said loudly: "Senior, where are you from? I am Su Yu, the eldest disciple under Master Yin Cold Sword of the Canglang Sect. May I ask how to address you?"

  On the ninth day, Lin Ming'er heard that he was actually a great disciple of the Kongtong Sect's "Cold Sword" Honglian, and appeared on this Shu border road. They looked at each other and were also quite surprised!

  Lin Meng'er exclaimed: "The eldest disciple of the Kongtong Sect? Little Shixiong......" She was afraid that his father and other people from the Kongtong Sect were also nearby.

  At the beginning of the ninth hour, Lin Meng'er shook her head and smiled slightly to reassure her. Given the usual boisterous behavior of the Qiongshan Sect members, if everyone was present, wouldn't it be chaotic? How could it be so peaceful otherwise?

  He nodded and puckered up his mouth towards the fortune teller, and the two brothers and sisters carefully listened to what the fortune teller said!

  "This old man is just an ordinary fortune teller who has been wandering in the jianghu for many years. As for his name, he himself almost forgot it, but over the past twenty years, friends in the jianghu would still occasionally mention him, and with a smile, they would call him 'Encountering Calamity Turns into Good Fortune, Quickly Find Chu Qi'. This humble name of Mr. Chu Qi is indeed this old man!" The fortune teller continued to drink his tea, smiling faintly.

  "Ah!" Su Yu was clearly shocked, with a hint of disbelief, but still hurriedly bowed and said: "So the senior is actually the mysterious Master Chu Qi, the greatest diviner in the Jianghu for the past twenty years. Junior is truly honored to meet senior!"

  He had already thought of something in his heart, and hurriedly said: "Today, since there is a senior here, that...that...the junior has committed an offense today, so I will take my leave. Before leaving, however, there is only one wish, and I hope the elder can fulfill it!" He finished speaking and hastily raised his head to look at Mr. Chu Qi.

  Mr. Chu Qi smiled and said, "Good, good! I'm in a good mood today, so tell me, let's hear it!"

  Su Yu hurriedly bowed again and said: "Please take a look at the younger generation's journey in Jianghu, is there any danger?"

  Su Yu had heard his master mention this person before, saying that he was a martial artist of unknown origin or school, but extremely powerful and unpredictable. He didn't dare to offend him. Now seeing that he seemed to be protecting the white-clad woman and blue-clad youth, Su Yu decided not to take any chances and leave to reunite with his master and other seniors to report what had happened. However, he had often heard of the name "Chu Qi" in Jianghu, which meant "turning evil into good fortune", and today he actually met him - what a rare opportunity! Moreover, Su Yu also wanted to test whether Chu Qi was genuine or not, as there were many people who falsely claimed to be famous figures. So he deliberately asked about his fortune.

  Chu Jiu and Lin Ming'er were also shocked. The fortune teller, who looked over 40 years old, called himself "old man". Chu Jiu wanted to laugh, but how could he laugh? But who would have thought that he actually claimed to be Mr. Qiuzi?