Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

The Gu family was the foremost noble family in the metaphysical world, developed and expanded single-handedly by the elder Gu.

Elder Gu had three children.

The eldest, Gu Shanhe, was the current head of the family, responsible for managing metaphysical affairs. He was stern and serious, rarely spoke more than necessary, and held in high esteem.

The second child, Gu Shanchuan, also Gu Dongting's father, had no interest in metaphysics. His passion lay in making money, successfully running his company and ranking high on the wealth charts, a renowned and wealthy CEO.

And the youngest, Gu Shanshui.

Unlike his brothers who excelled in their respective fields, Gu Shanshui was keen on metaphysics but sadly lacked any talent for cultivation. He then turned to business, only to face significant losses.

Compared to his brothers, Gu Shanshui's mediocrity was striking, but fortunately, the elder members of the Gu family had no high expectations of him. They were content as long as he was happy.

Each of the three Gu brothers had a child, and the little sister was the child of Gu Shanshui, named Gu Manling.

Gu Manling was the only girl in the Gu family, doted on by everyone. Even the strictest and most rigid elder Gu Shanhe softened his stringent demands for the younger generation, showing her tenderness and care.

Gu Manling did not disappoint her family's affections. She was beautiful, sweet-talking, and charming. Not only did she possess high cultivation talent, but she also never slacked off in her private training.

No one would have imagined that such a sweet and obedient Gu Manling would conspire with outsiders, leading to the downfall and ruin of the Gu family.

Gu Dongting scrutinized Gu Manling's face, his tone indifferent: “Your face is indeed beautiful.”

Every member of the Gu family was strikingly attractive, and the youngest generation combined all the aesthetic virtues of their parents, exceptionally beautiful and ethereal.

No wonder Tang Jiu, who had a penchant for beauty, couldn't forget her. Even after learning she was from the Gu family, he remained entangled, unable to let go.

“Huh?” Gu Manling was utterly bewildered, not understanding why Gu Dongting suddenly mentioned her face. She felt uneasy and instinctively wanted to leave, “Big brother, if you're busy, I won’t disturb you.”

Saying this, she turned to leave.

Gu Dongting watched her flustered retreat, a hint of red flashing in his eyes.

By this time, several decades had passed since the ruin and downfall of the Gu family.

Surrounded by the familiar, Gu Dongting wandered through the room like a ghost, his fingertips brushing over the desk he had used from childhood to youth.

His expression was calm, but a murderous rage was burgeoning within him.

In two years, the entire Gu family would be destroyed, all the familiar old belongings perishing in a great fire.

Apart from Gu Shanshui's family, no one in the Gu family survived.

The kind and gentle grandparents, the stubborn but soft-hearted uncle and aunt, and his loving and harmonious parents… the mischievous younger brother of his uncle's family…

Gu Dongting's eyes were thick with bloodlust; it had taken him decades to find a way to perish together with Tang Jiu.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the past.

A past where everything had not yet happened, and his family was still alive.

Gu Dongting didn’t even pause to see his family; his first act was to go to C City to kill that so-called Child of Destiny.

He had to eliminate the threat while he was still weak, to nip it in the bud!

But when he arrived in C City and was about to act, he was severely injured by an unknown master, narrowly escaping discovery multiple times.

“Child of Destiny…” Gu Dongting's heart was seething with rage. Because he was the Child of Destiny, even though he was far stronger than the current Tang Jiu, he could only return in defeat.

Protected by the heavenly dao, various accidents would always occur, shielding the Child of Destiny from harm.

Exhaling a heavy breath and concealing all his murderous intent, Gu Dongting brushed off his sleeves and walked towards the Gu family's main hall.

The Gu family, though large, placed great emphasis on family bonds, gathering together regularly to strengthen their ties.

The moment Gu Dongting appeared, all eyes turned to him, and the elder Gu waved at him: "Dongting has arrived, we were just waiting for you."

Gu Manling's eyes flickered, avoiding Gu Dongting's gaze.

"Uncle, aunt, dad, mom, grandpa, grandma..." Gu Dongting thought himself hardened by decades of hatred, believing nothing could sway his resolve.

Yet, seeing his family now stirred a whirlwind of emotions within him, leaving him choked up and his eyes moist.

"Big brother!" The son of elder Gu Shanhe squinted at Gu Dongting, greeting him in a low voice, "Why suddenly wear black clothes?"

Gu Dongting sat beside him, lips slightly moving as before: "Felt like wearing it."

So cool! The young cousin gave a thumbs up.

Gu Dongting glanced at him, and the young cousin immediately straightened up, sitting like an obedient child.

The young cousin was the youngest child in the Gu family, having recently finished his college entrance exams, at the peak age of mischief and rebelliousness. Besides his own father, elder Gu Shanhe, he idolized Gu Dongting the most.

When the young cousin's body was returned to the Gu family, it was disfigured beyond recognition due to the malevolent ghost's influence, leaving his body mutilated, causing elder Gu Shanhe's hair to turn white overnight and his aunt to be consumed by grief and confusion.

Now, that swollen, bruised face still retained its lively and clever expression.

The younger cousin, trying to maintain a serious demeanor, was suddenly tousled on the head by Gu Dongting, leaving him looking bewilderedly at Gu Dongting: "Big brother?"

"Practice more diligently in the future," Gu Dongting said lightly.

The younger cousin's face instantly changed, disbelief in his eyes.

"Right, you should learn from your big brother," Gu Shanhe, who had long disapproved of his son's lazy nature, immediately chimed in.

Seeing the conversation shifting towards him, the younger cousin quickly changed the subject: "Big brother, what have you been up to lately? Are you getting into business? You're not planning to follow in our second uncle’s footsteps, are you?"

This topic was somewhat known among the Gu family members. Gu Shanhe's father frowned slightly: "Diligent cultivation is the right path. Business matters... your father can handle that alone."

Gu's father: “…”

He wanted to say that a son inheriting from his father was natural, and the elder brother should have his own son to continue the Gu family legacy.

But he didn't dare.

"I heard you were vying for a contract with a company in C City recently. What's the matter, did that company offend you?" Gu's father turned his face away, asking casually.

Gu Dongting paused: "Would I misuse my position for personal gains?"

Gu's father was only joking and hadn't seriously considered this. He knew his son well, who was just like Gu Shanhe in character.

Stern and upright, inflexibly principled, and never one to resort to such tactics.

The casually mentioned matter was quickly glossed over.

Gu Dongting lowered his head, a surge of malevolence in his eyes: The young Gu Dongting was naive and old-fashioned, but he was not.

Taking advantage of the Tang family's tarnished reputation, he schemed to seize many of their partnerships and even had people muddy the waters and defame them... When achieving his goals, did the means really matter?

Having a second chance at life, Gu Dongting had sworn in secret that he would do everything in his power to protect his family.

To kill that so-called Child of Destiny and seize his fate!

He would make Tang Jiu pay in blood for his debts!

"Shen Ge, you're going to my hometown?!"

In Shen Wang's villa, Xu Cheng's loud exclamation broke the calm, as a group of young men each held half a watermelon, sitting in front of the TV.

Hearing that Shen Wang was going to Xu Cheng's hometown, the others raised their hands eagerly.

"I want to go too!"

"Go where?" Shen Wang lazily scooped a big piece of watermelon into his mouth. "His problem is a bit tricky. Taking you guys... how many lives do you think you have to spare?"

Hearing Shen Wang speak like this, Xu Cheng felt a pang of alarm and unease.

Previously, Shen Wang had predicted that Xu Cheng was destined to face a fatal calamity, which could end in death if not overcome. This had terrified Xu Cheng for days, unable to sleep properly.

Later, with the continuous troubles Shen Wang encountered, Xu Cheng almost forgot about it.

Today, when Shen Wang brought it up again, Xu Cheng suddenly remembered the ticking bomb over his head.

"Is it that difficult…" Xu Cheng anxiously hugged the watermelon, oblivious to the juice spilling on his clothes.

In their eyes, Shen Wang was already an incredibly powerful figure. If even he said it was troublesome...

"Then what do we do? Can you handle it?" Li Pingping was full of concern.

Torn between his dormmate he had slept with for years and his elder brother who was like a father to him, Li Pingping's brow furrowed deeply.

"With me around, what's there to fear?" Shen Wang, completely oblivious to Li Pingping's dilemma, said directly, "We'll take a trip during the vacation. As for you guys, stay here and keep an eye on the house. Clean the villa thoroughly."

"Especially those dusty corners, make sure to clean them well."

"Oh, and the plot of land in the backyard, turn it over for me, and maybe plant some vegetables. That way, we won’t need to buy them from outside..."

Listening to Shen Wang, Li Pingping was exasperated, feeling his worries were completely unnecessary.

Perhaps it wasn’t Xu Cheng's issue that was troublesome, but rather Shen Wang just wanted someone to clean his villa and tend to his garden.

"Shen Ge, you bought a villa just like that. Are you really worried about the few bucks for vegetables?" Wang Kai asked naively.

Shen Wang glared at him: "Every little bit adds up. Haven't you heard, 'Many a little makes a mickle'? What seems like a few dollars in vegetable expenses, accumulated over decades, amounts to hundreds of thousands or even millions! We can't ignore such savings!"

Wang Kai felt something was off, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

Shen Wang looked around, his gaze finally settling on the little ghost hanging on the wall: "Xiao Kong, do you want to go out and play with your brother?"

The little ghost, forcibly named 'Air Conditioner', really wanted to pretend he didn't hear that, but...

"You'd let me go out to play?" The ghost's surrounding aura of yin energy fluctuated, his expression a mix of skepticism, hope, and disbelief.

Shen Wang spoke earnestly, "Now that you've become my ghost, you shouldn't stay cooped up indoors all day like before, limited in your experiences."

"When you go out, tell others you're the little ghost of my Shen family. If you make a fool of yourself, that's your business, but don't tarnish my reputation."

The little ghost puffed up his cheeks: "..."

He was annoyed, but for the chance to go out, he would endure it!

Since he had memories, the little ghost had never left the house. Now, knowing he could go out, the air around him warmed significantly.

Wang Kai envied the little ghost's temperature control ability, longing for it immensely.

As summer approached and the weather grew hotter, the school dormitory felt like a steaming sauna, stuffy and hot. Stepping outside meant facing the scorching sun, where even playing basketball could result in a sunburn.

If he could have such a ghost, he would also like to carry it around with him.

Envious, desiring, but without.

Only Shen Wang had the ability to have a little ghost as a portable air conditioner.

Shen Wang squinted his eyes and ate another piece of watermelon, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Shen Wang, always one to act decisively, decided to help Xu Cheng overcome his life-threatening crisis. He drew numerous talismans overnight, stuffing them into his pockets.

Being very cautious, he didn't want to risk any unforeseen problems.

After Xu Cheng had requested leave, the two of them and the little ghost set off immediately, frugally purchasing train tickets.

After getting off the train, Shen Wang took a deep breath, feeling revitalized.

Beside him, Xu Cheng, carrying a load of bags, was gasping for breath, pale-faced: "We shouldn’t have rushed so much."

As the holiday approached, there were surprisingly many migrant workers returning home from C City, and the two couldn’t get a seat. Both being frugal, they discovered neither wanted to spend extra on a sleeper berth.

So, they bought the cheapest standing tickets.

The journey was crowded and smelly, leaving them both feeling like lifeless, soulless salted fish.

Shen Wang's condition wasn't much better than Xu Cheng's.

In theory, as a semi-cultivator, he shouldn't be as weak as Xu Cheng.

However, with the miniaturized little ghost sitting on his shoulder, the temperature around him was cooler, making the scorching summer quite comfortable. People unconsciously squeezed closer to him.

That was tolerable, but Shen Wang's appearance stood out amidst the chaotic train, drawing looks from men and women, young and old, with the more talkative ones always striking up a conversation with him.

On this journey, Shen Wang discussed national affairs with over a dozen men, was proposed to by seven or eight aunts for matchmaking, and even held four or five children who insisted on cuddling up to him...

He was utterly exhausted.

The two weary travelers exchanged a look, noting each other's disheveled clothes and the black footprints on their shoes, and burst into laughter together.

Xu Cheng wiped the sweat from his forehead: "We're not far from my home now."

"Just need to take a bus to the county town, then a public bus to the township, and finally a motorcycle taxi to reach my house..."

Shen Wang was at a loss for words: "That's really, really close, isn't it?"

After a few seconds of silence, Xu Cheng couldn't help but laugh.

After laughing, under Shen Wang's accusing gaze, he explained: "Compared to the distance from C City to here, my home is indeed not far. It's just that we need to change several modes of transportation."

The little ghost's eyes were wide open with curiosity, finding everything around him new and exciting.

Somehow, Shen Wang had not only freed him from the house that confined him but also shrunk him to the size of a palm, perfectly fitting on Shen Wang's shoulder.

"Then let's hurry up!" The little ghost clutched a strand of Shen Wang's hair to steady himself, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Xiao Kong!" Shen Wang suddenly frowned.

Startled, the little ghost instinctively gripped the hair even tighter.

"Don't pull on my Andy!" Shen Wang scolded. "And also my Xiao Hong, Da Hei, and Lilith... If they fall out, I'll have your life!"

The little ghost immediately let go of the hair, looking at Shen Wang as if he were crazy: You actually name your hair strands!

Unbeknownst to Shen Wang, shortly after he left, Qian Liangjun, along with members of the Metaphysical Society, had gone to find him. Frustrated at missing him, Qian Liangjun snapped: "Did you guys leak information, allowing him to escape?"

Another retorted, "We don't even know him. How could we leak information? Of all the people here, only you know him."

"What do you mean by that!" Qian Liangjun glared fiercely. "If it weren't for me reporting, who among you would have known he's a dark cultivator?"

"Who knows, maybe you're falsely reporting..."

"Enough! Stop arguing!" the leader barked, silencing the quarreling duo, "He just bought a house; his lair is here. He can't run away. We'll deal with him when he returns."

The rest fell silent.

Qian Liangjun and the leader exchanged a glance, greed flickering in their eyes.

Shen Wang had an inexplicable abundance of talismans. Once they caught him, all the talismans would be secretly stashed away by them. They planned to split them with the leader... Qian Liangjun licked his lips.

Whether he was a dark cultivator or not didn't matter; wealth was the most alluring.

Having set off from C City early in the morning, they finally reached Xu Cheng's home near evening.

Xu Cheng's parents had been eagerly waiting at the door. Seeing a motorcycle chugging along, they knew their child had arrived.

Shen Wang dismounted the motorcycle expressionlessly, his long legs swinging over with a cool gesture, but his appearance was too disheveled to impress.

Xu Cheng, seeing his parents, lit up with joy, his eyes sparkling: "Dad, Mom, I'm back!"

Xu Cheng's parents were true rural folks, their skin tanned and faces lined with rough wrinkles. Their clothes weren't fancy but were immaculately clean and tidy.

"Cheng Cheng, you're back!" Xu's mother beamed, grabbing Xu Cheng with one hand and Shen Wang with the other, "This must be your classmate, right? So handsome and clean, looks like a great student..."

Xu's father silently paid the motorcycle taxi fare and picked up Xu Cheng's bags, following behind them.

Shen Wang felt Xu's mother's rough, calloused hand holding his. If one had softer hands, it might have felt almost like being cut by a knife.

"Hello, Auntie." Shen Wang was completely at ease, smiling and chatting with Xu's mother, "I never expected Xu Cheng's mom to be so energetic and friendly. No wonder she raised such an outstanding university student..."

With a few words, he charmed Xu's mother into releasing Xu Cheng's hand, focusing solely on Shen Wang: "Oh, you flatter me. I'm not well-educated. It's Cheng Cheng who is smart and works hard in his studies..."

Xu Cheng quietly stepped back and took some of the load from Xu's father.

Father and son exchanged a glance.

"You're back."

"Yeah."

"That's good."

Hearing the noise, a white-haired elderly neighbor came out, calling out loudly, "Is the Xu family's child back?"

"Grandma Lin," Xu's mother responded just as loudly, "Yes, my youngest son is back. Why don't you join us for a meal?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't want to impose. You've already been taking good care of me..."

"Come on, Grandma Lin, it's hard for an elderly person and a pregnant woman to cook. We made plenty of food today, and we can't finish it all by ourselves."

After some back and forth, Grandma Lin finally agreed.

Knowing her son was coming home, Xu's mother had prepared the meal in advance, waiting only to start eating. After a quick wash of hands, Shen Wang sat at the large, round dining table.

He was seated between Grandma Lin's daughter-in-law and Xu Cheng.

Although there were only six people, the table was laden with a wide variety of dishes, quite bountiful.

As Xu's mother served rice to Shen Wang, she spoke to Grandma Lin: "There are so many dishes, and in this hot summer, we can't finish them all, can we..."

Shen Wang watched as Xu's mother pressed the rice down firmly, creating a towering heap in his bowl.

Xu Cheng, used to this, whispered to Shen Wang: "If you can't finish, don’t force yourself. We can feed the leftovers to the pigs."

"I can finish it!" Shen Wang declared, almost like preparing for battle as he took the bowl.

To Shen Wang's other side sat Grandma Lin's pregnant daughter-in-law, a young woman in her twenties, her belly large and her smile shy.

"Xiao Li is about to give birth, right?" Xu's mother casually asked.

A smile touched Grandma Lin's weathered face: "Yes, very soon, just a matter of two months."

The pregnant woman, referred to as Xiao Li, also smiled but remained silent, gently touching her belly with her left hand.

However, Shen Wang noticed that besides the joy of expecting a new life, there was also a faint trace of melancholy on the pregnant woman’s face.

Grandma Lin continued: "Look at her belly, so pointy, surely it's a boy. I've been taking great care of her these past few months, not letting her do any hard work, keeping my little chubby boy well-fed and healthy..."

Shen Wang's brow furrowed slightly, but he said nothing.

He just sighed inwardly.

The little ghost curiously floated near the pregnant woman's belly, circled around a few times, then returned to Shen Wang's shoulder: "This old lady is wrong, she's not carrying a boy, but a little sister."

Shen Wang remained still, but Xu Cheng’s chopsticks dropped to the floor.

Unaware of the turmoil in his heart, the pregnant woman passed a clean pair of chopsticks to Xu Cheng.

Xu Cheng's eyes were complex as he took the chopsticks.

Having grown up here, Xu Cheng knew better than anyone how much Grandma Lin favored boys over girls. If Sister Li gave birth to a girl, her future might be difficult…

Shen Wang glanced at him, then grabbed the little ghost, stuffed him back into his pocket, and tapped the little ghost's head in warning.

The little ghost fidgeted in the pocket, whining, "I don't want to be here, it's so dark. I want to get out!"

Shen Wang remained unmoved, firmly holding the pocket closed with his left hand.

After struggling for a while and realizing Shen Wang was resolute, the little ghost mumbled a few words and then stopped moving.

After dinner, Xu's mother refused Shen Wang and Xu Cheng's offer to help clean up, urging them to rest instead: "You both had a long day, go and rest now."

Shen Wang graciously complied, no longer insisting.

Xu Cheng brought out gifts he had brought from C City for his mother, including clothes, a massager, and a summer silk quilt. Seeing these, Xu's mother dabbed at the corners of her eyes: "My child has grown up, knowing how to care for others now."

Shen Wang didn't intrude on their family time, lying on the bed and gazing at the pristine white ceiling.

The village was sparsely populated, with most of the able-bodied adults working away from home, leaving mostly the elderly and children. In the evening, wisps of cooking smoke rose.

It was a scene of peaceful serenity, reminiscent of picking chrysanthemums beneath the eastern fence.

Everything was normal.

However, Shen Wang could clearly see the faint, almost invisible shade of yin energy between Xu Cheng's brows, which had thickened considerably since returning home, dark and heavy over his forehead.

The mingling of yin and death energy was a clear sign of an imminent demise.

The lack of red in the ominous aura indicated it wasn't a death due to external injuries, and Xu Cheng was in good health, so it wasn't due to sudden illness… What could cause a healthy young man to suddenly die?

What hidden secrets did this seemingly peaceful and tranquil village hold?

As Shen Wang pondered, a commotion suddenly erupted outside.

He leapt out of bed and rushed out to see the pregnant woman surnamed Li half-collapsed on the ground, her forehead beaded with cold sweat.

Xu's mother was frantic: "How can she be giving birth so soon, it’s not even her due date yet... Xiao Li, don’t panic, I’ll have Old Xu ride the tricycle to the town hospital right away!"

Before the pregnant woman could respond, Grandma Lin grasped Xu's father, stopping him from going: "No hospital! What hospital!"

"Your daughter-in-law is about to give birth, and you refuse to go to the hospital? Do you not want your great-grandchild?" Xu's mother was stunned, her face a picture of disbelief.

Usually, Grandma Lin did favor boys over girls, but she had always been quite good to her daughter-in-law.

Although she often said things like "When we had children, we weren’t so delicate" or "We worked in the fields while pregnant," she never really made life difficult for her daughter-in-law.

She always ensured her daughter-in-law had plenty of chicken and carp soup.

So why had she changed her attitude at such a critical moment?

Not just Xu's mother, but everyone present couldn't understand. Xu Cheng loudly questioned, "Grandma Lin, childbirth is like walking through the gates of hell. If you don't take her to the hospital, isn't that akin to murder?"

"Don’t spout nonsense, young man!" Grandma Lin glared fiercely at Xu Cheng. Her once kind and gentle face had somehow become harsh and fierce, "In our time, when we were pregnant and giving birth, there were no hospitals. We all gave birth at home."

"Why go to a hospital? I've given birth to several children; who knows better than me how to do it."

"Move her to my house; I’ve already prepared everything."

Prepared? Prepared what?

Thinking of what the older generation had to endure during childbirth, Xu's mother spoke sharply, "Grandma Lin, have you lost your mind! This isn’t your time anymore, you... you..."

Xu's mother was so angry she was at a loss for words.

"This is our family's business, it's none of your concern," Grandma Lin stated firmly. "Just help me move her back to my house, I'll call the yin-yang master."

"Yin-yang?"

"Why would you call a yin-yang master when your granddaughter-in-law is giving birth?!"

The yin-yang master, a folk feng shui practitioner, was known for predicting fortunes and destinies in the village and surrounding areas, holding significant prestige.

But what use was a yin-yang master in such a situation, as he wasn’t a doctor? Xu Cheng was both angry and anxious.

Grandma Lin was smug, lifting her chin as she spoke: "The yin-yang master promised me that when my great-grandson is born, he’ll select an auspicious time. My great-grandson will be destined for wealth and prosperity!"

She even told her suffering daughter-in-law, "Just bear with it a little longer until the yin-yang master confirms the right time, then give birth all at once..."

"Damn it, has she gone mad?" Xu Cheng couldn't believe what he was hearing. "This is childbirth, how can you ask her to endure?!"

Although Xu Cheng usually didn’t like this old lady, he had never shown it. This was the first time he couldn’t restrain himself, breaking the tradition of respecting the elderly with a curse.

"Why can't she endure? It's all for the child's good. What's wrong with a mother enduring a bit!" Hearing Xu Cheng's swear word, Grandma Lin got angry too, raising her voice, "This is about my great-grandson's entire life! Can you compensate if the birth time is wrong and he misses out on wealth and prosperity?"

Listening to Grandma Lin's unreasonable words and seeing her cling to Xu's father, refusing to let him ride the bike, Shen Wang took a deep breath.

"Grandma Lin, send her to the hospital. You can pick whatever time you want for a C-section and choose any birth time," Shen Wang said.

Grandma Lin glared: "What good is a birth time from a C-section? Naturally born children are better than those artificially delivered. Childbearing is a woman's nature. A child not born naturally goes against nature and morals, affecting the child later on..."

"And some people even get pain relief injections. How can you do that? Pain relief during childbirth will surely harm the child. Modern women can't endure any hardship, unlike in our times..."

Grandma Lin's rant was abruptly cut short as Shen Wang grabbed her hands, pulling them away from Xu's father: "Uncle, hurry and take her to the hospital."

Xu's father was taken aback, then quickly nodded: "Okay, okay, I'll go right away."

"If anyone has a car, try borrowing it," Shen Wang added.

Xu's father, suddenly realizing, quickly nodded: "Okay, I'll go ask that family..."

Grandma Lin was startled and struggled fiercely, but couldn't break free from Shen Wang's grasp. She cursed incoherently: "You little bastard, let me go! Our family's matters are none of your business, release me..."

After a long tirade, Shen Wang remained unaffected. As the car pulled in, Grandma Lin panicked: "If anyone dares to move, and my great-grandson's fate is ruined, I'll spread manure on your families..."

The pregnant woman was carefully lifted into the car, and Grandma Lin gasped, collapsing to the ground.

Shen Wang sneered, shielding the scene from others.

"This hooligan old lady trying to feign fainting in front of me, a master of the elixir arts..."

"Like a thief stealing right under the nose of a policeman, quite the coincidence."