Chapter Fifty-Four

Chapter Fifty-Four

"The man's cry was so earnest and piercing it startled everyone, even causing a few minutes of silence in the barrage of comments."

"He gasped for breath, his lips trembling and his face faintly turning pale, the live stream's beautifying effect unable to hide his exhaustion: 'Master, I beg you, save me. I haven't had a good night's sleep in so long, I can't sleep at all, and if I do fall asleep, nightmares quickly awaken me...'"

"The comments rapidly began speculating."

"[Is he haunted by nightmares?]"

"[Suffering from insomnia and frequent dreams, he should see a doctor, or at least a psychologist...]"

"[Haven't you heard? A fortune teller is the best psychologist.]"

"[But his condition seems quite severe. He might need medical intervention; mere psychological counseling might not be enough anymore.]"

"While the comments were discussing, the man, in his confused speech, had already recounted his ordeal."

"His name was Tang Youkang, a minor manager at a company, with an easy job and little stress. He never had sleep issues before, usually falling asleep within minutes and snoring loudly."

"But recently, for some unknown reason, he just couldn't sleep."

"Turning off the lights and closing his eyes, lying stiffly on the bed for hours, he was unable to fall asleep, feeling more awake the longer he lay."

"When he finally managed to sleep, the quality was extremely poor, plagued with all sorts of chaotic dreams, waking up quickly, tormented to the point of misery over several days."

"He had tried insomnia medication, seen doctors, and consulted psychologists... but nothing worked."

"Having run out of options, he even went to temples and Taoist monasteries to burn incense."

"After burning incense, his insomnia improved slightly, but within a couple of days, it relapsed."

"After enduring for so long, he was completely exhausted, which even began to affect his work."

"After hearing his story, the comment section was full of sympathy."

"[Not being able to sleep was a form of torture in ancient times, that's just too harsh.]"

"[If burning incense at temples helps, why not do it more often? Whether it's a placebo effect or not, it's at least somewhat relieving.]"

"[Right, if nothing else works, maybe staying in a temple or monastery for a while could help, it might bring about some improvement.]"

Shen Wang glanced over these comments and said, "This is his karma; praying to any Buddha or deity won't help."

"'One reaps what they sow; it's just the cycle of karma.'"

"Due to long-term sleep deprivation, the man's thinking was numb. It took him several minutes to grasp the meaning of Shen Wang's words."

"He slammed the table, angrily retorting, 'What nonsense are you spouting! I've always been upright and never done anything to burden my conscience!'"

"Shen Wang, uninterested in arguing, simply stated, 'I can't help you with your situation. You should seek help elsewhere.'"

"'You charlatan, pretending to be mystical and spiritual, just playing tricks. You just want money, you fraud!' the man cursed wildly, using all kinds of foul language."

"The netizens who were initially sympathetic were stunned."

"[What's going on? Why is he suddenly cursing?]"

"[Wow, a master of changing faces in Sichuan opera. Just a moment ago, he was pleading for the master to save him, and now he's calling him a charlatan and a fraud.]"

"[He looked so sickly and on the verge of death just now, but why is he so energetic when cursing...]"

"[His language is too foul. Shouldn't he be muted for this?]"

[As expected... there’s always something despicable about pitiable people.]

Shen Wang watched the man coldly until he had finished ranting, then spoke slowly: “You don’t think that harming others only counts when it’s done in real life, do you?”

The man, tired from his tirade, looked down to drink some water and then heard Shen Wang’s words.

He felt a chill run down his spine, as if a cold air had rushed from his feet to his head. His teeth chattered, and he feigned calmness: “Nonsense. I’ve seen many of your kind, fake psychics, none with real skills, all frauds.”

Shen Wang leaned back slightly, his gaze inscrutable: “You freely insult others online, hiding behind a screen, brazen and arrogant, hurling abuse, shaming, spreading rumors…”

The man swallowed, sweat sliding down his forehead. He lifted his chin, maintaining a façade of defiance: “The people I insult, they all deserve it!”

“Besides, what's wrong with insulting people online? I'm just an ordinary person, making a casual comment. Can it really have any impact?”

Seeing his stubborn and unapologetic attitude, as if a dead pig isn't afraid of boiling water, the netizens were dumbfounded.

Some people, following his account, saw his previous comments. They were shocked when they looked into them.

Eight out of ten of his comments were either picking fights or hurling insults, and the remaining two involved harassing female streamers.

[This level of quality dares to be a streamer, the live streaming industry really allows anyone to try their hand.]

[Eats like a pig and claims to be a food blogger, completely kills the appetite, more like a pig food blogger.]

[Me commenting on your streams is an honor for you. I give you traffic. I am your God, so what if I say a few words?]

[Tsk, such big breasts, must have been enhanced, right? How many men have you been with, sweetheart?]

[Can't even speak clearly, why bother streaming? Go back to farming.]

[I know this female celebrity. My friend's friend slept with her, said she charges thirty thousand a night, very skilled.]

Just reading his most recent comments was enough to raise someone's blood pressure.

Netizens, following his comments to check out those streamers, grew even angrier.

[Not everyone who live streams is a professional. Many are just sharing a slice of their life on a whim.]

"[Accumulate some good karma for once.]"

"[Deserves to have insomnia, truly poetic justice. Seeing you upset makes me happy.]"

"[Damn, even harassing an old lady from the countryside in her videos, utterly disgusting. Feel sorry for the grandma.]"

"[Never seen an internet troll before, now that I have, it's truly revolting.]"

"The man, seeing the comments, became somewhat panicked, but still defiantly said, 'I didn't insult them; I was just telling the truth. They’re broadcasters, putting their videos on public platforms for people to see. What’s wrong with me commenting on them?'"

"The netizens were outraged, furiously typing away."

"[Truly unrepentant.]"

"[If I say you’re fat and look like a pig, I’m also just stating the truth.]"

"[Calling you trash isn’t an insult; it's just stating the truth.]"

"[It’s only because of the anonymity of the internet. Would you dare say those things to people’s faces in real life? Too scared to do it in person, but brave online.]"

"[Poisonous and wicked, and hypocritical to boot.]"

"After being severely berated in the comments, the man's face went through several changes, becoming infuriated: 'What right do you have to insult me! Why are you insulting me!'"

"Shen Wang smiled lightly, 'You allow yourself to insult others, but when others insult you, you fall apart.'"

"The man immediately replied, 'How can that be the same? I'm just one person, leaving a casual comment. But so many of you are insulting me... I...'"

Shen Wang, relishing the situation: "So, you're reaping what you sowed."

"The man, taken aback and ignoring the ongoing insults in the comments, urgently asked, 'What do you mean? What do you mean I'm getting my just deserts? What are you trying to say!'"

"Oh, nothing much," Shen Wang said nonchalantly. "It's just that you've generated too much negative karma with your words online, and now it's coming back to haunt you."

"From the first glance at this man, Shen Wang noticed a faint aura of dark energy entwining him."

"The source of this dark energy, Shen Wang recognized — it was from Jiang Lin."

"Originally an excellent doctor, Jiang Lin chose to end his life because of the malicious manipulation by an unscrupulous journalist."

"But apart from that journalist, the cyberbullies who attacked him online were also an unforgivable part of Jiang Lin's despair."

"He had made peace with his family, dissipating his resentment, and as he was about to enter the cycle of reincarnation, he directed a stream of dark energy towards Shen Wang’s phone."

"This dark energy would follow the network to find those who had insulted him."

"Each of those netizens might have only sent one message, but millions of such messages, from millions of people, converged into an overwhelming torrent before Jiang Lin, engulfing him completely, drowning out all other voices."

"It was they who pushed Jiang Lin down a path of no return."

"Ultimately, these people did indeed owe Jiang Lin a debt of karma."

"Some had less karma to repay, maybe just losing some money or taking a fall would be enough to balance their debt; while others, who owed much more, had to pay a much greater price."

"Take this man, for instance. He needs to repay the karma he owes to Jiang Lin, and his rampant online abuse only adds to his heavy negative energy."

"The combination of dark energy and this malicious aura has led to his current predicament."

"The dark energy prevents him from sleeping, and his malicious aura brings continuous nightmares... All of this is simply the consequence he deserves to face unless he reforms himself. No expert can help him otherwise."

"The man glared at Shen Wang, refusing to believe that his online insults were the cause of his insomnia and nightmares."

"'Karmic retribution for insulting people online? I think you're just spouting nonsense to scare me! You're just a unreliable charlatan!' The man hastily dropped these words and disconnected."

"Watching the disconnected call, Shen Wang shook his head: 'Not seizing the last chance, typical of a thoughtless keyboard warrior.'"

"You see, the dark energy entwining the man was already dense enough. If he doesn’t change his ways soon, he might even risk his life."

"But then again, what does that have to do with me?"

"Shen Wang: 'I’m no saint or martyr to chase after someone who insulted me just to save their life.'"

"[Does being a keyboard warrior really bring karmic retribution?]"

"[I’d rather believe that being a keyboard warrior comes at a cost, that there is retribution.]"

"[Across the internet, who knows if the person on the other side is human or a dog.]"

"[If everyone could communicate calmly and peacefully, the online world would surely be much more harmonious.]"

"Reading these comments, Shen Wang said indifferently, 'Verbal karma isn’t limited to spoken words. Any form of communication that harms another person counts. Isn’t cyberbullying a form of verbal karma too?'"

"'Do not neglect doing good deeds, however small, and do not commit evil acts, however minor. Once you go too far in anything, consequences will follow.'"

"Just like those who cyberbullied Jiang Lin, they are now facing their consequences."

"After logging off, the man didn’t dare continue watching Shen Wang’s live stream. Sitting blankly, his head throbbed painfully from lack of sleep, muddling his thoughts."

"His phone kept chiming with message alerts. Grabbing it to reply, he froze upon reading the content."

"In an online group chat, members had sent over 99+ messages, and the chat was still actively updating."

"[It’s true, those who insulted Jiang Lin are experiencing misfortune to varying degrees.]"

"[Not to mention others, just in our group, some students failed exams, some lost their jobs, others fell or lost money... There were unlucky people before, but recently, the number has increased drastically.]"

"[The scariest part is, the ones with the worst luck are the most active ones in the group, those who teamed up to insult Jiang Lin.]"

"[I... I insulted Jiang Lin too, but I really thought he was an unethical doctor, so I only said one thing. Recently, I lost my wallet.]"

"[…I don’t know if this counts, but I had a minor car accident, got hit by an electric scooter.]"

"[Let’s stop talking about this, it’s getting scarier. By the way, where’s Tang Youkang? Wasn’t he the most vicious in his insults, even leading us to troll together…]"

"The man, with trembling hands, typed back: [I’m here. I've been suffering from insomnia for a long time now, and it's getting worse. I can’t sleep at all now.]"

"[…Damn]"

"[This is terrifying. From now on, I won’t insult others recklessly. Need to accumulate some positive energy.]"

"[I’m leaving this group...]"

"[I think I’ll leave too.]"

"In just a short while, the group of over a thousand people lost several hundred members."

"The man, being the group admin, felt a tingling sensation in his scalp as he watched the continuous notifications of members leaving the group."

"Suddenly, an idea struck him. He rushed to his computer, attempting to re-enter Shen Wang's live stream, but he found himself unable to."

"[Sorry, you have been blocked by this broadcaster and cannot view the live stream.]"

"The man blinked his dry eyes and whimpered in agony, feeling numb in his hands and feet, and hastily deleted all of his comments."

"As he deleted them, he also apologized to those he had insulted."

"[I'm sorry, I shouldn’t have said that about you.]"

"[I'm sorry, I went too far back then.]"

"[I'm sorry...]"

"At that moment, he finally felt regret, a deep and profound remorse."

"Shen Wang had already connected with the next caller."

"This time, it was a somewhat familiar-looking girl. She had delicate makeup and bright red lips, exuding the charm of a big star, radiantly captivating."

"The comments swiftly shifted from the greasy middle-aged man to the stunning beauty."

"[Sister is so pretty, kisses!]"

"[Such a gorgeous lady, a Hong Kong style beauty, so beautiful!]"

"[Indeed, in Brother Shen's live stream, you can meet all kinds of wonderful people.]"

"[What does the beauty want to know? Not about romance, I hope.]"

"The girl waved at the camera with a beaming smile, greeting the audience. Turning her gaze towards Shen Wang, her eyes sparkled as she also greeted him."

"Shen Wang pondered for a moment, then remembered."

"This girl seemed to be one of Tang Jiu's ex-girlfriends. When he returned to City C after dealing with Lin Yin and Yang's issue, he saw Tang Jiu running a street stall."

"When he reported that illegal stall, it was this girl who was confronting Tang Jiu."

"Having remembered, Shen Wang, with an unchanged expression, asked, 'What would you like to know about?'"

"The girl hesitated for a long time, seemingly undecided."

"Shen Wang prompted, 'Are you asking about love, career, or family and friends?'"

"The girl bit her lip, finally deciding, 'I want to know about my career.'"

"Since breaking up with her unreliable ex-boyfriend, she quickly found a new one."

"But she knew well that her current, hastily chosen partner, was unreliable and knew little about him."

"Having this understanding, she felt no need to ask further."

"What she really wanted to know about was her career."

"Observing the girl's facial features, Shen Wang mused, 'You come from a distinguished background, the only daughter in your family, cherished and pampered. In the future, you will take over the family business, becoming a wealthy lady leading the family enterprise to greater heights.'"

"The girl: 'Ah?'"

"After a few seconds of hesitation, she said uncertainly, 'I... Everything else is correct, but I don't plan to join my family's company. I want to pursue my passion in the industry I love.'"

"It was because of this decision that she had a minor conflict with her family, yet she remained determined to follow her dreams."

"Because of Tang Jiu's matter, the girl met Shen Wang and developed a fondness for this real young master who shattered the loathsome man. Unexpectedly, in her first fortune-telling session, Shen Wang made a mistake."

"As soon as she spoke, the girl regretted it, realizing she had just pointed out Shen Wang's mistake during the live broadcast."

"Shen Wang nodded, 'Then you might not be able to do what you love. Try to accept it.'"

"The girl, trying to come up with a reason to back up Shen Wang: '???'"

"There's really no need to be so obstinate."

"With a forced laugh, the girl realized she had been foolish to believe in Shen Wang’s abilities. She nodded, 'Maybe you're right, thank you anyway.'"

"[That's some palpable perfunctory response.]"

"[Seems like the beauty is determined to follow her own path, pursuing her dreams. Shen Wang didn’t miss the mark this time, did he?]"

"[…Even the person concerned thinks Shen Wang is wrong, she's just too polite to say it. Maybe he really did make a mistake?]"

"[If you ask me, Shen Wang is just a charlatan who's had a bit of luck. He guessed a few things right by chance, how could he actually predict the future?]"

"[When it comes to fortune-telling, tarot readings are definitely more accurate and personalized. How can you do fortune-telling over the internet with filters and beautifying effects blurring the face?]"

"[…A single misstep doesn’t mean anything. Why are people so eager to criticize Shen Wang? Could it be vested interests?]"

"[Chinese metaphysics are profound and extensive. How dare you compare it to just tarot from abroad?]"

"Seeing the comments heading towards an argument, the girl quickly sent several gifts to quell the dispute, apologetically saying, 'I’m sorry, Brother Shen...'"

"Shen Wang casually waved his hand: 'It's fine.'"

"The girl sent a few more gifts and then disconnected."

"Shen Wang watched as she went offline, smiling slightly."

"After his breakthrough, Shen Wang’s skills in fortune-telling had improved. He wouldn't misread someone."

"This girl, she will not only take over the family business but also flourish in it."

"But currently, she clearly has no such intention. Who knows what might happen later to change her mind… From behind the screen, Shen Wang could only vaguely sense that this girl might soon face a significant challenge."

"Her taking over the family business might be related to this upcoming issue."

"As soon as the girl ended the call, her phone immediately rang with an incoming call."

"Frowning, she answered the phone: 'Mom, I've told you I'm not interested in the family business. I want to be a manga artist, why are you...'"

"Before she could finish, she heard her mother sobbing on the other end: 'Daughter, come home quickly, your father is ill, very seriously ill...'"

"The girl was stunned: 'Mom, you're not lying to me, are you?'"

"'Your father started feeling unwell a few days ago, and today he suddenly fainted. Come home quickly.'"

"The girl stared at her phone, shocked, unable to process the news for a long time."

"The last time she saw her father, they had argued fiercely. How could he suddenly fall ill, suddenly faint?!"

"Panic-stricken, she hurried back home, praying incessantly, hoping her father would be alright."

"Shen Wang didn’t pry into others' family affairs and selected another netizen to connect with."

"This time, the caller was another girl."

"The girl, dressed simply and wearing black-framed glasses, looked reserved and quiet. She shyly adjusted her glasses and said directly: 'I want to ask about my romantic destiny.'"

"Shen Wang nodded: 'Sure.'"

"'There's a big difference between me and my boyfriend. I want to know if we have a future together.' As she talked about her boyfriend, the girl's lips curved into a smile, her eyes filled with sweet anticipation."

"[Another couple in love.]"

"[She looks so in love with her boyfriend, he's really lucky.]"

"[Jealous, but still sending sour lemon blessings.]"

"Seeing the comments, the girl's smile grew even wider, her eyes curving into crescents: 'Thank you.'"

"Shen Wang glanced at her, then looked again, 'You should break up with him sooner rather than later, to minimize your losses.'"

"The smile on the girl’s face froze."

"[Why break up all of a sudden??]"

"[No way, not another bad boyfriend, right?]"

"[There must be something in Shen Wang’s live stream. Every couple that comes here ends up breaking up. Just like Feng Xiaomian and Hui Dawolf last time...]"

"The girl looked down, biting her lip until it turned white: 'I really like him. No one in this world can love him more than I do... How could he not choose me, to choose someone else instead?'"

"Her pitiful appearance stirred up sympathy among the viewers."

"However, Shen Wang said, 'Your love is one-sided. He doesn’t love you at all.'"

"Despite the girl’s face brimming with affection, her destiny in love remained unaffected. The worst part was that her wealth aspect was disturbed."

"Shen Wang felt a pang of pity: 'You’ve spent quite a bit of money on him, haven’t you?'"

"The girl silently nodded."

"He accepted your gifts but showed no emotional attachment to you. Your relationship is at best just ordinary friends, not even close to being ambiguous..." Seeing the girl on the verge of tears, Shen Wang couldn't bear to continue.

The girl looked dazed: "Do I really stand no chance with him?"

"Yes."

"[Damn, what kind of man is this? Disgusting!]"

"[Spending the woman’s money without giving anything in return, not even a hint of romance... She’s really been wronged.]"

"[Just a human ATM. Girl, you better find someone else, this one’s not worth it.]"

"[A total jerk, just like Hui Dawolf from before. If I met such a disgusting man, I’d vomit out my dinner from the night before.]"

"Reading the comments condemning the guy, the girl quickly shook her head, explaining, 'He’s really good to me. It's just that he’s too busy with work, so we don't have time to meet. He’s a really good person, gentle in nature, and very capable in his job...'"

"[No matter how busy work is, there’s always time to reply to messages, let alone for a romantic relationship.]"

"[Stop deceiving yourself. From what you’ve said, this guy really treats you like an ATM. Better to break it off sooner rather than later.]"

"[Something seems off here.]"

"[This story... there’s something strange about it...]"

"The girl continued, 'He is the most perfect man in the world. Those other women only like him for his looks. If he gains a little weight, they stop liking him, but I love him for who he is... Those women don’t deserve to like him!'"

"[…I have a bold guess.]"

"[Could this girl be, like, a delusional fan of a celebrity?]"

"[Now that you mention it, it actually makes a lot of sense.]"

"[I'm impressed, what a waste of my emotions.]"

"Shen Wang was also taken aback. He didn’t follow celebrities and was unfamiliar with the entertainment industry. He hadn't expected to encounter such a... peculiar person."

"He couldn't help but ask the audience, 'Are all fans of celebrities like this, so delusional?'"

"[No, not at all. We fans normally just draw inspiration from our idols and strive to be like them. We're not delusional like this.]"

"[This is abnormal fan behavior. Ordinary fans rarely have such deep, delusional feelings of romance with their idols.]"

"[This girl looks familiar... Isn’t she that famous fan of someone?]"

"[!!! She’s a major fan of Yun Fengran!]"

"The girl visibly panicked at the mention of Yun Fengran."

"She was indeed a fan of Yun Fengran, a notorious solo fan known for being toxic, with a certain level of notoriety in the fandom."

"She had adored Yun Fengran for many years, investing a lot of time and money, even affecting her real-life social circle."

"Whenever she found someone speaking ill of Yun Fengran, she would argue with friends and even break ties with them."

"Over time, her friends drifted away, and her focus became more and more concentrated on Yun Fengran."

"The longer she fixated on Yun Fengran, the less content she became with just being one of many fans. She spoke ill of any woman near him and fantasized about being in a relationship with Yun Fengran."

"Pretending to be a girlfriend and spending a few tens of yuan to hear a fortune teller say they were a 'match made in heaven' was her small pleasure."

"She had entered this live stream with the same intention this time."

"The idea of hearing that she and Yun Fengran were a 'match made in heaven' in front of countless viewers in a live stream with a million followers thrilled the girl."

"However, she hadn’t expected Shen Wang to deviate from the script she had imagined."

"Even worse, her identity was exposed by others."

"In a fluster, the girl tried to explain: 'Although I'm a fan of Ranyan, Yun Fengran, the boyfriend I mentioned isn’t him, I...'"

"[No need to explain, maybe you should see a psychologist first.]"

"[Fantasizing about a romantic relationship with a celebrity is a serious psychological issue, dear. It's better to recognize and treat it early.]"

"[I don’t even know what to say, so young... never mind.]"

"Using the name mentioned in the comments, Shen Wang meticulously typed 'Yun Fengran' into his phone and hit search."

"The first photo that appeared showed a young man in white traditional attire, holding a sword."

"Moving the phone slightly away, Shen Wang shook his head, 'This white attire, this sword-holding pose, it’s all so unconvincing.'"

"The white costume Yun Fengran wore, billowing as it was, still couldn’t hide its cheapness in the edited photos, flimsy like a curtain."

"His stance and the way he held the sword were slack and lacked strength."

"Comparing him to the person in his memory who wore white and wielded a long sword, Shen Wang couldn’t help but feel the stark difference."

"But he was just casually commenting. After all, Gu Dongting’s seemingly simple white attire was actually embroidered with exquisite patterns, made of fine materials, both substantial and light. Just one glance from afar revealed its high price."

"Not to mention, Gu Dongting might have learned to wield a sword even before he learned to walk."

"Years of practice had forged an extraordinary sword aura, a far cry from the half-hearted efforts of minor celebrities."

"Shen Wang hadn’t expected his offhand remark to incite such a passionate reaction from the usually demure girl. Her face flushed red with indignation as she retorted, 'What's wrong with our Ranyan? He's the hottest idol star right now, not only handsome but also a talented actor!'"

"Are you jealous because he's a big star and you're just a minor internet celebrity? Let me tell you, one should know their place. You can’t even compare to a single hair of his!"

Shen Wang, who had merely made an offhand comment, was bewildered: "???"

"[Hahaha, Shen Wang’s face is totally baffled.]"

"[Hold on, let's not even talk about your Ranyan's acting skills. Just based on looks, big sister, have you seen Shen Wang's face? Do you really think he can't compare to that fresh-faced celebrity?]"

"[If you say Shen Wang is narcissistic, I'd agree with you, but if you say he's not good-looking, I have to say, are you blind?]"

"[This fan’s bias is over 800 meters thick. Even Yun Fengran’s best edited photos can't beat a random screenshot from Shen Wang’s live streams.]"

"Shen Wang, who had never dealt with fans before, didn't realize they could be so sensitive. And since she was a girl, he rubbed his forehead in exasperation."

"He promptly disconnected the call."

"The audience was already in stitches."

"[Did Shen Wang just open up a whole new world today?]"

"[Shen Wang: I’ve never been insulted for not being handsome enough before.]"

"[Shen Wang’s fortune-telling live stream is really attracting some weird creatures. And she didn’t even pay!]"

"[I can tolerate insults, but not getting paid is unacceptable.]"

"As everyone was enjoying the jokes, a wave of strange comments suddenly flooded in."

"[How dare this minor internet celebrity insult our Ranyan?]"

"[Riding on our Ranyan's popularity, let's show this small fry a lesson.]"

"[Anyone dares to touch our Ranyan now, they must have the courage of a bear and a leopard.]"

"[And cyber fortune-telling… Sisters, let’s report this live stream for promoting feudal superstition.]"

Shen Wang: "???"

"He realized he was too unfamiliar with this world."

"Even a clay Buddha has some anger, let alone Shen Wang."

"He laughed out of exasperation, clicking on an interview video of Yun Fengran. 'Eyes brimming with seduction, eyebrows like blooming peach blossoms, a face that screams flirtatiousness and insincerity.'"

"'Looks like he just got out of bed.'"

"'Thin lips and sunken face indicate strong desires but shallow affections. The slight white showing under his eyes suggests he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals... Sadly, his meteoric rise, achieved by taking shortcuts, won't last long and will exhaust his future luck.'"

"'Instead of cursing me here, you little fans should advise your Ranyan to pull back from the brink, or else...'"

"'In less than a week, you’ll witness the complete downfall of your Ranyan, like a meteor crashing down.'"

"As Shen Wang finished speaking, the live stream exploded with reactions."

"[Damn, Shen Wang, you’re so bold! Can you really say that?]"

"[Shen Wang is amazing. Yun Fengran is the top trending star lately, and you just predicted his downfall in a week!]"

"[No way... He’s a top celebrity, how could he crash in just a week?]"

"[So far, aside from the rich second-generation who didn’t want to inherit his family business, Shen Wang’s predictions have never been wrong. Let’s wait and see.]"

"[A week’s time. I never cared about entertainment news before, but I’ll be watching the trending topics closely these few days!]"

"Yun Fengran’s fans went crazy, hurling insults at Shen Wang, some even getting automatically muted by the system for their vulgar language."

"The lively comments didn’t last long, as Shen Wang’s live stream suddenly shut down."

"He stared at the system notification, speechless for a long time."

"[Due to complaints and reports, your live stream has been closed.]"

"Shen Wang had nothing to say. These crazy fans really managed to get his live stream reported and shut down."

"Rather than being angry or upset, Shen Wang felt more speechless and found the situation absurd."

"Previously, when Tang Jiu incited netizens to cyberbully him, Shen Wang handled it with ease; but this time, being cursed at, he was utterly baffled and couldn't make heads or tails of it."

"Just because of a single comment, so many people rushed to scold him. Shen Wang couldn’t understand the logic of these fans; he only knew they cared most about Yun Fengran."

"So, he opened his social media account and posted a message."

"[Your daddy’s here: Within a week, Yun Fengran will definitely crash and burn. This is a fortune I calculated for free for you. No need to thank me @Yun Fengran]"

"The moment he posted it, notifications of responses appeared."

"Without even looking, Shen Wang knew what kind of people were commenting, and he didn’t bother to check."

"'Finally thought of earning some living expenses, and it gets messed up like this,' Shen Wang shook his head."

"He went to his study, drawing talismans while pondering how to make money to buy some spirit herbs for the Xuan Jade Immortal Book in his mind."

"After his breakthrough, Shen Wang's talisman drawing became even more proficient, the spiritual energy within them stronger than before, yet consuming much less spiritual power."

"After drawing ten talismans in one go, he began to feel a slight fatigue."

"He examined the talismans; the poor-quality paper couldn't contain such vast spiritual energy, with faint traces of it escaping from the cinnabar lines. He shook the papers lightly, these ten talismans were the highest grade he could currently draw."

"If he were to fight Lin Yinyang now, he wouldn’t waste as many talismans as before, just a few would be enough to defeat Lin Yinyang."

"He casually placed the talismans aside."

"These top-quality talismans, he definitely intended to keep for his own use."

"Afterward, he began drawing talismans for the Metaphysical Society."

"When creating talismans for the Metaphysical Society, Shen Wang didn’t put in as much effort; he could complete them easily and casually. After drawing a few, an idea suddenly struck him."

"He could sell his own talismans!"

"Suddenly, a new opportunity seemed to open up before Shen Wang: 'For cultivators, I can sell more powerful Five Thunder Talismans, Ghost-Expelling Talismans. For ordinary people, there are Peace Talismans, Evil-Repelling Talismans...'"

"'Even Whitening Talismans, Bug-Repelling Talismans, Sleeping Talismans...'"

"Shen Wang’s eyes brightened at the thought, envisioning countless coins with wings flying into his pocket."

"Due to a post by Shen Wang, he found himself trending again, this time being criticized."

"Yun Fengran’s fan base, in the tens of millions, overwhelmingly condemned Shen Wang, pushing him down ruthlessly. Not just his own fans, but anyone who spoke in his defense, received a barrage of insults through private messages."

"Numerous fans complained to Yun Fengran’s studio, demanding they sue Shen Wang promptly."

"The incident escalated so much that Yun Fengran’s manager, upon hearing the news, immediately discussed a strategy with Yun Fengran."

"The manager asked Yun Fengran, 'How do you want to handle this? Should we send a lawyer’s letter?'"

"Yun Fengran, busy sending non-stop messages on his phone, spared a moment to reply to his manager, 'Why send a lawyer’s letter? Just sue him directly.'"

"Nowadays, the reputation of lawyer's letters is so tarnished that everyone knows they are just to scare people and are completely ineffective."

"The manager frowned: 'I watched the live stream and his remarks. There’s no real basis to sue for defamation, is there?'"

"Yun Fengran replied nonchalantly: 'You handle it as you see fit.'"

"Seeing his attitude, the manager’s brows furrowed deeper, and he couldn’t help asking, 'How are things going with Mr. Li?'"

"At the mention of this, Yun Fengran finally looked up, his eyes blazing with ambition: 'Mr. Li is completely captivated by me. He’s promised that for a major film production the company is doing this year, I can be the lead actor.'"

"'With this opportunity, I can become a movie star.'"

"The manager’s face lit up with joy, then he cautioned, 'Just be careful with him. Don’t let his wife find out. She’s fierce. If she discovers it, you’re finished.'"

"Yun Fengran was dismissive: 'She’s just a woman. What does that matter? In his household, Mr. Li calls the shots.'"

"'And as for the company affairs, what can a woman do there?'"

"With Yun Fengran having said this much, the manager had nothing more to add and left with a sigh to handle the matter with Shen Wang."

"That evening, Yun Fengran arrived at Mr. Li’s villa wearing sunglasses and a mask."

"However, he failed to notice a camera set up on the balcony of the neighboring villa."

"As Yun Fengran and Mr. Li were lost in their passionate encounter, the door was suddenly kicked open. A woman walked in, followed by several men carrying cameras."

"'Go on, why stop now?' said the woman with a cold sneer."