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"Are you aware of who was responsible for the incident at the construction site of the White Ghosts?" Wei Yanlin put down his teacup, revealing the purpose of his visit. "When I passed by Saigon, I sensed a convergence of malevolent energy. If left unchecked, it would have brought disaster to the city."

"Unfortunately, my powers are limited. By the time I gathered enough information, the issue had already been resolved."

Mr. Huang stood up and retrieved a newspaper from the cash register, pointing at an article about the Hua Xin Group. "One doesn't need to hear rumors to see the signs."

"Hua Xin Group is undergoing bankruptcy liquidation?" Wei Yanlin took the newspaper and scanned through it, noting the concise yet explosive information.

The Hua family members were aging rapidly.

The Hua family's fortune was crumbling.

The chairman of the Hua Xin Group had passed away.

It was evident to anyone that it was a consequence of a magical backlash.

Mr. Huang shared, "I've made inquiries. The Hua family had set up a Heavenly Calamity Life Borrowing Array to extend Mr. Hua's lifespan."

"The Heavenly Calamity Life Borrowing Array is an illicit ritual, requiring immense power to construct. The feng shui master behind the Hua family must be no ordinary practitioner." Wei Yanlin's curiosity grew with each passing moment.

"I'm more intrigued by the person who can dismantle arrays rather than the one who sets them up. How many were involved? What method did they use? My colleagues and I spent quite some time discussing this back then."

The two of them took the opportunity to have an in-depth conversation about solving arrays.

As they talked, Boss Huang mentioned recent developments in the esoteric world and asked, "Have you heard of the latest sensation in Hong Kong, the beautiful fortune-telling goddess who's incredibly accurate?"

"Huh?" Wei Yanlin didn't quite understand.

Boss Huang got up to retrieve several recent issues of Da Xing Daily.

After Wei Yanlin finished reading them all, he was astounded, his mouth agape. "Incredible! We're both in the same profession, both fortune-tellers. How could I not know the ins and outs of this field?"

"I agree," Boss Huang commented sarcastically. "Even if Guan Yin descended from heaven, she couldn't be that accurate with her eyes closed."

Pointing to the address on the newspaper, Boss Huang continued, "She's based in Temple Street, not far from here. I've heard she gives two readings a day. Want to go check it out and see the spectacle?"

"Why not? If she's as accurate as they say, she must have hired plants. Let's go there and expose her on the spot," Wei Yanlin promptly agreed.

As soon as he finished speaking,

A striking young woman entered the shop, catching the attention of Boss Huang who immediately stood up to greet her, "Please take a seat, I'll attend to my regular customer first."

Wei Yanlin waved him off, "Go ahead, go ahead."

Chu Yuening had arrived early on her stall cart at Tonkin Street, hoping to purchase some materials for crafting a potent magic tool.

Considering Chu Yuening was a loyal customer, Boss Huang thought it would be beneficial for them to meet, as talents in the field of mysticism were scarce and networking was valuable. So, he introduced her to Wei Yanlin, "Sit there, that's Tonkin Street's most gifted young divination master - Wei Yanlin. You're both young, perhaps you can exchange ideas."

Chu Yuening glanced over, her gaze drawn to his fiery red hair. After a moment's appreciation, she politely smiled, "Hello."

Elevated by Boss Huang's praise, the red-haired youth couldn't help but adopt an air of seniority, straightening his spine as he smiled at Chu Yuening, "Hello."

Boss Huang continued to extol Wei Yanlin, describing how accurate and miraculous his predictions were. He concluded with, "In my opinion, if he had the same publicity, he'd outshine those so-called fortune-tellers in newspapers any day!"

Modestly, Wei Yanlin waved off the compliments, "No, no, it's all thanks to your kind words."

"Ah, so you're the master," Chu Yuening changed the subject, asking Boss Huang if he had any lightning-struck wood available. She intended to use it for crafting a peach wood sword.

"Back then, I'd fetch a few from the mountains. Thunderstruck wood may ward off evil, but it's still just wood," Mr. Huang opened several cabinets one by one, revealing a collection of iron swords inside. Each sword was about a meter long and quite hefty.

After a mere glance, Chu Yuening shook her head. "Too heavy."

"To a young lady like you, it might be a bit much, but these have potent magic!" Mr. Huang argued.

Chu Yuening continued to shake her head.

"In that case," Wei Yanlin stepped in at the crucial moment, "I know where to find some. Would you like me to take you there sometime?"

Chu Yuening considered his offer and nodded. "Sure."

Just as Wei Yanlin was about to ask for her contact information, a ragged beggar walked into the feng shui shop.

"Master Wei?" the beggar asked, dressed in tattered clothes.

Mid-conversation, Wei Yanlin turned around eagerly. "That's me."

In the next instant, the broom at the entrance flew at Wei Yanlin, striking him. He winced in pain, rubbing the spot that had been hit. As he was about to pick up the broom to throw it back, the beggar's words stunned him.

"You were the one who claimed I had a windfall destiny! Whatever I bet on the lottery turned out to be a losing number! I trusted you and wagered everything I had, only to end up with not a single cent left!"

"Because of you, I've become a beggar now!"

"You damned charlatan!"

Chapter 28

The atmosphere on the scene became unavoidably awkward.

"Cough, cough."

Boss Huang cleared his throat softly and turned to wipe the cash register with a cloth.

Wei Yanlin's face reddened before turning purple. He swished his wide daoist robe and stepped in his woven straw sandals as he confronted the beggar. "Hey, hey, hey. I did predict that you would have a stroke of good fortune that day. But I was talking about that very day. If you missed the opportunity and ended up losing money, how can you blame me? That doesn't make sense."

After all, it wasn't every day that he met such an attractive fellow daoist. How could Master Wei, the charismatic figure who commanded respect on Tung Chai Street, suffer such humiliation?

Embarrassed, he didn't have the nerve to glance at the girl standing quietly by his side.

When she looked up again, Chu Yuening was nowhere to be seen.

After purchasing some items, Chu Yuening left the feng shui shop and cycled across the street on Argyle Street, where many people greeted her along the way. Housewives carried their baskets filled with carefully chosen ingredients from the market to provide for their families' daily meals. They smiled and waved as the charming girl turned the corner on her tricycle.

"Ning Ning, are you opening your stall?"

"Be careful while cycling."

"Master Chu, when will you have time to read my fortune?"