Chapter 8, Section 30

The old man prepared another bowl of wine and brought it over to Wu Sheng, asking: "Is the guest looking for him for something?"

Wu Sheng nodded slowly: "Alright, then I would trouble you, elder, to calculate it for me."

Wu Sheng understood: "So we can find it? That's great! Then... where do we go to look for it?"

The old man chuckled and said, "Thank you for your patronage, thirty coins for one time."

It means to have left

Wu Sheng reserved twenty for himself and took out ten, saying: "This is all I have for now, I will give you more next time"

Wu Sheng was momentarily taken aback, feeling an overwhelming sense of frustration. He downed the wine in his bowl in one gulp and slammed it heavily on the table, as if a weight was pressing down in his chest

Why leave

Thirty coins

Wu Sheng ate two pieces of crispy rice, and feeling something in his stomach, he slowly sipped on yellow wine while surveying the row of houses of various sizes across from him. Most of these houses were quite simple, typically consisting of basic earthen walls and wooden doors, with only one featuring a courtyard and a roof covered with tiles.

The old man lightly tapped the wooden table with his fingers, and Wu Sheng readily counted out thirty ant-nose coins from the package: "Rest assured, there is no shortage of money!"

The old man continued to observe the cracked patterns on the tortoise shell while turning in circles, frowning and saying: "The White Tiger is in a position of conflict, ominous!"

Fifty is the number of great transformation. Take one as the Tai Chi, and let the remaining forty-nine be divided into two piles at Wu Sheng's discretion, which is called the division of the two instruments. Then let Wu Sheng select one from either pile and place it aside, embodying the meaning of "one generates two, two generates three," which signifies the completeness of heaven, earth, and humanity.

The art of divination has already been prohibited by the Jixia Academy. It has been heard that recently there are individuals from the academy wandering in the Great Marsh. Are they waiting to be questioned instead of leaving?

Northwest, travel for three days

After a moment, the old man said: "The earth and mountains are humble"

What does "will not come back" mean

The old man continued to tap his fingers on the wooden table, and amidst the sound of the tapping, Wu Sheng expressed his displeasure: "Why is there still a need for this?"

The old man stroked his beard and smiled, saying: "First, the grass is used for divination, and then the turtle is consulted... No, first determine the numbers, and then seek the symbols. This is how the art of Qimen Dunjia works."

The wine shop is quite simple, consisting of half a crumbling wall and half a bamboo fence. The old man selling wine leans against the corner by the stove, warming wine for Wu Sheng. Apart from this, there is no one else in the shop.

The old man shook his head with a smile: "Want to know?" The sound of fingers lightly tapping on the wooden table echoed again.

Wu Sheng felt a stir in his heart and gazed at the old man: "Do you also understand divination, old man?"

"Out of money?" The old man also looked unwell.

The old man wiped his sleeve, collected the money, and asked: "What is your esteemed surname? Are you male or female?"

Is it really that mysterious? Wu Sheng found it difficult to comprehend, looking at the old man, unsure whether to believe in his strange ways

The old man nodded and said, "Yes, however, he is not at home; he has gone out"

Wu Sheng asked: "How much does it cost?"

Are there any other explanations

After pondering for a moment, Wu Sheng turned his head to look at the old man by the stove and said, "Elder, I would like to inquire about someone."

The old man touched his chest and shook his head with a sigh: "It is a pity that I did not bring the Bagua compass; it would be better to make do with simplicity..."

Wu Sheng realized: "Oh, after all this commotion, is this the second time?"

Hongshanji is a small market, and during the cold winter, the number of people going out is few, making it even more desolate. Wu Sheng arrived at a shop with a wine awning, ordered a bowl of salted dried tofu, and requested half a jar of yellow wine to accompany the smoked fish.

Cursing inwardly "You unscrupulous merchant," I still had no choice but to take out another 30 coins, which rolled all over the table.

In the subsequent steps and techniques, Wu Sheng became perplexed, observing the old man continuously manipulating the divination sticks while simultaneously using his fingers to inscribe various symbols on the ground

The old man wiped his sleeves, and the table returned to its original state. Then he began to reach into his bosom, saying, "Oh dear, I don't have the Bagua compass." As he spoke, he bent down to retrieve a piece of tortoise shell from beneath the earthen stove, brushed off the dust, and engraved the result of the divination he had just performed onto the shell before tossing it into the stove pit

Wu Sheng was very disappointed. He had heard of Bu San Shi's reputation, which claimed that Bu San Shi was quite skilled in divination. People often traveled from afar to seek his guidance on fortune and misfortune. Regardless of the accuracy of his predictions, he charged thirty coins for each reading.

Wu Sheng's complexion was somewhat darkened. Zou Qi had given him about one hundred ant-nose coins, of which he had already spent some earlier. Just now, he took out sixty coins twice; if he were to give again, he would be left with no money at all

The old man shook his head: "I do not understand divination, but I have some knowledge of the mysterious art of Qimen Dunjia."

The old man turned his head and said: "Who does the guest wish to inquire about?"

I sat there for an entire afternoon, yet I observed nothing of note; the main gate of the courtyard was tightly closed, with no one entering or exiting.

After Wu Sheng finished, the old man began to take over, his gaze still scanning back and forth outside, his hands moving swiftly as he arranged the yarrow stalks in groups of four...

Wu Sheng cupped his hands and said, "Then shall we seek the symbol?"

Wu Sheng: "Can't find anyone?"

However, there is an advantage: the farther one is from Cuiyun Valley, the fewer people there are who know oneself, thus reducing the risk of exposure when inquiring about information

The old man suddenly said: "However, this old fellow can also calculate and predict. If the guests do not mind, this old fellow can give it a try."

However, the whereabouts of Jin Wuhuan have still been lost; once he arrived in this area, no one has seen him. Wu Sheng is filled with anxiety, for if he cannot find Jin Wuhuan, how will he open the door to his own cultivation?

The old man shook his head: "I do not allow any debts here." After saying this, he swept away the ten coins with a flick of his sleeve, pondering for a moment, then took out a stick of incense from the leather pouch behind the stove: "This stick of incense counts as your ten coins, keep it for self-defense, and here is a lump of clay pill, take good care of it. Have you finished your drink? If so, hurry up and leave, go, go, go..."

Is the guest looking to have their fortune told

He stood up and bent down, turning around twice at the door, then pulled over a large handful of yarrow. While keeping a vigilant watch outside, he quickly pointed out fifty stalks. He then let Wu Sheng randomly select one from inside and placed it beside him

Feel free, after all, whether you walk quickly or slowly, it will still take three days; the guests may do as they please

Bu San Shi will not return

Wu Sheng arrived at Suoyun Road and continued his pursuit to the vast reeds, following the trail all the way.

Yes, I have a friend who could not visit me, and thus left. I would like to know where I can find him

When can I return

The old man nodded: "The matters we seek will be successful and fruitful"

Wu Sheng asked: "What is the explanation?"

Wu Sheng pointed to the small courtyard diagonally opposite and asked, "Does he live there?"

After much contemplation, he arrived at Hongshanji, which was already the northern entrance of Daze. Upon leaving Hongshanji, he departed from Yunmengze.

Northwest, three days

Wu Shengdao: "Divination for thirty."

Wu Sheng had only visited Hongshanji a few times, and each time was merely a passing through without any stay, so he did not recognize it. However, based on his experience, he still identified the house with a courtyard and quietly observed it.

Once, Wu Sheng was skeptical, but now he has begun to believe. Therefore, he came here to try to ascertain the whereabouts of Jin Wuhuan

Wu Shengdao: "Jin, male."

"Elderly gentleman, can we defer the payment for now?" Wu Sheng began to negotiate the price.

With a series of crackling sounds, the old man used a pair of tongs to pull the turtle shell out of the pit, placing it directly in his palm for examination. Wu Sheng felt a chill in his heart, realizing that he truly was not afraid of the heat

What is the way to go? Should we walk quickly or slowly