Chapter Seven, The Fortune Teller

"If this world were not so impoverished, it would indeed be an uncertain place." Lin Junxuan walked along the street, and as he approached a butcher's shop, a pleasant sound of a zither suddenly floated down from a nearby tavern. Lin Junxuan paused for a moment, then looked up to see a tavern about fifty paces away, its wine flag fluttering in the breeze. On the second floor of the tavern, a young man in white sat leaning against the railing, his fingers lightly strumming the strings of an ancient zither.

I misread it; this old man is actually an outsider! After a while, Lin Junxuan finally came to his senses, thinking in his mind, as he crossed the ancient bridge and walked into the woods outside the city, Lin Junxuan remained distracted.

The person had their back to Lin Junxuan, making it impossible to see their face; only their long hair gently swayed and their garments fluttered, presenting an image of a refined young gentleman in a chaotic world. Lin Junxuan merely glanced at them before withdrawing his gaze, continuing to walk along the street. As Lin Junxuan passed by the tavern, the sound of the zither suddenly paused for a moment, then resumed once more.

Demon! After a startled cry, several wicked servants fled in a panic.

Suddenly filled with confusion, Lin Junxuan turned around to look at the tavern behind him. At the railing on the second floor, the young man in white had stopped playing the zither, and from a distance, a pair of piercing eyes were intently gazing at Lin Junxuan.

"You need not rush to answer, I will give you three chances!" The voice echoed again. Once could be a coincidence, but twice is certainly not a coincidence. Lin Junxuan suddenly turned around, only to find the tavern behind him empty; the young man in white had long since vanished, leaving only the sound of the wind swirling.

The weather is getting colder; it seems that it will probably snow in a few days. In front of the window, Lin Junxuan held an ancient scroll, gazing at the overcast sky, and said

"I am in need of a sword attendant. Would you and the library be willing to be my sword attendant?" A faint voice suddenly rang in Lin Junxuan's ear, causing him to halt abruptly. He glanced around, finding the alleyways empty, with only the sound of the cold wind echoing.

In the corner, the fortune-telling old man looked indifferently at the group of wicked servants before him, his pair of murky eyes merely gazing at the black carriage.

Putting down the book in her hands, Gan Ruyue turned her head slightly and frowned: "It's so cold outside, do you really have to go out?"

Upon hearing Lin Junxuan's intentions, the old man initially felt delighted. Just when Lin Junxuan thought the old man would agree, unexpectedly, the old man suddenly fell silent

In the city, beneath the buildings, Lin Junxuan found the fortune-telling old man, whose business remained desolate and unvisited.

Teacher! Lin Junxuan called out and then walked into the room

Is it just my illusion? Lin Junxuan thought uncertainly, turning around and continuing to walk forward

In the blink of an eye, a month has passed

Hiss! A few wicked servants stared in horror at the corner where the dim and deaf old fortune-teller sat, gasping in shock. Behind them, Lin Junxuan also halted his steps, looking at the old man in astonishment

Hmm. Gan Ruyue pondered for a moment and then said: "Go ahead. By the way, the weather is getting colder, and I estimate it will snow in a few days. When you go to the ancient bridge, please invite that old man over so he can spend the winter with us. If he refuses, I will go again."

"Child, if you are not afraid of me, come to the City God Temple to find me tonight!" The old man's voice echoed in Lin Junxuan's ears. After saying this, the old man trembled as he stood up, using the flagpole inscribed with 'No Omission in Calculation' as a cane, and slowly walked deeper into the alley.

Regarding the elderly, Lin Junxuan merely smiled and did not take it to heart, continuing to deliver a few grilled fish to the elderly every evening

The five hunting dogs, which had pounced within ten feet of the old man, suddenly crouched down like lions, their limbs firmly planted on the ground, not daring to rush forward, their originally fierce eyes now filled with fear

It is indeed him! The cold wind whistled as it swirled between the columns on the second floor, and that young man in white had long since vanished, leaving an eerie feeling enveloping my heart

I haven't told him yet" Lin Junxuan lowered his head. Gan Ruye was taken aback for a moment, then said, "It's fine, I'll go find him tonight

Teacher, there's no need. I can just go find him tonight! Lin Junxuan said.

"Old man, how dare you deceive our master!" A fierce scolding voice came from a distance. Lin Junxuan looked up and saw that in front of the usually quiet stall of the old man, a horse-drawn carriage had stopped. Beside the carriage, several men in blue clothes were holding a few fierce hunting dogs, surrounding the old man tightly.

The student wants to go out for some fresh air, Lin Junxuan said

Turning around, Lin Junxuan walked back towards the academy, gradually disappearing among the closely packed buildings. At the moment he turned, the old man leaned against the wall, a slight gap opened in his closed eyelids, and a deep sense of helplessness flickered in his eyes

How dare you spread rumors and confuse the public in this city of Lin'an, old fool, you are seeking death! Upon hearing the displeased cold snort from their master in the carriage, the group of wicked servants understood immediately, loosening the leashes of the hunting dogs they held, they were about to unleash the dogs to bite the old man

"Jun Xuan, what are you thinking about?" The voice of Gan Ru Ye, filled with surprise, reached his ears, and only then did Lin Jun Xuan realize that he had already arrived at the academy

"How does that old man say it?" Gan Ruyue asked while sitting beside the brazier

Stop! Lin Junxuan called out anxiously from a distance

"Trust and distrust will be revealed within three days. You may return now!" The old man said, then closed his eyes.

In the midst of the howling, five hounds with tough skin and thick flesh turned their heads like lost dogs, frantically rushing outward

As the weather grew colder, Lin Junxuan gradually stopped going outside the city. Each day, he stayed with Gan Ruye, reading the Four Books: Classics, History, Philosophy, and Collections. Whenever he encountered a problem, he would seek Gan Ruye's answers. Seeing Lin Junxuan diligently studying, Gan Ruye felt quite pleased. In the bookshelf, apart from the texts of the Meng school and the Three Principles, he was free to read anything else.

"Hmm, that works too," Gan Ruyue nodded slightly, then seemed to recall something: "Jun Xuan, when you went out today, a classmate came here. Tomorrow the teacher will go for a visit, and there will be pickled vegetables. You know where they are; I will leave you three copper coins. You can go buy steamed buns by yourself tomorrow."

Upon hearing the call, a group of wicked servants turned around and, upon seeing a child of about four or five years old, burst into laughter: "It's just a child, no need to pay him any mind"

I will not go with you. The old man closed his eyes, sighed, and waved his hand: "You should go back!"

As soon as the rope in hand loosened, the five ferocious hunting dogs, baring their teeth and with their front legs bent, lunged towards the old man in the corner like arrows released from a bow. No matter how fast Lin Junxuan ran, he was ultimately just a four-year-old child, and how could he outrun the hunting dogs

"Why?" Lin Junxuan exclaimed in shock, as the old man's answer completely caught him off guard: "I can catch fish; if it's a matter of food, there's no need to worry at all"

Understood. Lin Junxuan nodded at the book, set down the ancient scroll in his hand, and walked out of the room

Lin Junxuan stood dazed in place, at the corner of the wall. The old man also noticed Lin Junxuan's arrival, casting a casual glance at him before lowering his head again, his hands clasped within his sleeves, remaining motionless.

Every day, Lin Junxuan would feel tired from reading, so he would go out for a walk to get some fresh air, taking the opportunity to study "Qimen Dunjia." In the evening, he would go fishing in the river, and after grilling the catch over charcoal, he would take a few fish to give to the fortune-telling old man. Gan Ruye knew this, merely smiled, and did not stop him.

As the several hunting dogs pounced over, leaping a few zhang in an instant, at that moment, in the corner of the wall, an old man who had been drooping his eyelids suddenly opened his eyes wide, and an astonishing light burst forth from his murky gaze

On the way back to the academy, Lin Junxuan was constantly thinking about today's events, a strange feeling enveloping his heart. Lin Junxuan suddenly felt that this world might not be as ordinary as he had always believed.

What happened? Lin Junxuan was taken aback and immediately ran forward quickly

Since that day, the old man's temper has become increasingly eccentric, and he has grown more and more reticent. Every time Lin Junxuan brought fish, the old man would wear a stern expression and say nothing. However, the next evening, when Lin Junxuan visited, he would always find some fish bones, clearly indicating that the old man did not refuse the grilled fish brought by Lin Junxuan

To go outside the city, one must pass through the ancient bridge, and the fortune teller's stall is located not far from the bridge. After about half an hour, Lin Junxuan arrived at a spot not far from the ancient bridge

Lin Junxuan stared blankly as the old man disappeared into the alley, his mind filled with the bizarre scene from just a moment ago, to the extent that he even forgot to stop the old man.

Lin Junxuan scanned the area and finally settled on a table on the second floor, where an exquisite celadon wine cup and a pair of chopsticks had yet to be cleared away

Xi Yuyuyu! ... ... Four horses pulling the cart neighed, raising their legs, and with a flick of their tails, suddenly bolted madly towards the west of the city. A startled voice came from within the carriage: "What a wicked spirit!"

The streets are desolate, with fewer and fewer people around, and even the peddlers and laborers making a living have diminished significantly. Along the roadside, nearly every household has closed its doors to shield against the cold wind

"Teacher, the students want to go out for a while!" Lin Junxuan said as he turned to Gan Ruye.

The old man's change was quite strange; he suddenly became cold and difficult to get along with. Lin Junxuan was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Elder, I will take my leave now!" Since the other party was unwilling, Lin Junxuan decided not to pursue the matter any further.

"Alright," Lin Junxuan replied, somewhat distracted, as his mind was still occupied with the events of the day.

Taking a deep breath, as the cold air filled his lungs, Lin Junxuan finally emerged from his dazed state. The forest was eerily quiet, and Lin Junxuan cautiously surveyed his surroundings. Only after confirming that there was no one nearby and no one following him did he locate the marked tree, from which he then unearthed the buried "Qimen Dunjia".

"No need to say more, you may go back!" The old man's tone suddenly became stern, and after speaking, he tightly closed his lips, clearly unwilling to explain anything further

Lin Junxuan frowned slightly; despite the considerable distance and the wind, the voice of that young man in white should not be so clear.

Hmph! A cold snort came from within the carriage, yet the owner of the carriage did not emerge.

Perhaps he has simply entered the tavern. Shaking his head to dispel the strange thoughts in his mind, Lin Junxuan continued to walk forward. In a few days, it might snow heavily. The "Qimen Dunjia" is still buried in the woods outside the city, and he must bring this book back before the heavy snow arrives