The fortune-teller was quite astonished, looking Chen Shi up and down. "You even know the Young Master? Who on earth are you?"
The Young Master owned a vast number of businesses; in Nian Du alone, there were three or four properties, and the fortune-teller had no wish to offend one of their own.
Chen Shi gently stroked the body of the Zi Wu Zhan Xie Sword. The young dragon within the blade swam along with his fingertips, seeming quite interested in them.
"Madam of Rouge Alley in Yudu, Du Shenshou of Happy Forest, Aunt Xue of Hongniang Association, Shopkeeper Qiu of Mingfeng Pavilion."
Chen Shi smiled lightly. "All of them died at my hands. You are a fortune-teller of the Banshan Sect, so go on and tell fortunes—how is your fortune today? Let me see if it's accurate."
The fortune-teller's expression changed slightly, and an abacus appeared in the hands of the Nascent Soul behind the back of his head.
The abacus was exceedingly exquisite, measuring no more than an inch or two, yet its ninety-one beads were distinct and clear.
Most peculiar of all was that each abacus bead bore a different talismanic imprint, with the front and back sides carved with five talismans each, corresponding to the five-element talismans.
The center of the bead roll was even more complex, carved with as many as eight talismans, corresponding to the eight-trigram talismans.
The abacus itself was also engraved with various bizarre talismanic patterns, traced with cinnabar mixed with gold thread; the handiwork was so exquisite that it left one in awe.
A single bead on this abacus alone was likely worth hundreds of taels of silver!
Workmanship of such ingenious perfection could only be the handiwork of either the Hundred Refinements Hall or the Luban Gate!
"I tell you