Unfavorable Times

He had not paid it any mind. Just as he lowered his head to pack noodles for the customer, the man suddenly said, "Hey, there's a carriage!"

Sure enough, a carriage came racing past.

Bang!

Jiang Ziya hurriedly dodged aside. He got out of the way, but the basket of noodles was knocked over with a crash.

It landed squarely on Jiang Ziya's head.

Then came a burst of wild laughter. As that familiar voice flashed past—

Amid a cloud of flying flour, Jiang Ziya finally settled down.

By then, the noodle buyer was gone, and so was the man driving the carriage!!

Covered from head to toe in flour, he spat out the flour in his mouth and cursed, "What the hell was that!!"

That evening, Jiang Ziya returned home empty-handed. Miss Ma saw this and suddenly smiled. "Oh my, husband, I never expected business in the city to be so good. You sold an entire basket of noodles?"

Hong Lie snorted with laughter. "Hahaha! The carriage bought them!"

Jiang Ziya suddenly remembered. Wasn't that man Hong Lie?

He stared at Hong Lie and walked toward him step by step. Hong Lie took a step back. "Hey, what are you doing? Wasn't I supporting your business by buying a tael or two? But who could have expected a carriage driver to come along then?"

As he spoke, he started backing away.

"Hong Lie! Stop right there!"

Hong Lie's voice drifted over from afar. "No! I won't!"

Jiang Ziya was furious. Ma Shi asked in confusion, "What happened? Did Hong Lie play a trick on you? What exactly happened?"

Jiang Ziya shook his head. After thinking for a moment, he sighed. "Ah, never mind. Hong Lie's cultivation is higher than mine, yet he serves as my mount. That truly isn't easy. I'll apologize to him tonight."

Ma Shi nodded.

That evening, Song Yiren came over. "Worthy brother, not bad today. You actually sold an entire basket of noodles!"

Jiang Ziya helplessly explained what had happened.

Ma Shi laughed, while Song Yiren said, "Well... the restaurant by the South Gate has closed down. Why don't we take it over and open a restaurant?"

Jiang Ziya did not have any better ideas.

"Alright! Then I'll have to trouble you, elder brother!"

The next day, Jiang Ziya and the others took over the shop and officially opened for business. The location was good and there were plenty of people around. They slaughtered cattle and sheep and prepared everything neatly, but Jiang Ziya waited all morning... and not a single customer came!!

Song Yiren said, "Second brother, don't worry. The warriors in the army will come once their drills end at noon."

Yet even by noon, none of the men training had come.

It turned out there was an issue in the army, and they were not allowed out for meals. They waited until afternoon. The pastries, side dishes, pork, beef, and mutton prepared that morning were already on the verge of spoiling in the scorching heat.

Jiang Ziya called everyone over. "Eat it, everyone. It'll spoil after a while."

Hong Lie picked up his chopsticks. "Hurry up! Everyone, eat! I cast a divination this morning, and it said I'd have good food today. It really came true!"

Song Yiren had a son. Song Family's Young Master looked at Hong Lie in confusion and asked, "Celestial Immortal, did you know all along that the restaurant would do poorly?"

Hong Lie had taken human form at this time. Song Family's Young Master and Hong Lie got along rather well.

Hong Lie curled his lip. "Your second uncle is a little slow-witted. Any business he starts will definitely lose money."

Song Family's Young Master was puzzled. "Why do you say that, Celestial Immortal?"

"Hehe, kid, do you know Jiang Ziya's status? He commands all the gods, and his fortunes are unfavorable besides. He simply cannot do ordinary marketplace business."

Jiang Ziya's eyes lit up. "Hong Lie, you know about these things?"

Hong Lie nodded. "Of course I do. My cultivation is higher than yours, so I calculated it!"

"Then why didn't you tell me earlier!"

Hong Lie curled his lip. "Did you ask me? You didn't ask!"

Jiang Ziya said helplessly, "Fine, fine, fine. Then I ask Brother Hong Lie to give me some guidance."

"Tomorrow!"

Jiang Ziya stamped his feet in fury, but what could he do?

After Song Yiren and Ma Shi heard this, they were dumbfounded as well. So this was the difference between cultivators and ordinary mortals.

Even doing business had restrictions?

Song Yiren took Jiang Ziya to the back garden to relax. The garden had a large open space filled with all kinds of flowers and plants that Song Yiren liked.

After walking around once, Jiang Ziya suddenly sensed something wrong. He counted on his fingers and said, "Elder brother, there should be a Five-Room Building here!"

Song Yiren asked in confusion, "Why?"

Jiang Ziya said, "If a building is raised here, it will bring ten thousand taels of gold in the future. This feng shui formation connects Heaven and Earth."

Song Yiren was overjoyed. "Second brother, you're willing to help me?"

Jiang Ziya was confused. "What help? Can't you just find someone to build it yourself? I don't know how to build houses."

Song Yiren sighed. "No, that's not it. I've wanted to build a house for a long time, but every time I start construction, a fire burns it down!"

Jiang Ziya smiled faintly. "No need to worry. Construction can begin tomorrow."

The following day, construction began in Song Yiren's backyard. Just as the house was being built, a fierce wind suddenly rose, followed by a blaze of fire.

Five figures appeared within the wind, hideous and terrifying.

Divine light flashed through Jiang Ziya's eyes. He sneered. "Hmph, so they're five fiends!"

He bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed tongue-blood onto his treasured sword, shouting, "Evil beasts, fall at once! What are you waiting for!"

The five demons in the sky immediately dropped to the ground.

The moment they saw Jiang Ziya, they hurriedly knelt. "Celestial Immortal, spare us! Celestial Immortal, spare us! We have no intention of harming anyone, and we have never harmed anyone!"

Jiang Ziya nodded. "I know."

Secretly counting on his fingers, he discovered that these five fiends had a destined connection with the Investiture of the Gods...

"You have not harmed the lives of commoners, so I will spare you. But now, go to West Qi Mountain. In the future, await my orders and carry earth and soil. The day will come when you may cultivate True Fruit."

The five fiends kowtowed and withdrew.

When the others saw Jiang Ziya emerge, Jiang Ziya explained everything. Song Yiren said happily, "Second brother truly is a man of great ability!"

At that moment, Song Yiren's wife, Zhao Clan's Wife, suddenly said, "Well, since second brother has such abilities, why not open a Fortune Telling Shop?"

Jiang Ziya thought it over and agreed. "Sister-in-law is right."

Song Yiren thought for a moment. "Then shall we close the restaurant? We can clean it up and turn it directly into a Fortune Telling Shop."

Hong Lie curled his lip. "Looks like I'll be missing a meal tomorrow..."

Wang Yuan crouched before a Water Mirror, watching what was happening around Hong Lie.

Because Uncle wanted to see it, Tongtian could only use his methods to let Uncle watch.

"Hahaha! Hong Lie is pretty clever. He's got Jiang Ziya completely wrapped around his finger!" Wang Yuan clutched his stomach and laughed, especially when he heard Hong Lie composing poetry.

Tongtian asked in confusion, "Uncle, why did we have Hong Lie go find Jiang Ziya?"

Bang!

Before Tongtian could finish speaking, Wang Yuan smacked him on the head. "Why are you so stupid? Are you really my nephew? You can't even figure out such a trivial question. Do you believe even Little Mouse could understand it?"

After saying that, he looked at Do Bao. "Little Mouse, you explain it!"

Do Bao glanced at Tongtian. "Um... could it be... that Jiang Ziya is someone special? That he plays a pivotal role in the Investiture of the Gods??"

Wang Yuan nodded in satisfaction. "See? Even your disciple is better than you!"

Tongtian shot Do Bao a vicious glare.

Do Bao shrank his neck in fright.