Liu Erlong Seeks a Fortune, Maoshan Revives

Beside Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Yunman Inn.

Unlike the usual bustling crowds, many people had gathered at a distance today, watching this place with curiosity, nervousness, and a measure of awe in their eyes.

At the entrance of the inn, an elderly man dressed in black-and-white robes, with a wooden hairpin in his hair, was leisurely arranging his things.

First came a table.

Then came an upright white banner, upon which were written the four large characters: "Maoshan Divination."

Next were several copper coins, a tortoiseshell, a stack of yellow paper, and a brush holder filled with many bamboo sticks...

Finally, there was a chair. Once the old man had arranged everything, he openly sat down under everyone's watchful gazes.

Shi Jian stroked his beard, looked to his left, then to his right, and nodded in satisfaction.

It seemed he would finally get some business today.

He then called out, "Don't just stand there watching, everyone. If anyone wishes to have their fortune told or their feng shui examined, step right up. I am Shi Jian, Maoshan's chief disciple. Once I take your money, I will get the job done. Fair to young and old alike!"

Take money, get the job done...

This powerful soul master who could suppress the Poison Douluo sure spoke bluntly.

Still, was it really alright for a dignified Titled Douluo to love money this much?

The Heaven Dou City residents in the distance began whispering among themselves.

Over the past few days, Shi Jian had also set up his stall like this, but passersby had all treated him as a fraud and ignored him. Today, however, was different. News of him suppressing Dugu Bo had spread throughout Heaven Dou City overnight.

And so...

Very soon, a middle-aged woman with a fine figure, long red hair, striking features, and a somewhat fiery temperament squeezed out from the crowd.

"Senior, please help this junior divine her fortune." Under everyone's gazes, Liu Erlong walked toward Shi Jian, speaking with three parts nervousness and seven parts apprehension in her heart.

Her nervousness naturally came from facing a Titled Douluo stronger than Dugu Bo, while her apprehension came from not knowing what result the divination would bring.

"Sit." Shi Jian pointed at the chair in front of the table.

"Thank you, Senior." Liu Erlong bowed, then sat down.

"What do you wish to divine?"

"Love. This junior wishes to know whether she will still have the chance in this life to be with the one she loves." Liu Erlong's voice trembled slightly.

She had little left to hope for in this life. The only thing on her mind was whether she would ever meet Yu Xiaogang again, and whether they could be together once more.

Of course, she knew in her heart that they were cousins. If they were together, they would not be tolerated by worldly morals and customs. It was because of this that Yu Xiaogang had abandoned her back then.

But what if he regretted it? What if he had changed? What if they met again?

All those what-ifs had kept Liu Erlong from letting go.

"Love, is it? Hmm... The fee for the divination is one thousand Gold Soul Coins." Shi Jian stroked his beard. Sensing that Liu Erlong's aura was at the level of a rank 71 Soul Saint, he thought for a moment before speaking.

"Yes, please help me, Senior." Liu Erlong did not haggle. She directly took out a Blue Card and pleaded with Shi Jian.

As the illegitimate daughter of an Elder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and the headmaster of Blue Tyrant Academy, one thousand Gold Soul Coins was nothing to her.

Shi Jian looked at the Blue Card she offered him. Knowing she would not dare deceive him and that the card truly contained the money, he reached out and accepted it before beginning his calculation.

He first took out a Red String, tying one end around Liu Erlong's wrist and threading the other through the tortoiseshell. Then he stuffed several copper coins into the shell and began shaking it while chanting an incomprehensible spell under his breath.

A moment later, he poured out the coins, spread them out one by one, and examined them closely. His brows slowly furrowed.

He raised his head and asked Liu Erlong, "The man you love is your cousin?"

Liu Erlong was startled. Before she could even consider what effect Shi Jian publicly revealing this matter would have on her, she only felt that the senior before her was incredibly formidable. He had actually exposed the matter with a single sentence.

Very few people knew about this.

"Yes, Senior. Then... can he and I still be together?" Liu Erlong asked nervously.

"Mm... You can."

"Really?" Liu Erlong immediately rose to her feet in excitement.

She had not expected Shi Jian's answer to be so straightforward, nor for it to be so wonderful.

"According to the divination, the two of you share the fate of husband and wife. Though there will be twists and turns along the way, your bond has never been severed. One day, you will surely renew your former relationship and become a loving couple," Shi Jian answered.

"Thank you, Senior." Tears filled Liu Erlong's eyes, and her body trembled with excitement, but she still cupped her hands and bowed to Shi Jian in thanks.

She believed Shi Jian's words. She and Xiaogang would definitely be together.

"I take money and handle matters. There is no need to thank me. You may go."

It meant the divination was over and she could leave.

"S-Senior, can you tell me where he is now?" Liu Erlong asked.

"If you seek him out now, your fate will change."

A panicked expression immediately appeared on Liu Erlong's face. "Then... then I won't look for him. I won't."

"This junior takes her leave!" Somewhat dazed, she bowed to Shi Jian once more before turning around and staggering away.

Though her steps were unsteady, joy soon filled her heart. She raised her head, her eyes brimming with anticipation for the future.

Just...

The way those onlookers looked at her had changed somewhat.

"That person seems to be Liu Erlong, the dean of Blue Tyrant Academy. She's in love with her paternal cousin?"

"Isn't that perverted?"

"Cousins would be one thing, but a paternal cousin is family. How could she bring herself to do that?"

"Who knows?"

"I was thinking of sending my daughter to study at Blue Tyrant Academy, but now it seems I can't."

"Why? Blue Tyrant Academy is still pretty good."

"Because my daughter has paternal cousins too."

"Oh, I see!"

With someone taking the lead, more people soon stepped forward to have Shi Jian tell their fortunes.

"Your forehead is broad and full. You are destined for great wealth and honor."

"Your marriage prospects are hard to say. The divination shows that your current relationship will not go well, and there is a risk of being cast aside. But your next relationship will last a lifetime."

"The child in your womb is a daughter, not a son."

"What martial soul will your son awaken? This old man cannot calculate that. But I can tell that his martial soul will be different from both yours and your wife's."

"Why would it be different? Did your wife cheat on you?"

"Why would you think that? Martial soul mutations are common. Your son is yours, so there is no need to worry."

"The direction of the mutation? Oh, it mutated in a bad direction."

"How lively!" Ye Zhou arrived and found that a long line had already formed before Shi Jian's fortune-telling stall.

It seemed Shi Jian was about to make a fortune!

He squeezed through the crowd, walked past the line, and headed straight toward Shi Jian.

"This junior, Ye Zhou, greets Senior Shi. Thank you for helping me yesterday, Senior!" Ye Zhou clasped his hands and bowed to Shi Jian in thanks.

Those waiting in line had assumed Ye Zhou was trying to cut in and were about to curse him out, but after hearing his words, they immediately shut their mouths.

So he was the young Soul Master whom Lord Shi Jian had saved from Poison Douluo yesterday, here to offer his thanks.

"Words of thanks are meaningless. If you truly want to thank me, be more practical about it." Shi Jian shook the turtle shell in his hand as he turned to look at Ye Zhou.

"This... What does Senior need this junior to do? So long as it is within this junior's ability, I will certainly give it my all!" Ye Zhou clasped his hands and bowed, his tone incomparably sincere. The surrounding crowd could not help nodding inwardly, sighing that he truly was a good child who knew how to repay kindness.

"It is very simple. This old man is the head Disciple of the Maoshan Sect. I have dominated the realm of yin and yang all my life... ahem, dominated the world of Soul Masters, with few opponents. But regrettably, for certain reasons, this old man is now the only person from the Maoshan Sect still walking the continent. I intend to revive Maoshan! Boy, I heard that you are the only Soul Master in Heaven Dou City in nearly a hundred years to awaken Innate Full Soul Power. Would you be willing to join my Maoshan Sect? If you are willing, consider it your thanks to this old man."

"What? Lord Shi Jian wants to take this kid into his sect?"

"This child isn't just a Soul Master—he has Innate Full Soul Power?"

"Unbelievable!"

Everyone around them was stunned.

Not just them—even Ye Zhou himself was somewhat surprised.

His original intention had been to pretend to be an unlikely pair of friends with Shi Jian, like Tang San and Dugu Bo, so that they could act together more easily. He had not expected Shi Jian to want him to join Maoshan instead, becoming his fellow sect member and acting alongside him. That... worked too!

"It is this junior's honor to receive Senior's favor. This junior is willing. Greetings, Teacher!" Ye Zhou immediately performed the ceremony of taking a master before Shi Jian.

"Since my beloved son died, this old man has accepted no more Disciples. Since you have agreed to join my Maoshan Sect, you are a Disciple of Maoshan. But you are not this old man's Disciple. You may... call this old man Uncle Jian." Shi Jian waved a hand.

"Yes, Uncle Jian!"