Su Chunyi

Chapter 11: Su Chunyi

Upon hearing Chen Ye state that Wang Sanqi actually owed five hundred and twenty thousand copper coins, not only was Wang Sanqi himself stunned, but the surrounding crowd also widened their eyes in shock, drawing in a sharp breath.

Didn't it start at one copper coin for a divination?

The second divination was only two copper coins, so how did the amount snowball into such a terrifying sum of hundreds of thousands after a mere eighteen times?

Chen Ye counted on his fingers, unhurriedly calculating the account for everyone: "The first loss was one coin; the second was two; the third became four... by the tenth time, you already owed me over two thousand coins..."

As Chen Ye laid out this nonsensical account with perfect clarity, the crowd around him wore expressions of pure shock, as if they had heard some impossible tall tale.

A single copper coin, doubled a dozen times, could actually turn into five hundred and twenty thousand?!

Wang Sanqi's legs went weak from the sheer magnitude of the number, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably.

"You're a swindler, a total fraud! I'm going to the magistrate's office to report you!"

After throwing out this blustering threat, Wang Sanqi turned tail and ran, his pathetic, disheveled appearance drawing roars of laughter from the crowd.

Chen Ye did not stop him. Instead, he calmly cupped his hands in a salute to the crowd and said loudly, "Many thanks to everyone for speaking up for justice. If any of you wish to have a divination today, I will not charge a single coin."

Once these words were spoken, the crowd erupted into cheers.

They had just witnessed the little Daoist's skills with their own eyes, and now he was offering divinations for free? Where else could one find such a good deal!

Without needing further encouragement, passersby swarmed in, none wanting to miss such a golden opportunity. Whether asking if their household would remain safe, seeking when wealth would arrive, or inquiring about the whereabouts of their fated match, everyone had something they wished to ask the heavens.

Chen Ye kept his promise, patiently answering their questions one by one. Amidst the continuous exclamations of the crowd, he had effectively become a little immortal in their eyes.

Chen Ye talked until his throat was parched, and even as the sun set behind the mountains, the crowd showed no signs of dispersing. With no other choice, he bowed to them all and apologized, "My spiritual energy is exhausted; I truly cannot provide accurate readings for today." Only then did the crowd, still wanting more, slowly begin to scatter.

Chen Ye had been busy all day, yet his pockets only held one extra copper coin. Still, he felt quite satisfied, thinking that after today, his reputation as a divine calculator would surely spread throughout Cui County.

If he wanted to make a fortune in a short time, he had to find a way to target the wealthy and powerful; once his name was established, they would naturally come seeking him out.

Humming a little tune, Chen Ye nimbly packed up his divination stall and set off.

He wove through streets and alleys, turning left and right, making at least seventeen or eighteen turns before finding a dilapidated shack in a remote area.

The trash in front of the shack was piled high as a mountain, reeking to the heavens. Yet, the most eye-catching thing at this moment was not the filthy environment, but the fat man waiting there with hunched back and rubbing hands like a lowly servant—it was none other than the rogue Wang Sanqi.

Chen Ye glanced at him, a hint of a smile playing on his lips as he teased, "You're certainly impatient. We agreed on midnight to avoid being seen by others; how could you not even wait a few hours?"

Wang Sanqi hurriedly replied, "Don't blame me, Daoist. My father is critically ill; if he takes the medicine a few hours earlier, he might suffer a little less. I played my part in that little scene well enough, didn't I? Please, Daoist, fulfill your promise and grant me the immortal pill."

"You, a man who spends his days stealing and bullying the innocent—aside from this shred of filial piety, you are truly worthless. The reputation your father and brother built has all been ruined by your hands."

As Chen Ye scolded him, he reached into his robes, pulled out a pill, and handed it to Wang Sanqi. He then instructed, "Your father is weak and frail; this medicine will replenish his losses. Remember, it must be taken with warm water, and he must sleep for a full day. Do not disturb him. When he wakes, he may have a ravenous appetite, but he must not eat heavy meat or fish immediately. He must stick to a light diet for three days before he can return to normal."

Wang Sanqi took the pill, ignoring the filth on the ground, and fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing to Chen Ye three times.

"What use is kowtowing to me? Go kowtow and apologize to the people you've bullied. Make amends however you must. From this day forward, do more good deeds. If I find out you are still committing evil, I will personally see to your retribution. Even if your father has taken my pill, I will cut him open to take it back."

Terrified, Wang Sanqi waved his hands repeatedly and stammered, "I wouldn't dare, I truly wouldn't dare! Please, Daoist, do not be angry; I will never commit evil acts again."

With that, he kowtowed three more times with a loud thud, thud, thud, then clutched the pill to his chest like a precious treasure and sprinted toward his home.

Chen Ye watched his retreating figure, shook his head, and sighed softly, "If only karma and retribution were real. A good person like me deserves a great blessing."

Chen Ye reached out to push open the door of the shack, intending to step inside and rest, when he keenly caught the faint sound of wind behind him.

He turned around alertly, only to see a woman wearing a bamboo hat and a goose-yellow long gown standing quietly at the entrance of the alley.

The woman's face was completely obscured by the hat, but one could tell from her elegant gown that she was a young lady.

When did this person arrive?

Chen Ye felt a jolt of alarm and instinctively tightened his grip on the white banner in his hand. She had appeared behind him without a sound; if she had struck at him with a blade, he would likely be dead.

Before Chen Ye could ask, the woman broke the silence first, asking softly, "Fellow Daoist, you just said that good people should have great blessings. I have a question: helping a villain—does that count as doing a good deed?"

Her voice was cold and indifferent, like frost on a winter night, carrying a sense of detachment that kept others at a distance.

Chen Ye did not answer the question directly. Instead, he respectfully cupped his hands toward the woman and asked, "May I ask who you are, Miss?"

"Qinghe Sword Sect, Su Chunyi."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat. Although he had known that cultivators from the Qinghe Sword Sect were in the area and had rehearsed this in his mind many times, seeing her in person still made him feel guilty, and he couldn't help but grip his white banner even tighter.

Seeing this, Su Chunyi reassured him, "Fellow Daoist, there is no need for concern. The magical artifact in your hand possesses its own spiritual charm and is indeed rare, but disciples of the Qinghe Sword Sect do not commit the evil act of killing to seize treasures. I am merely curious and wish to ask for some guidance."

The girl's tone was quite sincere, and Chen Ye finally calmed down. It seemed his master was right; others would see this white banner as nothing more than a decent magical artifact and would not associate it with the demonic path.

Composing himself, Chen Ye said respectfully, "So you are a high-ranking disciple of the Qinghe Sword Sect. I am Chen Ye, a rogue cultivator without a sect. This humble shack is not fit for guests; let me treat you to a drink at a tavern."

Su Chunyi shook her head slightly, politely declining, "My apologies, but sect rules forbid me from drinking alcohol. Besides, the mortal world is the same everywhere; you need not worry about it, Fellow Daoist."

Chen Ye felt helpless and muttered to himself: It's not like I actually wanted to have a drink with you; I was just worried that since there's no one else around, I'd be silenced.

"Then let's have some tea. My cultivation level isn't as high as yours, Miss, and this place is too dirty to chat comfortably."

As he spoke, Chen Ye began to move slowly toward the mouth of the alley, his eyes carefully keeping watch on the sword cultivator from the Qinghe Sword Sect.

Su Chunyi did not stop him, merely following behind Chen Ye at an unhurried pace. It seemed she did not mind going to a more crowded place with him.

Chen Ye breathed a secret sigh of relief; it appeared she really wasn't here to cause trouble.

Carrying a heart full of worries, Chen Ye led Su Chunyi to a teahouse, chose a quiet corner, and invited her to sit.

Chen Ye asked, "What kind of tea does Miss Su usually drink?"

"Plain water will suffice."

Chen Ye: ...

Are the rules of the Qinghe Sword Sect really this strict, to the point where even drinking water isn't allowed to have any flavor?

Chen Ye felt helpless and could only order a pot of Pu'er at random, specifically tipping the waiter a few copper coins.

Su Chunyi seemed quite surprised by this and asked softly, "It may be presumptuous to say, but I have been observing you in secret for a long time. I truly do not understand your actions; could you enlighten me?"

Chen Ye looked puzzled and countered, "Miss Su, why were you observing me?"

"I suspected you were involved in the forced abduction of young boys and girls in Cui County. I investigate any anomalies within the county, so I was not intentionally targeting you."

Chen Ye explained with a bitter smile, "Then you have overestimated me. I am merely a rogue cultivator of unorthodox paths, having only just reached the Qiling Realm. How could I possibly have such capabilities?"

"The Qiling Realm?"

Su Chunyi frowned slightly, her confusion deepening. "But your art of divination is extremely profound. I had assumed you were a senior expert hiding your true cultivation."

Divination is an incredibly advanced technique; to know the past and future with a mere pinch of the fingers is a method reserved for immortals. For a practitioner to master this path, the minimum threshold is the Tongxuan Realm.

The Qiling Realm is merely the first step on the path of cultivation, barely stronger than an ordinary person.

Chen Ye patiently explained, "If I could truly divine the past and future, why would I need to put on a show with Wang Sanqi? It was nothing more than a double act to deceive passersby."

Su Chunyi pressed further, "That is exactly what I don't understand. Since you put so much effort into this performance, why did you not charge a single cent when divining for others? Furthermore, why were your later readings so accurate? Surely dozens of people seeking divination couldn't all be in on your scheme."

Su Chunyi had been observing coldly from the sidelines from the moment Chen Ye began his performance until he packed up his stall. Everyone who sought a reading from Chen Ye thanked him profusely, claiming his predictions were incredibly accurate, which left Su Chunyi completely baffled.

Chen Ye felt as if Su Chunyi's gaze was piercing through his bamboo hat, staring at him with intense curiosity.

This gaze felt tangible; could this be what his master spoke of—a look that could sever one's head?

Fortunately, Chen Ye had the foresight to give everything related to the Demonic Sect to Zhao Hezhou, telling him to use it to save his life and discard it once he found a safe place to stay.

Now that his master had successfully slipped past, and Chen Ye himself had never committed any evil, he faced her calmly, his expression as tranquil as before, even under Su Chunyi's sharp gaze.

Chen Ye poured himself a cup of tea, took a light sip, and then said to Su Chunyi, "Miss Su, this is a secret technique that cannot be shared. If you wish to know, why don't we make a trade?"

Su Chunyi asked softly, "I wonder what you wish to trade for, fellow daoist?"

Chen Ye was full of anticipation, his eyes burning as he said, "If I clear up your confusion, Miss Su, I wonder if it could be exchanged for a Qi Condensation Pill?"