Qi-Gathering Turtle

Ye Fan took the bank card with a million yuan on it and headed to the bird and flower market.

There were plenty of plants on display, but most held no interest for Ye Fan. He made a circuit of the market and was beginning to think he would find nothing when a faint trace of spiritual energy caught his attention.

Following the spiritual energy, Ye Fan arrived at an aquatic livestock shop.

"Boss, how much is this turtle?"

Ye Fan's eyes lit up. He had never expected to find a Qi-Gathering Turtle in a place so lacking in spiritual energy. As its name suggested, it was a turtle that could gather spiritual energy. These natural spirit beasts were extremely rare. If one appeared on the Cultivation Continent, people would fight tooth and nail for it. Even the Jade Cloud Sect, where Ye Fan had once belonged, had no Qi-Gathering Turtle, though its bitter rival, the Mystic Sword Sect, did have one.

Unfortunately, nobody in this world practiced cultivation. Ordinary people could not sense spiritual energy at all and had no idea what a Qi-Gathering Turtle was worth. Of course, that worked out perfectly for him.

"You've got a good eye, sir. This is a wild turtle. Look at its coloring, and that thick shell. If you want it, it's yours for a thousand yuan..."

Ye Fan nodded. "Sure!" He was secretly delighted. Getting a Qi-Gathering Turtle for just a thousand yuan-what luck!

Seeing Ye Fan's guileless, gullible expression, the shopkeeper thought, I priced it too low!

Although the shopkeeper regretted it a little, he did not go back on his word and raise the price. "Sir, are you planning to make a clear turtle soup or braise it? It's wonderfully nourishing. Want me to kill it for you?"

Ye Fan quickly waved his hands. "No, I'm buying this turtle to keep as a pet. They say keeping a turtle helps you live longer."

Ye Fan gave the turtle in the tank a pitying look and shook his head. Poor turtle! On the Cultivation Continent, a Qi-Gathering Turtle would be treated like royalty! Here, they were going to cook it for dinner. Luckily, it ran into me. Now it can escape its misery!

The shopkeeper nodded. "Yes, absolutely. Softshell turtles live a thousand years, and turtles live ten thousand. Keep one, and some of its good fortune will rub off on you."

Ye Fan carried the turtle tank to his car and drove back to his apartment in excitement.

The apartment Ye Fan was living in had been left to him by his mother. It was over a hundred and sixty square meters, which was already quite good by his standards, though it fell far short of the Ye Family's villa.

The Ye Family residence.

"Where has Ye Fan gone?" Ye Hongwen asked.

Wang Xiaofei could not help feeling puzzled. Ye Hongwen had never liked Ye Fan and always became displeased whenever he was mentioned. She did not understand why he had suddenly brought him up after Ye Fan had caused such a huge scandal.

Before Wang Xiaofei could speak, Ye Yinglan cut in. "Dad, why are you asking about that hopeless loser? He's disgraced our entire family by hiring prostitutes."

"A friend told me Ye Fan is selling talismans under a pedestrian overpass and swindling people!" Ye Hongwen said, his face dark.

Wang Xiaofei's expression immediately changed. Ye Fan was still a member of the Ye Family, after all. If he was out there swindling people, he was humiliating the family too.

"Dad, why bother with him? Let him face the consequences of his own actions," Ye Zhize said.

Ye Hongwen hesitated, then looked at Ye Yinglan. "Take that boy a hundred thousand yuan. Tell him to behave himself and stay out of trouble, especially anything this disgraceful."

Ye Yinglan thought giving Ye Fan money was a complete waste. Then another thought struck her, and she smiled. "All right. He is my brother, after all. It hurts me too to see how far he's fallen."

Ye Yinglan took Ye Hongwen's card and thought, I've had my eye on a Chanel bag lately, but money's been a little tight. Now I can buy it.

Ye Fan stopped practicing his cultivation technique and stretched his limbs. With the Qi-Gathering Turtle around, his cultivation had become much more efficient. However, after two hours of cultivation each day, his body became saturated with spiritual energy and could absorb no more.

Ye Fan took out a few sheets of talisman paper and began drawing. Although selling talismans was not easy, he felt he could not simply keep living off his savings, so he still had to pursue the talisman business. Of course, if he still could not sell any after a few more days, he would have to consider something else.

Holding a bucket of fried chicken, Ye Fan sat down in his usual spot beneath the pedestrian overpass.

"Young man, you haven't been here for several days!"

Ye Fan nodded. "That's right! It's been a few days."

"Young man, have you spent that million already?" Master Yuan asked.

Ye Fan nodded. "Most of it." Buying spirit herbs was far too expensive. Aged medicinal herbs cost tens of thousands of yuan each, and his daily medicinal baths cost around a hundred thousand.

The corner of Master Yuan's mouth twitched at Ye Fan's reply. What a spendthrift.

A richly dressed young man with a gloomy expression stepped out of a Porsche.

"Master, do you tell fortunes?"

Master Yuan stroked his beard. "I do."

"Young man, you're destined for extraordinary wealth and status, but this year you've offended Tai Sui. I fear it will be an unlucky year for you!"

The young man's eyes widened. "I have run into some trouble. Master, what do you think I should do?"

Ye Fan inwardly rolled his eyes. On the Azure Mystic Continent, there was a sect called the Heavenly Secrets Sect. It was said to have been a mighty sect ten thousand years ago, but because it had revealed too many heavenly secrets, it had been wiped out...

Rumor had it that one of the Heavenly Secrets Sect's leaders could divine many people's destinies. However, fate was not so easily read. Telling someone's fortune often consumed the diviner's own lifespan and blessings, and could even bring disaster upon their descendants. Thus, many masters of divination would not act lightly.

Ye Fan had a vague feeling that Master Yuan beside him was bluffing. He could have worked out that much himself. The young man wore designer clothes from head to toe and drove a luxury car, so naturally he was wealthy and important. Since he had rushed here to have his fortune told, he had most likely run into trouble. Most people never thought of seeking a fortune-teller. Only those in trouble would try it as a desperate last resort.

Of course, Ye Fan had noticed something else as well. But the young man had not come to him, so he could hardly steal Master Yuan's business.