The days were like drifting clouds, seemingly slow, yet slipping quietly past before anyone noticed. The moon waned and waxed again, and the leaves on the trees gradually turned from green to yellow. After Xiao Yan moved into his new lodgings, he felt somewhat out of place at first, but eventually grew used to the rather lonely peace. Yet whenever the night fell silent and he gazed at the bright moon outside his window, a wave of melancholy would wash over him for no apparent reason.
Xiao Yi's "business" had also begun to pick up. His first "customer" was none other than a member of the Xiao Clan. Outsiders might not believe Xiao Yi's mystical ramblings about "Daoist arts and metaphysics," but quite a few members of the Xiao Clan had witnessed-or at least heard reliable accounts of-how Third Young Master Xiao Yan had miraculously regained his ability to cultivate after Xiao Yi gave him a beating in the name of "exorcism"!
To many, this was nothing short of a miracle! Whenever members of the Xiao Clan encountered some misfortune, they would secretly come looking for him, figuring it was better to believe than risk dismissing it. Not a soul reported Xiao Yi's "jailbreak." The guards responsible for watching him were even less inclined to report their own dereliction of duty, and so Xiao Yi's "business" gained a firm foothold.
The sight stirred Xiao Yan's emotions, and he sighed softly in his melancholy, a trace of longing rising within him for the Mid-Autumn Festival of his previous life. "Ah, it's almost time for the full moon again... If only I could have a five-nut mooncake... Pah! Lotus paste with two salted egg yolks would be better..."
On this Dou Qi Continent, the moon was no different from the one he had known before, but the Mid-Autumn traditions and those distinctive treats were nowhere to be found. Whenever he thought of this, a faint homesickness and loneliness welled up in his heart.
During this time, Xun'er had visited him several times. On each visit, the girl brought carefully prepared pastries and a few small items he needed for cultivation, gently chatting with him and asking how he had been. Her visits were like a clear spring nourishing the somewhat parched soil of Xiao Yan's heart, bringing him a warmth he had not felt in a long time.
Yet whenever Xiao Yan tried to seek out Xun'er himself, Ling Ying, who was as omnipresent as a shadow, would appear right on cue and stop him through various means, some overt and others subtle.
The first few times, Xiao Yan had argued his case. Eventually, however, he finally realized that this unfathomable Senior Ling Ying seemed to enjoy it, treating him as a source of amusement. Whenever he saw Xiao Yan thwarted, the faintest hint of a smile seemed to appear on that eternally frozen face. Xiao Yan felt both helpless and frustrated, but since he was weaker, he could only simmer in silence.
Suddenly, the faint voices of several Xiao Clan youths drifted in from outside the courtyard, their quiet conversation reaching him in fragments. "...Have you heard? A 'Divine Fortune-Teller' has appeared over on South City Street. Apparently, his predictions are incredibly accurate, and he can even ward off evil and avert disaster!" "Seriously? He's that amazing? How come I haven't heard of him..." "Absolutely true! My cousin from my third uncle's family ran into something evil a few days ago and had nightmares every night. They called in all sorts of physicians, but nothing helped. Then he went to that 'Divine Fortune-Teller,' who drew a few talismans, and he slept soundly that very night!"
"Divine Fortune-Teller?" Xiao Yan's interest stirred. Since when did Wutan City have a charlatan like that? How strange! Did this Blue Star 'local specialty' transmigrate too? Still, these swindlers do have a few 'tricks.' Why not ask him whether there's some way to stop that old fellow Ling Ying from watching me and Xun'er all day?
With his mind made up, Xiao Yan left home for the first time in quite a while and found his way to Xiao Yi's stall. Before a shabby stall, Xiao Yi sat ramrod straight, a wooden sign bearing the words "Iron-Mouthed Prophecy" set before him and that familiar Wooden Sword planted beside it. He was talking to a worried-looking woman, spittle flying as he spoke. The woman nodded repeatedly as she listened, then took out some money and respectfully handed it over.
Xiao Yi accepted the silver with a satisfied smile that said, "This pupil can be taught." Just as he was about to call for the next "fated soul," he looked up and spotted Xiao Yan standing outside the crowd. At that very moment, Xiao Yan also got a clear look at the stallholder's familiar, eminently punchable face.
Their eyes met, and the air seemed to freeze for several seconds.
The next instant, both of them sprang up almost simultaneously, pointed at each other, and cried out in unison:
"Why is it you?!"
"Why is it you?!"
Xiao Yi pointed at Xiao Yan, his eyes wide. "Well, well, Xiao Yan! Instead of cultivating properly, what are you doing coming here to join the fun? Don't tell me... you've run into something evil again?" As he spoke, he solemnly looked Xiao Yan up and down, as though searching for traces of something "unclean."
That remark about running into something evil again nearly left Xiao Yan choking with fury. He pointed at Xiao Yi, his voice trembling with agitation.
"You damned Crazy Ghost! I was wondering why things had been so quiet at home these past few days. How could a restless nuisance like you possibly behave himself? So you've been coming here to swagger around and swindle people!"
Then he remembered the miserable state he had been in when this fellow chased him around with the Wooden Sword. Looking at the seemingly respectable fortune-telling stall before him, he felt his anger surge.
The moment Xiao Yi heard himself called a swindler, his hackles rose too. Stiffening his neck, he snapped, "Who's swindling anyone?! I earn my living through genuine ability! What do you know? I'm guiding lost souls and delivering all living beings!"
The Xiao Clan members and servants who had been queuing for fortunes or craning their necks to watch the spectacle saw the clan's two young masters arguing in the street. Moreover, judging by Xiao Yan's words, this recently renowned "Master Xiao" seemed to be a fraud. Surprise and amusement spread across their faces. Some began whispering among themselves, and the scene briefly descended into confusion.
"You are, you big fraud!" Xiao Yan shot back without restraint. He stepped forward and pointed at the wooden "Iron-Mouthed Prophecy" sign on Xiao Yi's stall. "Iron-Mouthed Prophecy? More like a mouth full of nonsense! Peddling this feudal superstition, bringing whatever crooked doctrines you picked up somewhere to Wutan City to hoodwink people! You've really outdone yourself, Xiao Yi!" The more Xiao Yan spoke, the angrier he became, his rising voice drawing the eyes of even more passersby.
With Xiao Yan exposing him in public, Xiao Yi struggled to save face, but refused to concede. "I do what I want! I earn money through my own ability. What's it got to do with you? None of your damned business!" He planted both hands on his hips, looking every inch a shameless rogue. Inwardly, though, he felt a little uncertain. After all, Xiao Yan was one of the "parties involved," as well as a Transmigrator. His spiel about "ghosts and spirits" hardly gave him much confidence in front of Xiao Yan.
Seeing him act like a dead pig unafraid of scalding water only sent Xiao Yan's fury soaring higher. He drew a deep breath, as though making some firm resolve, and declared loudly, "I, Xiao Yan, stand straight and walk upright! What I despise most is a fraud like you, putting on supernatural airs to cheat people! Today, I'll expose your true colors no matter what!"
With that, Xiao Yan abruptly turned toward the surrounding spectators, raised his voice, and shouted, "Everyone, don't let him fool you! This fellow is Xiao Yi of our Xiao Clan! He doesn't know the first thing about telling fortunes! He's a complete and utter fraud, out to swindle you out of your money!"
Xiao Yi had not expected Xiao Yan to pull something like this. Panicking, he began shouting too. "Xiao Yan, you're spitting blood to slander me! When have I ever cheated anyone? Didn't I help beat that old qi-sucking ghost out of you? That was all real! Stop spreading your devilish lies to mislead people!"
As he spoke, Xiao Yi waved his arms, trying to stop Xiao Yan from further "ruining" his reputation. For a time, the two brothers' arguments and accusations rose one after another before the little fortune-telling stall, bringing passersby to a halt. The scene was extraordinarily lively, causing an even greater stir than Xiao Yi's storytelling had.
Before you continue