After that heart-stopping "exorcism ceremony" came to an end, Xiao Yan spent the next few days enjoying the life of a "patient" he had always dreamed of, his "wish finally granted."
In stark contrast to Xiao Yan's "bitter winds and miserable rain," Xiao Yi's standing in the Xiao Clan soared. Ever since that night when he had "descended with divine might and driven back an evil spirit," the clansmen had looked at him differently. Once, they had seen an outsider who was out of his mind; now, their eyes brimmed with awe and admiration.
As the saying went, no wall in this world could keep the wind from slipping through. Somehow, news of the "miracle"-the Xiao Clan's Third Young Master being possessed by an evil spirit, which his sworn elder brother, Young Master Yi, had banished through earth-shaking means-spread beyond the Xiao Clan Courtyard. Soon, all of Wutan City was buzzing, with various versions of the story circulating through teahouses and taverns.
Some said Young Master Yi was an immortal reincarnated; others claimed he had inherited ancient secret arts. The most obvious result was that Xiao Yi's little fortune-telling stall at the entrance to the Market District was now bustling like a marketplace itself. People seeking readings streamed in every day, their line stretching from one end of the street to the other.
Xiao Yi sat behind his stall, waving his signature goose-feather fan. Facing a wealthy merchant who wore a worried expression as he asked about his business prospects, Xiao Yi made a show of counting on his fingers with unfathomable profundity, then drawled:
"Hmm... as for your business, the saying goes, 'Mountains pile up and rivers wind until no road seems left, then beyond dark willows and bright blossoms, another village appears.' The key lies in a single