Huaxin asked in confusion, “What’s wrong with him?”
Yun Miao spread her hands. “No idea. I just saw him tilting his head back with a teacup, staring off at something.”
“By the time I finished talking to you all and turned back, he was already like this. Maybe he’s… just missing his hometown too much?”
Woof.
Gao Zhu was curious. “What makes you say that?”
Yun Miao immediately clasped her hands behind her back, tilted her head up, and recited, “Because… ‘I lift my head to gaze at my teacup, lower it and think of home. Think of no travel money, and tears well in my eyes.’”
Gao Zhu:
Just as Gao Zhu was nearly choked to death by this terribly altered doggerel, a surprised inquiry from the young master echoed from inside the room.
“How did you know that when I was looking at the teacup just now, I was thinking of home?”
Tan Xiaobai’s eyes were slightly red as he looked at the green-robed girl outside the door.
“Though I’m not crying because I have no money to go home, you did get the first part right… Miss, how did you figure it out?”
She got it right?
Huaxin and the others stared at Yun Miao in shock. That doggerel was clearly something she just made up on the spot—how could it be such a coincidence?
Yun Miao blinked, then put on a profound face. “Why don’t you guess?”
Tan Xiaobai looked thoughtful, then suddenly understood. He quickly stepped forward and bowed solemnly to Yun Miao.
“I’ve long heard that there are experts in this world skilled in Face-Reading Divination, and among them, those from Star-Plucking Pavilion are the best. Just one glance, and they can tell when a person was born or will die.”
“Just now, Master took one look at me and could deduce my thoughts. Surely, you must be well-versed in Face-Reading Divination. May I ask where Master learned your skills—could it be… the legendary Star-Plucking Pavilion?”
Yun Miao stood with her hands behind her back. “No sect, no school, all self-taught.”
“So that’s how it is.”
Tan Xiaobai, full of admiration, reached out to invite her.
“Ever since the Great Catastrophe in ancient times, many Shoufa inheritances were severely damaged, and some have disappeared altogether.”
“Nowadays, those who can still perform Face-Reading Divination are few and far between. To meet Master today is truly my good fortune. Please, Master, have a seat!”
Yun Miao, floating on all the praise, promptly entered the room and sat down opposite Tan Xiaobai.
Huaxin and her two companions exchanged glances, unable to make sense of this turn of events, but followed along quietly.
Huaxin sat next to Yun Miao, while Guan Dahai and Gao Zhu sat by the neighboring tea table.
Tan Xiaobai attentively poured tea for Yun Miao. When he smiled, a little canine tooth on his right side would peek out.
“I am Tan Xiaobai. May I ask Master’s esteemed name?”
Yun Miao was fully in character now. She picked up her hot tea and took a sip, then replied unhurriedly, “Surname Yun, single given name Miao.”
Tan Xiaobai praised, “What a fine name, it sounds out of the ordinary at first hearing.”
Yun Miao returned the gesture. “You’re too kind. Your name is quite nice as well.”
Tan Xiaobai said, “Master’s appearance is extraordinary too—ethereal and otherworldly. I feel inferior just standing next to you.”
Yun Miao replied, “No need to belittle yourself. You’re quite good-looking too.”
Tan Xiaobai insisted, “No, no, Master is far better looking!”
Yun Miao countered, “No, no, you’re the good-looking one, you’re the good-looking one…”
Tan Xiaobai: “No, no…”
PERREA:……
***
Watching Yun Miao and the young master volley compliments back and forth, getting more and more enthusiastic, Huaxin finally interrupted, “Young Master Tan, enough with the small talk. If you have something to say, just say it.”
Tan Xiaobai turned at her words and attentively poured Huaxin a cup of tea.
“Ah, this must be Master Yun’s friend. No need to be so formal, just call me Xiaobai.”
Huaxin said coldly, “Young Master Tan, please get to the point.”
Tan Xiaobai shrank a little under Huaxin’s cold gaze, looking a bit embarrassed. “Actually… when Master Yun was asking that Xuantian Sect disciple for the notice earlier, I was not far behind you all.
“I’m also quite interested in the story behind that notice, so after Master Yun got it, could I copy it down? I’m willing to pay a hundred lower-grade Ling Shi for it!”
As he spoke, he untied the embroidered pouch at his waist and dumped it onto the table.
Instantly, a hundred egg-sized, lustrous Ling Shi tumbled out, piling into a small mountain, with a thin mist swirling within, shining brilliantly.
Huaxin’s eyes flickered. The fact that this person could easily use a Storage Pouch meant he was at least a first-stage Qi Refining cultivator.
And ordinary cultivators would never spend a hundred lower-grade Ling Shi for a piece of paper. So this Tan Xiaobai was most likely from a noble family.
Guan Dahai and Gao Zhu were dazzled by the pile of glowing Ling Shi.
They had just learned about Ling Shi and their value at the Black Jiao Ridge market—not only were these what cultivators used as currency, they were precious!
Guan Dahai turned to look at Yun Miao, seeing her staring at the pile of Ling Shi for a long while without speaking, and immediately winked at her.
Hurry up and agree—what’s there to hesitate about for such a good deal?
Yun Miao didn’t notice Guan Dahai’s signaling. She pondered for a moment, then slowly held up a finger to Tan Xiaobai.
“I’ll keep the copy for myself. The original goes to you—one thousand lower-grade Ling Shi.”
Tan Xiaobai didn’t even blink. “Deal!”
He picked up the pouch and shook it again. A massive pile of lustrous Ling Shi poured out, so many that some even rolled onto the floor, making the whole room visibly brighter!
Huaxin managed to keep her composure, but Guan Dahai and Gao Zhu both gasped in unison.
Just a moment ago, they were thinking Yun Miao had just raised the price tenfold in the blink of an eye—how terrifying!
But this Young Master Tan was even more shocking, actually willing to pay a thousand Ling Shi for a single piece of paper!
At the Black Jiao Ridge market, most items went for just a few lower-grade Ling Shi, with the most expensive being a twenty-Ling Shi longsword. This thousand Ling Shi could buy up half the market!
More importantly, that piece of paper was something Yun Miao had just asked for—meaning she’d earned a thousand Ling Shi and a copy of the notice with just a few words!
Since her little pouch couldn’t hold that much, Yun Miao simply borrowed Huaxin’s Storage Pouch.
“You’re not worried I’ll just keep all your belongings for myself?”
Huaxin said this, but was already removing the Storage Pouch from her waist and placing it on the table, asking Tan Xiaobai to open it.
Yun Miao: “Perfect, then I’d have a reason to keep both you and your Storage Pouch. I’d lock you up at home and make you braid my hair every day.”
Tan Xiaobai looked curiously at the two of them, then opened Huaxin’s Storage Pouch.
Gao Zhu dragged his meditation cushion to the corner of Yun Miao’s table, eyes full of admiration, and placed all his bits of silver and copper coins on the table.
“Master Yun, I was blind before not to recognize a true expert! This is all I have—could you tell me when I’ll have a stroke of luck like yours?”
Guan Dahai was speechless. “Old Gao, you’re crazy about money. We’re almost at the Xuantian Sect, and you’re still thinking about this?”
Gao Zhu was usually quiet, but when it came to money, he was quite eloquent.
“Even though we used to think of cultivators as immortals, you saw at the market—they still pay for everything, just like ordinary folks.
“We’ve come all this way and spent almost all our money. If we’re lucky enough to become cultivators, we’ll have to find ways to earn Ling Shi. If not, we’ll need to save up some silver just to get back home.”
Yun Miao said, “That’s right, money isn’t everything, but without it, you can do nothing.”
Gao Zhu nodded repeatedly in admiration, as if he’d found a kindred spirit. “Master Yun, you’re absolutely right, that’s exactly what I mean! So, Master, what do you think…”
Of course, Yun Miao didn’t actually know any Face-Reading Divination, but with all the fragmented information she’d picked up online, she was never at a loss for words.
First, she poured some cold water on Gao Zhu, telling him not to get his hopes up.
“My luck is the result of windfalls—those who get windfalls are usually sharp and opportunistic, good at spotting and seizing opportunities.”
“The fact that you’re asking me this shows you’re not cut out for windfalls. If you always hope for pies to fall from the sky, you’ll probably get tricked instead.”
Guan Dahai was shocked. “She’s right—this guy actually lost money before trying to go into business with someone.”
Gao Zhu was rather deflated.
“Sigh, after I got tricked out of my money, I thought about it for a long time. Now that I’ve heard Master Yun say this, I’ll give up for good. From now on, I’ll just work hard and earn money honestly.”
Having just earned a thousand Ling Shi, Yun Miao didn’t take Gao Zhu’s meager coins.
After he thanked her, he dejectedly put away his silver and copper, dragging his cushion back to sit with Guan Dahai, who patted him on the shoulder in comfort.
On the other side, Tan Xiaobai had already stored all the Ling Shi into the Storage Pouch and returned it to Huaxin.
Yun Miao, in a good mood after earning her first pot of gold, pulled a wilted wildflower from her little bundle and handed it over.
“Here, for you.”
Tan Xiaobai’s fair cheeks flushed. “This…”
Huaxin took a sip of tea and said blandly, “Don’t get the wrong idea. She gives flowers to everyone—old grannies over a hundred, big men in their thirties, young girls in their teens, she gives them all.”
Guan Dahai chuckled.
“The flower Yun Miao gave me this morning was even fresher than yours. I had it stuck in my hair, but the mountain road was so rough, I lost it somewhere along the way. Yun Miao, how about giving me another?”
Yun Miao hugged her little bundle and refused. “No way. One flower per person per day, that’s my rule. And there’s only one left—I want to give this fresh one to that pretty big sister!”
Tan Xiaobai looked at Yun Miao with grievance. “So Master Yun won’t give me the freshest one because I’m not good-looking enough? But you just said…”
Yun Miao raised a hand in a shushing gesture, then looked out the window with a deep expression. “Little Tan, you must understand—some things are better left unasked. The closer you get to the truth, the more it hurts.”
Tan Xiaobai nodded as if enlightened. “So that’s how it is.”
Gao Zhu nodded in deep agreement. “That’s right.”
Huaxin couldn’t bear to watch. What on earth are these two sighing about?!
Guan Dahai:
He had clearly come to seek immortals and the Dao, so why did the people he met get weirder the closer he got to the Xuantian Sect? Was he really on the right path?