I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 155 Unjust Encounters, Freeloaders

Outside the West Gate of the capital, next to Guangning Temple.

A female fortune teller is giving a reading.

"Layman, I see that your forehead is low and sunken, your jaw is pointed and narrow, and your lips are thin and upturned. I imagine you are having a rough year and are experiencing a lot of troubles lately."

Just as Jiang Banxian was about to head into the city, he suddenly heard this sentence.

To think that he, a renowned fortune teller from Jiangbei, would one day be reduced to being ridiculed by a roadside fortune teller.

Jiang Banxian laughed angrily. He turned around, pointed at the female fortune teller, and said, "I have been suffering from exhaustion for days. I haven't eaten a single grain of rice for three days and have only eaten the wind and dew. Anyone can see that I am pale and thin. Your tricks may fool others, but when you encounter me, it's like selling talisman water in front of the Dragon King Temple. You don't know anything about it."

The female diviner, dressed in a faded, starched robe, remained unperturbed by the sarcastic remarks. Instead, she chuckled and said, "So you're a fellow practitioner. In that case, I should try to forge a good connection with you."

"I see that your life palace is dark and your heavenly gate is tightly closed. Perhaps you have offended the heavens? If so, you would be best to refrain from divination for a period of time, otherwise you may bring disaster upon yourself."

Jiang Banxian was astonished. How could this young female fortune teller so easily predict his affairs?

Those in the same industry are enemies, and those in the same industry are envious of each other.

While shocked, Jiang Banxian couldn't help but feel strange emotions.

He had studied this art for decades, always the one calculating for others, but he never expected to be outdone by a young girl. Moreover, judging from her appearance, her skill in divination seemed to surpass his.

Once jealousy takes hold in a person's heart, it is easy for them to harbor malicious intentions.

Jiang Banxian has been traveling the world for many years, and his experience in swindling people is more than anyone else's.

Right now, Jiang the fortune teller was up to no good. He smiled and said to the young woman, "You are truly a promising young man. You are so clever. Why don't you try to figure out why the dragon on the top of the capital has lost weight?"

The female diviner was quick-witted. She looked up at the great dragon of national destiny above her head, shook her head and said, "It is ominous to see the fish in the abyss, and it is disastrous to foresee the hidden ones. It is not easy to be a good diviner. Why do you have to deliberately tempt me, fellow Daoist?"

Jiang Banxian laughed heartily, turned around and strode away, not forgetting to say, "No fortune teller is not curious, I don't believe you can resist!"

About an hour later, the female fortune teller finished her divination and packed up her stall. On her way back to the inn, she couldn't help but look back at the great dragon symbolizing the nation's destiny above the capital.

There was nothing particularly unusual about that skinny dragon, but after Jiang Banxian mentioned it, she couldn't help but wonder about the reasons behind it.

Why has this dragon lost weight? Is it due to human intervention or fate?
The female diviner extended her slender, delicate hand, hidden within her divination robe, and began to manipulate her fingers.

A large, white-browed tiger with bulging eyes; a farmer tilling the fields; a wicked nun.
The female diviner's fingers moved faster and faster, twisting her human-shaped fingers into the sharp claws of a wild beast, with a blue light flowing from the center of her claws.

When the fourth identity was being calculated, a thunderous explosion resounded once again outside the cloudless capital city.

This is the second time in the past half month. The first time was at the Celestial Master's Mansion. It is said that the large hole in the main hall of the Celestial Master's Mansion has not yet been repaired.

The thunderclap dissipated, leaving only a tuft of charred animal fur in the spot. A gentle breeze swept through, and the tuft of fur vanished without a trace in the air.

Not far from the site of the lightning strike, on the official road, a blue fox, in a panic, darted into the roadside bushes.

Meanwhile, in Luoyang City.

Jiang Banxian looked up at the outside of the city. The thunderclap on the flat ground was exceptionally loud. Even in the city, he could imagine how terrifying the thunder must have been.

"It is not easy to be a good diviner, and how many people can actually do it?"

Jiang Banxian was secretly delighted. In his heart, perhaps nothing made him happier than his fellow practitioners suffering misfortune.

Here, Jiang Banxian hummed a little tune and wandered around until he arrived at Cao Cheng's residence.

Cao Cheng was once the chief eunuch in the palace. Later, due to his advanced age, he resigned from his post and acquired a mansion outside the palace, living the life of a wealthy man.

Although he was outside the palace, Cao Cheng still had complete control over all matters, big and small, within the palace.

That day, Cao Cheng was discussing official business with his godson Feng Dehai when a servant suddenly came to report that a poor man surnamed Jiang had come to pay his respects, claiming to be an old acquaintance of Steward Feng.

Cao Cheng looked puzzled. Feng Dehai was the chief steward of the palace and rarely had time to come to him. His godson had only just arrived today, so how could someone claim to be an old friend of Feng Dehai have found him here?
Feng Dehai was also stunned for a moment, but he quickly realized: "It must be Mr. Jiang, please invite him in! Never mind, you lead the way, I'll go and invite him myself!"

Before leaving, Feng Dehai said to Cao Cheng, "I used to know a fortune teller named Mr. Jiang. He is quite skilled in divination and is a mysterious figure. I will introduce him to you later, my godfather."

Here, after taking a bath and changing his clothes, and having a few bites of snacks and tea, Jiang Banxian followed Feng Dehai to Cao Cheng's residence.

After exchanging pleasantries, Cao Cheng ordered a banquet to be prepared, during which Feng Dehai frequently toasted Jiang Banxian.

"If it weren't for Mr. Jiang's guidance back then, our family would never have achieved what we have today."

When Emperor Longping was old, no one knew which prince would ascend the throne. It was Jiang Banxian who guided Feng Dehai, which enabled him to achieve the merit of supporting the emperor.
After drinking for a while, Feng Dehai suddenly remembered something: "Speaking of which, our family has recently encountered a problem. I wonder if Mr. Jiang could take a look at it for us."

Feng Dehai was asking about nothing other than the disappearance of Long Engui.

When Jiang Banxian heard that it was a trivial matter like finding someone, he didn't feel bothered at all.

For a fortune teller specializing in finding people or objects, searching for them is not a difficult task. Especially when the person in question is just an ordinary person.

With complete confidence, Master Jiang sat upright at the table, stretching out his hand to perform calculations, displaying the demeanor of a master.

"With your life blocked, your son is likely already dead."

Feng Dehai frowned slightly and subconsciously asked, "Mr. Jiang, can you figure out who killed my son?"

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Banxian thought of the advice given to him by the fellow diviner outside the West Gate.

That's alarmist. Didn't he just have his fortune told, and nothing seems to have happened?
However, when Jiang Banxian tried to calculate again, before he could even finish half of it, thunderous sounds rang out over the Cao residence.

Jiang Banxian opened his eyes wide, completely flustered.

How come such a casual calculation has already triggered the heavenly thunder? Could it be that he has been blacklisted by the Heavenly Dao?
At this moment, Feng Dehai, who was not known for his martial prowess in the eyes of outsiders, actually displayed a skill far exceeding that of a martial artist in the Condensation Realm. In a short while, the chief eunuch, dressed in a python robe, moved out of the mansion.

Suddenly, a pale flash of lightning appeared out of nowhere, and the banquet hall instantly shattered into pieces.

Feng Dehai looked at the house in front of him with lingering fear. If he had left a step later, he would have lost half his life, if not his own.

Coming to his senses, Feng Dehai ordered his men to inspect the ruins, but they only found a few charred marks.

The second day of the seventh lunar month is auspicious for opening a business, cleaning, and burial; other activities should be avoided.

Today is the auspicious day for the opening ceremony of the funeral clothing store.

To celebrate the grand opening of the branch, Xu Qing invited many people to come and warm up the atmosphere. It's only because he has a wide network of connections and a lot of face that no one would bother to come to the funeral clothing shop to offer their congratulations.
Early in the morning, the funeral clothing shop put up a new couplet.

First line: New clothes, fitting, receive celestial dew;

The second line reads: "Fully dressed in mourning attire, bathed in a gentle breeze."

Horizontal scroll: Fully dressed.

After pasting up the couplets, two large red paper lanterns are hung at the entrance of the shop, with the character for longevity written on them and surrounded by a pattern of five bats holding a longevity symbol.

Hu Baosong swayed as he approached, and upon seeing the couplet at the entrance, the old man clicked his tongue in admiration: "You've set this up even more grandly than Manager Yao's shop. Even wandering ghosts would be unable to leave your shop!"

The father and son chatted idly until most of the neighbors had arrived. Then, Xu Qing cut the red ribbon, set off the firecrackers, and it was like celebrating the Chinese New Year.

"Dazhuang, go and move the table out. We'll bring it up once Erzhuang has cooked the appetizers."

When Guan Dazhuang first entered the city to pay respects at the temple, he didn't dare to talk much to anyone. He just kept his head down and did whatever Xu Qing asked him to do.

"This young man is quite good, all chubby-cheeked and energetic, clearly a capable and hardworking kid," Hu Baosong said with a smile, praising him. But as soon as Guan Dazhuang entered the house, the old man grinned and said, "You're really something! Haven't you heard of raising a tiger to cause trouble? You actually dared to bring this thing back and use it!"

"Raising foxes is a problem? I understand. You don't want to raise Senior Sister Yizhen anymore. I'll talk to her about it and ask her to return to the Five Elders Temple as soon as possible."

"Don't play dumb with me, that's not what I meant!"

Xu Qing cheerfully entertained the guests, but after everyone finished their opening banquet, the once bustling Jingxia Street returned to its usual deserted state.

Since the new shop was short-handed, Xu Qing simply asked Sun Erzhuang to manage it temporarily. He would then go to the brokerage firm and ask Master Li to find a eloquent and persuasive assistant, and that would be the end of the matter.

Since the branch opened, Xuan Yu's whereabouts have become elusive again.

Fortunately, when Xu Qing performed a ritual to help the doomed couple in Wanshou Township pass on to the afterlife, he obtained a pair of crane bone flutes and two red ropes.

These two things have different functions, but they have one thing in common: they are born of the same body and are connected by blood and flesh.

If the crane bone flute breaks, the other flute will also break in two, no matter how far apart they are. The two red ropes are interconnected; no matter how far apart they are, their respective owners can sense each other's location.

Xu Qing didn't need the Crane Bone Flute, so he gave it to the Wu brothers. He gave one of the red ropes to Xuan Yu, and kept one for himself to tie on his wrist.

Xu Qing did this for no other reason than that cats owned by their owners usually have a leash around their necks.

Outsiders who see the rope will know that the cat has an owner and a family.

During this time, Xu Qing paid special attention to Xuan Yu's whereabouts by following the red rope. He discovered that sometimes the cat helped people get rid of rats and keep their homes safe in the city, and sometimes when no one in the city offered incense, it would run to the homes of villagers in Xijing Mountain who worshipped the cat spirit and help them solve various problems.

“Xuan Yu doesn’t actually need to go through so much trouble. Once Lord Gua returns, there will naturally be a continuous stream of offerings.”

"What if Lord Crow doesn't return on time, and you still need incense offerings?"

Xu Qing was speechless. Although he had the ability to deceive the heavens and delay the calamity, if the black crow did not bring back the seeds, the incense offerings that the Cat Immortal Hall had accumulated on a daily basis would become his only support.

To think that he, the dignified head of the Cat Immortal Hall, a zombie with five hundred years of cultivation, would end up having to rely on a cat to support him.

Even if you're living off a woman, this isn't how you do it!

　I'm a bit busy at the beginning of the month, I'll write another chapter later and post it during the day (please vote for me with monthly tickets at the beginning of the month).
　　
　
(End of this chapter)