It all started with one person becoming a shaman, but the Stand user...

He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table, his two soft breasts pressing against the edge of the table, propping his head up, and watched the two eat with a smile.

"Ah, it's so good to be young, full of energy."

She sighed, her gaze shifting between the two faces:

"By the way, were the spells you two used yesterday?"

Wang Xiaoer chewed on his steamed bun and mumbled an indistinct "hmm".

What happened yesterday is no longer worth hiding.

He readily admitted it, then swallowed what was in his mouth and earnestly gave an instruction:

"Boss lady, you mustn't tell anyone! It could get you killed."

Wang Xiaoer's character is quite kind; he doesn't want to implicate innocent people.

"Pretty much. We are both cultivators in the general sense. It's just that I have also practiced some martial arts."

Qinghe Miao also finished his bite, nodded, and explained in more detail than Wang Xiaoer:

"Knowing these things isn't actually dangerous. However, if you spread them around, you might attract like-minded people and fanatics who are obsessed with this topic."

This increases the chances of encountering someone with malicious intent, and sooner or later something bad will happen. I think the landlady is smart enough to know this.

"Young man, you have such a sweet tongue. It's been a long time since anyone praised me for being smart. Are you planning to say I'm shrewd?"

The proprietress listened attentively, paused for a moment, and then, with her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, nodded with a smile.

"I know, I understand, I won't tell anyone. I just wonder where this handsome young man comes from? Is he one of my employees?"

According to what she overheard at the police station, the two seemed to have arrived in the capital almost exactly half a day apart.

What a coincidence!

"Different".

Qinghe Miao put down his chopsticks and pointed to the plaque outside the door:

"Speaking of which, we are quite destined to meet. I am Qinghe Miao, a disciple of the Ma family outside the pass."

It's not unusual for a restaurant located outside the Great Wall in the capital to be like this.

Logically, he shouldn't know what Wang Xiaoer cultivates, so he didn't take the initiative to introduce it.

The proprietress, unaware of the intricacies, asked curiously:

"What's different? Is it because you've practiced martial arts?"

"It's just that the methods of cultivation are different. In fact, regardless of the school or sect, our cultivation emphasizes 'cultivating both body and mind'."

Qinghe Miao explained gently:

Simply put, it's about cultivating both the physical body and the spirit through various means. Martial arts training is just one way to cultivate oneself, albeit with different methods.

Practicing martial arts allows me to fight a dozen or more ordinary people at once, and to perform reactions and actions that ordinary people cannot. It also gives me an advantage when facing ghosts and monsters with physical forms.

If someone hasn't trained in martial arts, some actions can only be accomplished by relying solely on the numerical values ​​accumulated through sheer physical strength. That would be much more difficult.

He glanced at Wang Xiaoer, who was still eating a steamed bun.

In terms of cultivation of life force alone, he, who is still a novice, may be stronger than me.

But if we don't use Taoist arts, magic, or any fancy tricks, and only engage in close-quarters combat...

He could probably hang Wang Xiaoer up and beat him.

Chapter 115 An Era When College Graduates Were Still in High Demand

This is the advantage of being proficient in multiple disciplines.

"I see..."

The proprietress seemed to understand but not quite, nodded, then tilted her head and asked:

"So what brings you to the capital? Are you here specifically to slay demons and monsters, great hero?"

"That's it."

Qinghe Miao shrugged and raised his hand.

"I'm a college student now. I figured there would be a great opportunity in the capital, so I thought I'd take some time to try my luck. But I didn't expect to run into this kind of thing so often. So I just helped out with the cleaning."

"You're still a college student?!"

The proprietress's eyes lit up, and her voice was filled with surprise.

Even Wang Xiaoer, who was silently eating his steamed bun, looked up and gazed at him with envy.

These days, college graduates are still quite capable.

"Ah."

Qinghe Miao nodded and told the truth:

"I was born precocious, which was quite beneficial in my studies. Later, I met my master, who was just an ordinary shamanic disciple from the countryside, and he led me into the shamanic path."

Fortunately, I also have extraordinary talent in cultivation, as if favored by heaven and earth. My strength, including the martial arts I practice, was largely learned through chance encounters. Things like fortune telling are self-taught, but the accuracy is very high and the side effects are minimal.

Although his primary identity became that of a cultivator, he also incidentally took the university entrance exam. He came this time because he sensed a powerful, forbidden technique reappearing in the world. Therefore, he wanted to test his skills and perhaps even take a course in the Imperial Academy.

He had no intention of doing anything underhanded or despicable.

These words were deliberately spoken aloud, intended for Wang Xiaoer to hear.

As expected, a thoughtful look flashed in Wang Xiaoer's eyes.

He didn't say anything, just continued eating the buns, but his chewing slowed down a bit.

"What if..."

After a moment, he lowered his head and casually interrupted, asking:

"You said the magic has an owner, that it's a family heirloom?"

For Wang Xiaoer, who had been living in anonymity and hiding because of his family's martial arts skills, this was a different story.

Having your martial arts techniques observed by others is an extremely uncomfortable experience.

"If I gain it, I'm lucky; if I lose it, it's my fate. What else can I do?"

Qinghe Miao took a bite of the steamed bun, chewed it, swallowed it, and said with a grin, seemingly unconcerned:

"Not everyone can be so ruthless in their pursuit of power. I just wanted to see the methods of the sages. As I've said before, the most fundamental aspect of our cultivation is the 'dual cultivation of mind and body'."

To use a video game analogy, that skill is roughly equivalent to someone at level 10 or 20 being able to defeat someone at level 30 or 20.

However, for those who are confident they can reach level 30 or even 50, and who possess excellent character, it is not a necessity.

Wang Xiaoer paused for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.

Qinghe Miao then fell silent; he had already said what needed to be said.

The rest is up to the kid himself.

"Alright, alright, stop talking about things I don't understand!"

Seeing the slightly awkward atmosphere, the proprietress placed her hands on the table, leaned forward slightly, her two soft breasts pressing against the edge of the table, and smiled, her eyes crinkling, deliberately changing the subject:

"He Miao, since you're so good at fortune telling, can you tell my fortune too?"

"Just call me Qingmiao. The 'He' in the middle is my generational name."

Qinghe Miao put down his chopsticks:

"Of course, no problem. What do you want to calculate?"

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled out three simple copper coins with the words "Kaiping Tongbao" faintly visible on them.

These are coins minted during the Tang Dynasty, starting in the fourth year of Emperor Gaozu's reign (621 AD). They were minted over a period of nearly three hundred years, with a very large production volume, spanning the entire Tang Dynasty.

During the Five Dynasties period, although dynasties changed, the old coins continued to circulate.

In the world of "The Bad Guys", they're everywhere.

"Oh, so something's up?"

The proprietress's eyes lit up, and she leaned closer curiously, her mature fragrance wafting into one's nostrils.

"Then let's consider my future relationships, and whether I'm compatible with someone."

As she spoke, she reached out and placed her hand across the table on... Wang Xiaoer's hand.

Slender fingers, carrying just the right amount of warmth, slowly drew circles on Wang Xiao's back, one circle, two circles, three circles...

The gestures, the gazes, the subtle touches—they all stirred a tantalizing desire within.

Who is the proprietress?

A shrewd person.

In just a few words, she had already figured out the personalities of the two young men in front of her.

This college student was young and dashing, with an indescribable air about him.

They look worldly-wise, making them very difficult to handle.

She's not a fickle woman.

She's seriously looking for a partner; she can't afford to get hurt in relationships anymore.

I won't do anything that leaves me feeling taken advantage of without any return.

As for Wang Xiaoer, he was dull-witted and slow to react; he froze after being flirted with by her.

He looks honest and hardworking, and his skills seem quite good as well.

This kind is easy to handle and cost-effective.

For example, right now, under the landlady's skillful touch, Wang Xiaoer was jolted awake.

Having grown up in a remote rural area, how could he have ever seen anything like this?

Her whole body went limp, like a toy Tom Cat, her face showing a mixture of shyness and reluctance. She stammered:

"Owner... you... be mindful of the impact..."

Qinghe Miao had already switched the substitute in her equipment bar to [Purple Hermit].

Hearing the boss's wife's question made me feel a little embarrassed.

【The Purple Hermit】After all, he's not a professional fortune teller, so there are definitely some aspects he can't cover.

On the surface, however, she maintained a calm demeanor and took preventative measures in advance:

"My main skill lies in observing people and finding things; I'm quite accurate in that area. Other than that, I'm not as good."

Then, without using the power of a Stand.

He simply spread the three copper coins out in his palm, closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, then flicked his wrist and casually tossed the coins onto the table.

Three copper coins landed on the table with a clatter, rolled a few times, and then lay quietly.

Then he opened his eyes and glanced at them, pretending to look.

I'll start giving away spoilers based on the original plot.

"When yin is at its peak, yang will surely follow; when withered trees sprout new life; old friends are no longer the same, new friends are entering the door. First of all, congratulations to the boss lady! The divination shows that you will soon be like a trapped bird breaking free, experiencing a new beginning."

However, the road ahead is long, and a good outcome depends on one's choices. The hexagram shows Kun changing to Zhen, with the third line moving. The hexagram text reads: "Containing virtue, one can be steadfast; perhaps one will serve the king, but without accomplishment, there will be an end."

This indicates that your current marriage is not happy, and this will affect the future. The person you just chose may be good, but the process may not go as you expect. The competitive pressure is high, and there's no guarantee of a good outcome.

"Wow, amazing! You're absolutely right!"

The proprietress listened intently, staring at him without blinking, and said coquettishly.

The first half accurately described her current situation, especially the part about the new person replacing the old one, which was delightful.

She paused for a moment, then asked expectantly:

Will I become rich in the future?