I loaded the Mysticism panel.

"My teacher is Mrs. Mary from 17 Flower Moon Street. You should know her name, right? She often puts little 'GGs' in all the major newspapers."

The little guy in the newspaper, No. 17 Flower Moon Street, the black cat lying on the steps, and Vincent's warning... everything connected.

Through old Big's intermittent narration, Richard gradually pieced together Lady Mary's identity and background.

Lady Mary was not just a medium on Flower Moon Street.

She was a leading figure in the local guilds, with decades of experience practicing within the empire.

She has had many students who are now scattered throughout the empire, from the capital to the northern industrial region, from port cities to inland mining towns.

Some of these students became mediums, some became fortune tellers, some became herbalists, and some entered the official system.

Everyone went in a different direction, but their roots were all planted in the school of Mrs. Mary.

"Only after a student completes their apprenticeship are they qualified to use titles such as 'Madam' or 'Mr.'"

Old Big explained.

"What about you, old Big?" Richard asked.

"Me?" He grinned. "I didn't graduate from my apprenticeship."

"My spiritual vision is not up to par, my divination accuracy is substandard, and I can only identify seals but not set them up. All three core technologies are lacking, and my teacher didn't give me a title."

"She suggested I take another path: enter the official system, become a coroner, and use my half-baked psychic abilities and divination in the hidden directions to assist in autopsy work."

He screwed the lid of the copper kettle on:

"This is what the teacher said at the time: In this industry, not everyone needs to be at the top."

Every brick in the tower has its place; if you do your brick well, the whole tower will be more stable.

He patted his thigh and stood up.

"So I came to Briston to be my coroner, to do my secondary examinations, and occasionally to the shooting range on weekends to fire a few shots to relieve my boredom."

"My senior sister started learning the art two years earlier than me, and she's much more talented than me."

"She graduated, obtained a proper title, and has clients in several cities in the northern region."

She also works in Briston, mainly serving wealthy families.

He turned the empty cup upside down on the ammunition box.

"She came here on a business trip last month, and I treated her to a meal."

"At the dinner table, she mentioned a high school in the North District called Greenwood, and that there was a rather unusual kid there."

Richard didn't respond, waiting for him to continue.

Old Big shrugged:

"I didn't pay much attention at the time. There are so many students at Greenwood, and I don't know who is who. Then you just showed up at the shooting range."

"As soon as you arrived, I felt that your breathing technique foundation was quite good."

But at that time, I wasn't sure if you were the person my senior was talking about, so I didn't want to ask randomly.

"But today you said you were studying at Greenwood, which makes sense now."

"So last week you only taught me shooting and enchanted bullets, and didn't mention anything else." Richard understood.

"Nonsense." Old Big laughed.

"If you were any new recruit in any organization, I could just teach you how to shoot and that would be it, no need for me to say anything more."

At this point, old Big suddenly changed the subject.

"All talk and no action is useless." He pulled a copper coin from his pocket and flicked it on his fingertip.

The copper penny spun up and flew into the air, where he caught it steadily and placed his palm on it.

"Come on, let's play a game."

He clasped his hands in front of his chest and squinted at Richard for about five seconds.

"There's a very shallow bruise on the back of your head..." He pointed to the back of his head.

"He must have been using his brain intensively lately, tackling some tough problem?"

"Latin homework," Richard said without changing his expression.

Old Big paused for a second, then burst into laughter.

"Latin homework!" He laughed so hard his stomach jiggled.

"Okay, Latin homework, whatever you say."

"You probably say the same thing to your younger sister, right?"

Richard's expression changed instantly: "How did you know I have a sister?"

There's a small flour stain on the inside of your left cuff. Someone must have straightened your cuff before you left home today.

The person helping you tidy your clothes has flour on their hands, which means they just finished baking or were kneading dough.

"The flour level left is quite low, which means that person is about half a head shorter than you."

"Someone who can live in your house, bake, is half a head shorter than you, and can even help you organize your clothes."

Old Bige counted on his fingers:

"It's most likely your mom or your sister, but if it's your mother or older sister, they would probably be more careful."

"It's more likely your sister; she probably just tugged at your arm when you were leaving."

He'd been talking for a while, his mouth was getting dry, so he took another sip of tea: "So, what do you think? Was I right?"

"All correct."

"Would you like to learn this skill too?"

"Yes," Richard answered readily.

Old Biggs' face broke into a smile, and all his wrinkles smoothed out.

"Okay, okay!"

He jumped down from the ammunition box, his enthusiasm surprising Richard.

Don't find it strange.

Old Big probably knew what he was thinking:

"When my teacher was taking on students, she accepted everyone who came. As long as you were willing to learn, she was willing to teach you."

Even if she eventually discovers that you lack talent, she won't kick you out.

"At worst, I'll teach you something else, like herbalism or basic inscription identification; there's always something you can learn."

"Passing on this tradition is too difficult in our line of work; there are too few people who have the means to do so."

Regardless of the final path taken, clairvoyance is universal and can be used on any journey.

"So if you want to learn, I'd be happy to teach you." Old Biggs put it very bluntly:

"We don't charge money, we don't require you to become our apprentice, and we don't do any of those fancy ceremonies."

If you can learn it, then learn it; if you can't, that's okay too. Just consider it making a friend.

He circled the top of his head with his finger:

"There is an empty office on the third floor. It used to be used by the monitoring station to store files, but the files were moved away and it has been empty ever since."

No one uses it on the weekend, so it's quiet, and the light is just right with the curtains drawn.

He arranged everything on his fingers.

"Next Sunday, around this time, when you arrive, go up to the third floor and find me. I'll prepare the testing supplies in advance."

"What is it?"

"Several items of different natures." Old Big opened his palm and gestured to indicate their size:

Some contain trace amounts of ether residue, while others are completely clean.

I will line them up on the table and cover them with a cloth.

"Close your eyes, and use the perception of the etheric inner cycle to 'touch' each one one by one..."

"If you can accurately distinguish among ten items which have ether and which do not."

Even if the accuracy rate is only 60% or 70%, it means you have enough basic inspiration; the rest is just practice and refinement.

Richard went through the process in his mind.

Vision detection requires him to keep his outward perception outside, suspended outside his body, to probe the surrounding ethereal environment.

The difference between "pushing it out and then bringing it back" and "pushing it out and leaving it outside" is not significant, but the nature of the two actions is completely different.

The former is a spring, and the latter is an antenna.

"If you do show talent... I can guide you through the basics."

He raised his second finger.

"Your talent is so good that I can recommend you directly to my sect."

"Of course, you're on the scholar's path, so you don't need to learn everything about our clandestine methods."

However, clairvoyance and basic divination are universal techniques, not specific to any particular area.

Scholars can use it just as well, even better than those in secret, because you have the theoretical foundation.

He picked up the toolbox, and the two of them walked up the cement stairs one after the other.

By the doorway, Old Bige held his toolbox and trash bags in his hands and glanced back at Richard.

"Next Sunday afternoon at 2 pm, still here, I will bring all the necessary testing supplies."

He walked down the steps from the doorway:

"After you go back, do your breathing exercises every night before bed, and when you exhale for the last time, push your attention outward a little."

You don't need to push it far; just push it out an inch from the body surface.

Push it out, pause for a second, then pull it back in.

"This is a warm-up, so that it will be easier to get into the right mindset when the test is conducted."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."