I loaded the Mysticism panel.

Chapter 186 Single Card Divination

"One of the judges is my aunt."

Richard took the initiative to clarify this relationship.

"Isabella Ashford, Associate Professor, Department of Classics, Imperial College London"

The Colemans exchanged a glance.

The exchange of glances was quick, but Richard caught it.

"...The Ashford family." Mrs. Coleman repeated the surname.

"Um."

"Your mother is a young lady from the Ashford family?"

"Yes."

"Then..." Mrs. Coleman's wording changed slightly, "Was your residence previously in the capital?"

Richard took a sip of tea but did not give a direct answer.

After asking these questions, he roughly figured it out.

Beneath the polite facade of this household, a scale is constantly being used for weighing.

"Where's Coleman?" he asked, changing the subject.

"He's in the backyard." Old Coleman stood up. "I'll take you there."

"dad."

A voice suddenly came from the stairwell.

Coleman came downstairs carrying a set of protective gear.

"Richard is here, I can take him there myself."

He tilted his head slightly towards Richard: "Come with me."

Richard stood up and put the teacup back on the tea tray.

"Thank you for the tea, madam."

"Don't mention it, please stay for dinner."

"No need, I have things at home..."

"You must stay," Mrs. Coleman insisted. "I've already asked the kitchen to prepare."

Richard glanced at Coleman.

Coleman didn't respond and turned to walk towards the backyard.

Richard followed behind him, and the two walked through the kitchen and out the back door.

The backyard was larger than Richard had imagined, and the four walls were old-fashioned red brick walls.

Richard glanced at it with his spiritual vision.

Extremely faint etheric fluctuations remain within the engravings on the wall.

"What are these marks?"

"Carved by my grandfather's generation." Coleman placed the protective gear on the bench against the wall. "It's some basic anti-hearing inscriptions."

Is it still effective now?

"It's long gone."

Coleman kicked the base of the wall: "The brick wall is still there."

He turned to look at Richard.

"The courtyard is a size larger than that of an average family's house, and the walls are also a size thicker."

"My family has had a few hunters in our family, though there were a few here and there."

Coleman stood in front of the bench at the base of the wall and put on the protective gear piece by piece:

"We also had one who worked in the covert field, specializing in weapons manufacturing."

"In the first few decades of the Industrial Revolution, we caught the wave. One of our family members was a little expert and earned enough money to support our family for several generations."

He had a chin strap on: "By my father's generation, the money was almost all gone."

"So they're counting on you?"

"Um."

Coleman fastened his helmet.

"Before the military academy released their results, they were just as attentive to me as they were to you just now."

"After the results came out, my Collie was eating better than me."

Richard did not respond.

Coleman fastened his shoulder pads and walked towards the center of the yard:

"The reason they are so enthusiastic about you is because you are pursuing an academic career."

He stood in the center of the courtyard and stretched out a hand toward Richard.

"Ignore them, let's practice."

Richard placed his schoolbag against the wall and pulled out the roll of silver needles from it.

"Let's begin."

After saying that, Coleman started moving around in the yard.

He moved slowly and steadily, taking small steps, and his footing was unpredictable.

Richard used his spiritual vision to fix him in place, and then made him walk in three steps according to the moon.

Attaching the needle, drawing the breath, and inserting the needle.

When he was halfway through the third step, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye that Coleman's foot had quietly moved half a step to the left.

Richard adjusted his aim.

The silver needles were used.

"puff."

The silver needle grazed Coleman's left shoulder and struck the brick wall behind him.

The moon nail is well-formed, but unfortunately it's three inches off-center.

Coleman pulled the silver needle out of the crack in the brickwork and handed it back.

"Again."

"it is good."

Richard took the silver needle and returned to his original position.

This time, anticipating that Coleman might move to the left, they simply set their aim one inch to the left.

As the silver needle was inserted, Coleman shifted half a step to the right.

"puff."

Another mark appeared on the brick wall.

Over the next period of time, Richard tried every aiming point he could think of.

Lead time, fixed lead time, close aiming, far aiming, left shoulder, right shoulder, chest, waist.

After six strikes, six shallow dents appeared on the brick wall.

He stood at the east end of the courtyard, his breathing becoming a little erratic.

Coleman pulled the sixth silver needle out of the crack in the brickwork and weighed it in his hand.

"You can predict my movements." Richard realized what he meant.

"That's right, pre-reading is a fundamental skill in the Path of Blood Burning."

"Although I can't see the ether, your breathing rhythm will change after you gather your strength."

Coleman lowered his hand:

"The moment your breathing rhythm changes, I know you're about to make your move."

Richard recalled that his aunt had said something similar that morning:

"Your clairvoyance has a good range and accuracy, but it's completely unmasked."

Is there a way to hide it?

"Don't prepare before you strike; if you prepare, don't strike; once you strike, don't hold back."

Coleman gave three instructions: "Try the simplest one first, build up your strength but don't shoot immediately."

For the next half hour or so, Coleman used the simplest method to adjust Richard's aim.

The reason he only practiced for half an hour was because Richard's ether was quickly depleted.

This still has a healing effect, allowing his breathing to accelerate the recovery of the Queen of Aether's effects.

Coleman dodged most of the needles that were thrust out, and even if they hit, they were blocked.

When the training was over, he rolled up the silver needles and put them back in the long box.

By holding back Yinxi, he could use this opportunity to conceal the "glowing" thing he was preparing to use.

When using spiritual vision to read someone, try to keep it restrained; this is itself an application and training of the "perception" skill.

Coleman untied the helmet's chin strap.

The two put the protective gear back on the bench.

The question that had been weighing on his mind finally came out at that moment.

"Coleman, I have a question."

"explain."

"If one day your congenital defect in your respiratory system could be cured, would you still choose the path of a hunter?"

Coleman put the kettle down.

He spoke after about ten seconds.

"……I have no idea."

"You don't want to?"

"I think."

"..."

"But then again, hunter training is indeed tiring."

The boy lowered his head.

"During my two years at military academy, I would get up before dawn every day and run ten miles, practicing weight training, breath holding, and pain tolerance."

"I was the hardest working in that group because my parents were the ones pushing me to work harder."

"They are waiting for me to finish my studies and bring life to their family."

"Every night when I lie in bed, every part of my body aches."

"But despite the pain, I always have something to strive for."

Coleman picked up the kettle and took another sip.

"But from the moment I walked out of the instructor's office, I lost that 'goal'."

"If you ask me if I want to walk this path again, I think about it every single day."

"That couple..."

Coleman gestured with his chin toward the living room:

"Knowing you were coming, they brought out all the valuables in the house."

Those business cards were deliberately displayed for your attention; the only respectable people still alive in our family are those few.

Richard nodded, stood up, and went to the wall to get his schoolbag.

"I won't be staying for dinner."

"Okay, I'll go and persuade my mom."

Coleman patted him on the shoulder: "Don't you dare not come next week, or they'll be whining to me."

Richard laughed out loud.

"Okay, I'll do it."

Coleman pulled open the thick wooden door.

Richard walked out of the backyard.

Walk through the kitchen and hallway back to the living room.

Old Coleman and Mrs. Coleman sat by the fireplace in the living room, waiting.

"Richard," Mrs. Coleman said, standing up immediately, "dinner will be ready soon."

"Mrs. Coleman, I have some matters to attend to at home, so I can't stay today."

"...Why the rush?"

"Look at all this dust," Richard said, pointing to his stained trouser legs. "I'll have to change them when I get back."

"Then let the driver take you back."

"No need, I'll just take the bus."

"You must take our family's carriage back."

Mrs. Coleman had no choice but to comply:

"You got all that dust on you from rubbing it on at our house."

………………

At 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, Richard arrived at the branch office on the third floor as usual.

Before he even entered the office, he could hear a familiar female voice giving instructions.

He almost couldn't help but laugh when the door opened.

Old Bige looked like a schoolboy being punished by his teacher, standing by the table with a drawing brush in his hand and his face covered in sweat.

Mrs. McNeil was sitting on the other side of the table.

In front of her lay a bronze plate and several inscription patterns. In her hand, she held a red pen and was drawing a circle on the inscription that old Big had just drawn.

"Bige, you've tried to draw this turning point three times and it's still crooked."

Mrs. McNeil put down her red pen: "We've been studying this for so many years."

"Senior sister..." Old Big's voice carried a hint of pleading, "This group was already tricky..."

"Difficult?" Mrs. McNeil looked up.

"When you actually encounter it on a field mission someday, will you also tell the evil spirit, 'This is inherently tricky,' and make it wait for you to redraw it?"

Old Biggs fell silent.

Richard stood at the door, unsure whether to go in or back out.

Old Big looked up and saw Richard at the door; his face lit up.

"Richard! You've arrived!" He practically rushed up to him. "Perfect timing! My senior sister's here. Let me introduce you..."

"I've met him," Mrs. McNeil said without looking up. "Whitcom."

"Yes, yes, Whitcomb."

Old Big nodded repeatedly, taking the opportunity to move two steps to the side and quietly push the inscription pattern, which was covered with red circles, towards the corner of the table.

"Biggle," Mrs. McNeill pulled the pattern back and placed it in front of him, "I didn't tell you to stop."

Old Big's shoulder, which had just begun to relax, slumped back down.

"Alright, alright, look at you."

Mrs. McNeil put down her pen: "Go back and revise it again, and hand it in to me next week."

"next week?"

I'll still be in Briston next week.

"Yes."

Old Biggs, holding the manuscript, shrank to one side.

Mrs. McNeil then turned to look at Richard.

"You're here?"

"Yes, madam."

"Come sit here."

Richard stood up from the bench and moved a round stool over there.

"How far have things progressed between what Old Biggs and you these past two months?"

Richard answered honestly: "Spiritual vision can be fixed for more than twenty seconds, and divination can be done by reading stones."

"Hmm." Mrs. McNeil nodded. "He can only teach up to this level."

"..."

Old Biggs sat silently at the other table.

"Don't pretend you can't see me over there," Mrs. McNeil said without turning her head.

"Come here."

Old Big moved over.

"There are a few things you've taught Richard over the past two months that need correction. I'll talk to you about them separately later."

"Go back over there first."

Old Big slunk back.

"Don't look at him and smile."

Mrs. McNeil's gaze returned to Richard:

"Your problem of having 'unobstructed spiritual vision' is more serious than his."

Richard straightened his back.

"I have a general understanding of your studies over the past two months."

"That concludes the section on Old Bee. The next part I'll teach you will begin with tarot card readings."

"...Tarot cards?"

"I did it with tarot cards that night in Whitcomb."

"The 'Bridge' spread," Richard continued. "You crossed the bridge (Edmund), the starting point (Maggie), crossed the bridge (me), reached the end point (Theodore), and finally crossed the 'obstacle'."

"Hmm, you have a good memory."

Mrs. McNeil took a box from the leather trunk next to her.

"The cards my teacher passed down to me, you've seen them before."

She opened the box.

The box was lined with dark blue velvet, and a stack of tarot cards was placed on top of the velvet.

"Don't try to fixate on it with clairvoyance," Mrs. McNeil stated bluntly. "Even if you see it, you won't be able to read it."

"Today, I'll teach you how to recognize cards first."

Mrs. McNeil drew twenty-two Major Arcanas from that deck of cards.

"You should first recognize these twenty-two cards."

She laid out the twenty-two cards one by one on the table.

For Richard, the name of the twenty-two Grand Arcanas was not unfamiliar.

"These are twenty-two cards," Mrs. McNeill said, arranging each card face up. "Each card corresponds to a prototype."

"prototype?"

"Images that repeatedly appear deep within the human psyche."

She reached out and tapped the "Fool" card:

"The ignorant and fearless traveler."

I also clicked on "The Magician":

"A person with enough willpower and the ability to mobilize elements."

"The Priestess: Hidden Wisdom"

"Empress: Abundance."

"Emperor: Order".

……

She went through each card one by one, giving each card a very simple description.

"You read Stone's stuff," Mrs. McNeill said, """How many symbols are there in total?"

"Old Big taught me nine kinds."

"Yes, there are 22 Major Arcana cards in the Tarot deck, plus 56 Minor Arcana cards, for a total of 78 cards."

"The combinations that can be drawn from Tarot cards are far more complex than those drawn from stone readings."

"Today, I'll teach you how to do a single-card divination first."

The medium reached out and drew a card, twirling it casually between his fingers.

"Single card reading?" Richard asked curiously.

"Yes, it's the simplest way to do divination in Tarot."

She gathered all twenty-two cards together and shuffled them.

Richard could see the etheric layer inside the deck of cards was in motion.

After Mrs. McNeil finished shuffling, she put the deck back in the center of the table.

"Think a question to yourself, then draw a card."

"Any question is fine?"

"right."

Richard silently asked himself a question, then reached out and drew a card.

He turned the cards over.

[The Star - Upright]

Mrs. McNeil glanced at it: "What did you ask?"

"...I asked, 'Will my next article be published smoothly?'"

"Yes, the upright 'Star' corresponds to hope, purification, inspiration, and being guided."

"Literally, your manuscript can be published, and the effect will be very good."

She changed the subject:

"But there is another meaning in the painting 'Star'. This painting depicts a woman kneeling by the water, pouring the water in her hand back into the river."

"The moment she poured the water, it flowed back into the river, but her hands were now empty."

"So..." Richard frowned.

"Your article can be published, but what will you pay for it?"

"...What exactly is it?" he asked, somewhat uneasy.

"I don't know." Mrs. McNeil turned the cards over:

"Like other forms of divination, Tarot can only provide a general direction."

Moreover, I wasn't involved in the event I was reading about, which greatly reduced the effectiveness of my divination.

Richard sat on the stool, not saying a word for a long time.

He recalled what Charlotte had said when she closed the manuscript:

There's a chill about this piece of yours, I can't quite put my finger on it.

"Have you thought it through?" Mrs. McNeil asked.

"...I'm still thinking about it."

"It's okay if you can't figure it out."

She shuffled the "star" card back into the deck:

"The directions revealed by the Tarot are for your decision-making."

"Whether or not you publish this manuscript is your decision."

"I'll decide for myself."

Richard took a breath.

"That concludes today's card reading lesson. Go back and memorize all twenty-two Major Arcana cards, both upright and reversed."

"I'll take you on a house call next Wednesday afternoon."

"...A house call?" Richard thought of what this medium had been doing. Was he being taken to psychic trances?

"Private jobs done by local guilds."

Mrs. McNeil put the deck of cards back into the wooden box:

"Talk is cheap. I'll give you 20% of the profits when we make money."

"Be at the branch office entrance promptly at 2 PM on Wednesday. Don't be late. There shouldn't be anything else, right?"

Richard stood up:

"The school has given me flexibility in my studies; I just need to ask for half a day off in advance."

"Go back early," the medium waved to him.

Before Richard left, he turned and glanced at old Big.

This guy is still struggling with his "homework," his whole body huddled up in a wrinkled ball.