Chapter 106.2

Li Zhuiyuan let go of Lu An’an’s hand. Lu An’an ran over and helped the pale-faced Liu Tao to his feet.

“Liu Tao, your nose is bleeding. Wait a second, I’ll get you some tissues.”

Liu Tao kept muttering to himself, “I can’t calculate it. I can’t calculate it. I can’t calculate it…”

The commotion woke the balding senior next door, who had been dozing.

He opened his eyes groggily. When he saw what was happening, his expression changed, and he immediately strode forward two steps, cursing,

“You’ve got nothing better to do than calculate on yourself for fun?”

As he spoke, his right hand clamped Liu Tao’s jaw open, while his left hand pulled out a handful of black pellets from his pocket. They looked a lot like that snack popular outside elementary schools, “rat droppings.”

Li Zhuiyuan caught the smell and knew it was a kind of calming tonic. He used to get nosebleeds often, and Aunt Liu had brewed plenty of medicine for him before. Every single time, Ah Li had been the one to bring it over and feed it to him.

“Don’t give him that,” Li Zhuiyuan said as he walked over.

The balding senior shot Li Zhuiyuan a glance. Seeing how young he was, he had no intention of listening and kept trying to feed the pellets into Liu Tao’s mouth.

“A little bleeding and a few days of headaches will do him good. Think of it as clearing out the stasis.”

“What did you say?” The balding senior frowned and looked at Li Zhuiyuan again. Those words did not sound like something an ordinary teenager would say.

“If you feed him that, then he suffered for nothing. Let him rest for a few days. After that, he’ll have a much better feel for calculating.”

The balding man said in a low voice, “Kid, are you from the divination school?”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head. He did not even know exactly what that meant, but judging from the name, it was probably a collective term for sects focused on physiognomy, divination, and fortune-telling.

“Then who are you? Can you take responsibility for what you’re saying? If he doesn’t take the medicine in time, something could go wrong with his brain.”

“Nothing will go wrong. But if you want to feed him medicine, then go ahead.”

“You…”

The balding student was speechless. Since you’ve put it like that, would it still be appropriate for me to feed him?

At that moment, Liu Tao seemed to recover a little. His eyes focused on Li Zhuiyuan, and he asked, “Why can’t I calculate anything at all?”

“That’s normal.”

Li Zhuiyuan was currently in the middle of River walk, with the river surging mightily around him.

Lighting the lantern during River walk was equivalent to submitting his own fate structure upward. Only after lighting the third lamp would it count as taking his fate structure back into his own hands.

During the River walk stage, his fate structure belonged to the rivers and lakes, or rather, to that patch of sky above his head.

Which meant that what Liu Tao had just been trying to calculate was the will of heaven.

That was an even greater taboo than calculating himself in a mirror by countless times.

Li Zhuiyuan had originally thought Liu Tao would fail and was just an enthusiast. But Liu Tao really had entered the state. To keep him from becoming crippled, the boy had just calculated against him as well, controlling the force to offset the backlash and keep it within a reasonable limit.

Liu Tao had been injured. He had a nosebleed, and his head would ache and swell for several days. But once he recovered, his physiognomy skills would count as having truly stepped through the gate with both feet.

The balding senior stood up and looked at Li Zhuiyuan.

“So if you’re not from the divination school, then what path are you on?”

He did not even know the formal salute, so he was clearly just some minor nobody from the jianghu.

“You wouldn’t know.”

“Who’s your teacher? What family name does your house carry? Where’s your ancestral home?”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head again, then turned to Lu An’an instead.

“Senior, you’re very good at bone reading.”

Lu An’an did not know why, but being praised by this boy actually made her feel flattered and overwhelmed.

“I learned from my grandmother. She does this back in our hometown.”

“Next time you go home for a break, Senior, you can tell your grandmother that when reading bones, she can add finger tremor echoing.”

Lu An’an’s eyes widened at once. She had heard her grandmother mention that term more than once, and every time it had come with regret and a sigh. Their family had originally had it, but somewhere in her great-grandmother’s generation, the transmission had been broken, so it had never been passed down.

“My grandmother… doesn’t know it.”

She answered honestly.

And the milk candy she had put into her mouth earlier still had not melted completely. It was still giving off little threads of sweetness.

“Senior, bend down.”

“Oh.”

Lu An’an bent over.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his right hand, slightly curled it, and lifted it.

Lu An’an drew in a deep breath and turned her face toward the boy’s hand.

Li Zhuiyuan used the knuckle of his ring finger and tapped her forehead three times.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Three trembling echoes rang through Lu An’an’s mind.

She stumbled backward several steps and sat on the ground, looking up at the sky. It felt high and clear. When she looked around, everything seemed sharper and more delicate, both in sight and in sound, and her entire being entered an airy, lucid state.

This was finger tremor echoing, a method within the art of bone reading. Under the tremor of the finger, the echo gathered everything back in, allowing for a more specific and refined bone-reading result.

The Comprehensive Treatise on Yin-Yang Physiognomy did record the art of bone reading, but only as a minor branch within it. Compared to other methods, bone reading was somewhat inconvenient and fairly limited.

Li Zhuiyuan had learned this method, but he had never used it for bone reading. The few times he had used it before were on Jingjing, who had been afflicted by a malevolent spirit, and on the unconscious Binbin. He had used it as a kind of knocking brick to awaken their consciousness.

Lu An’an’s face was full of delight.

“You know it. You really know it. Can you teach me?”

Li Zhuiyuan was surprised. Hadn’t I just taught you? I even taught it three times.

Lu An’an immediately stood up, crossed her hands before her chest, then stepped her right leg half a step back. Her hands, head, and upper body lowered in alternating motions as she performed a formal salute.

At the moment, Lu An’an was probably the one with the deepest family training here, more reliable than Liu Tao and the balding senior, because her grandmother had even taught her the old formalities.

As for her grandmother, she was probably about like Liu Jinxia back in his hometown: someone who made a living from this trade. But Liu Jinxia had become a practitioner halfway through by relying on her tough fate, so in terms of metaphysical attainment, she definitely could not compare to Lu An’an’s grandmother.

Li Zhuiyuan returned the salute with a Liu Clan salute.

Lu An’an kept smiling. Liu Tao, who was still bleeding from the nose as he struggled to his feet, looked blank. Only the balding senior pointed at Li Zhuiyuan and said smugly,

“See? I told you, you’ve got family training!”

Clearly, not a single one of the three people present recognized the Liu Clan.

Lu An’an said, “Junior—no, Senior, please teach me.”

“I have something to do.” Li Zhuiyuan looked at the sky. “I’m leaving.”

“Senior, this is the club application form.” Lu An’an took out the form and a pen and handed them over. “You talk, I’ll fill it out?”

“Not joining.”

He had only noticed it was still early and happened to see this corner by the sports field when he passed by, so he had come over to have a little fun. Now he had had his fun.

It had been pretty interesting. Both Liu Tao and Lu An’an had some real ability.

The balding senior blocked Li Zhuiyuan’s path.

Li Zhuiyuan looked up at him and asked, “What do you want?”

The balding senior scratched the bald spot on top of his head and said, “Don’t misunderstand. I just feel like I somehow lost out today. Do you get that feeling?”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head and kept walking forward.

The balding senior stepped aside.

Still scratching his head, he really did feel like he had lost something today, but he had no idea exactly what it was.

Actually, he had not lost anything. It was just that the other two had gained something, which made it seem like he had lost out.

And when Li Zhuiyuan had first walked over, the first person he noticed was him, because that hairstyle was simply too eye-catching. But he had been napping.

He woke halfway through his nap, saw the state his friend was in, and naturally had a bit of temper in him. His words came out harsher than they should have, and unlike Lu An’an, he had not realized in time what the boy was capable of and adjusted his attitude. He had kept that trace of arrogance.

Sometimes, character really did decide fate.

Both his friends had gained something, but not even his name had been remembered.

When Li Zhuiyuan walked out through the sports field gate, he happened to see Tan Wenbin and Runsheng coming over together.

“Xiao Yuan.”

“Brother Xiao Yuan.”

Li Zhuiyuan’s gaze fell on Runsheng, and he blinked.

Runsheng walked over, turned his back to Li Zhuiyuan, and bent down.

Li Zhuiyuan climbed onto Runsheng’s back. Runsheng stood up and carried the boy forward.

Dusk was drawing near, and the horizon had begun to dress itself in sunset colors.

Tan Wenbin told Li Zhuiyuan when Yin Meng would be coming out of seclusion, along with the Huangshan news he had gotten from Fan Shulin.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded to show that he understood, then rested his face against Runsheng’s back.

They arrived at the Liu Clan residence and pushed open the courtyard gate to enter.

Aunt Liu’s voice came from inside.

“Oh my, our Xiao Yuan is getting younger and younger. Now he even needs Runsheng to carry him.”

Li Zhuiyuan climbed down from Runsheng’s back, smiled at Aunt Liu, and asked,

“Aunt Liu, when will Yin Meng come out of seclusion?”

Aunt Liu glanced at Tan Wenbin.

“Didn’t I already tell Binbin? Mengmeng still has to soak for another day.”

“Detoxing?”

“What toxins? If there were toxins, would I be soaking her in the well? It’s for beauty treatment.”

“Then I’ll trouble you, Aunt Liu, to fish her out.”

“Something up?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll go right now.”

Aunt Liu wiped her hands on her apron, went inside first to take out a large bag, then headed straight out of the little courtyard.

“Brother Runsheng, do you need to rest?”

“Xiao Yuan, I don’t have injuries on me.” Runsheng pointed to the places beneath his clothes where the coffin nails had originally been driven in. “These are qi seas.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. This was a body-tempering method developed from The Qin Family’s Guide to Viewing Flood Dragons.

Back then, Uncle Qin had stood by the Yangtze River, sprouting webbing on his feet and gills on his face before leaping into the river. By himself, he had nearly smashed straight through the entire Baijia Town.

That was the principle behind it.

The sixteen coffin nails had created these qi seas. On land, they helped Runsheng store momentum and gather qi. In water, they let him breathe in a special way.

Only something that could ascend to the skies and plunge into the rivers could truly be called a Flood dragon.

“Brother Runsheng, then go eat at the shop first. Make sure you eat your fill, then get your gear and mine ready.”

“Got it.”

“Brother Binbin, go arrange Lin Shuyou. Find a suitable place and let him spar with Runsheng. It has to be finished before eleven tonight.”

“Understood.”

Tan Wenbin then pointed upstairs, toward where the old lady was.

“Today I’ll talk with Granny on your behalf for a while.”

“All right.”

Runsheng and Tan Wenbin turned and left.

The floor-to-ceiling window of Ah Li’s room was tightly shut, and the curtains were drawn as well. Li Zhuiyuan did not hurry to find Ah Li. He went upstairs first.

Liu Yumei stood at the table, brush in hand, sketching out a clothing design.

“Well now, this is rare. You came in and came to see your granny first. What is it? Something came up?”

“Yes. Looks like I’ll have to go out for a trip.”

“So urgent?”

“Better to get an early start.” Li Zhuiyuan walked over to Liu Yumei’s side and helped her arrange the paint palette.

“How about this one?” Liu Yumei asked.

“It suits Ah Li very well.”

“I trust your eye, boy.”

“These past days, Runsheng, Binbin, and Yin Meng have caused you trouble.”

“So this is where the line gets cut?”

“How could it be cut? Just opening another door, that’s all. We’re still family.”

“I’ll take your word for it. I trust that you know what you’re doing. But the other two aside, Zhuangzhuang really hasn’t caused me much trouble.

“The moment this fellow gets in front of me now, he acts like some little eunuch. He’s treating me like Empress Dowager Cixi.

“He thinks I can’t tell. It’s not like I’ve never watched TV or movies.”

Li Zhuiyuan chuckled.

“Oh, that poor child. He has to come cheer up this bad-tempered old woman every single day.”

“You’re an elder. You’re protective of your own and generous, dignified and sensible. If a family has an old lady like you, how could the younger generation not happily dote on you?”

“As long as they don’t find me nagging and annoying.”

“The only elders who make the younger generation annoyed are the ones who conduct themselves badly, remain stubborn and incorrigible, and only know how to throw their seniority around while bossing those below them about. You don’t have a single bit of that in you.”

“In the end, you really are the one who knows how to talk.”

Liu Yumei reached out and touched Li Zhuiyuan’s face. Then she stepped back and looked him up and down carefully.

“You really have grown a bit taller. In a few more years, you’ll be a big boy.”

“Isn’t Ah Li the same?”

“Ah Li is different. In my heart, no matter how old she gets, she’ll always be a child. You should be too, really. But you know it yourself. What you carry on your shoulders is different.”

“I know.”

“It’s still the same thing I’ve always said. I’m already content. Whenever you feel tired, whenever you don’t want to keep walking anymore, then come back and light the lamp.

“The Qin and Liu Clans have already done more than enough. Sheltering two young ones and letting them live out peaceful lives is still well within our means.”

“Uncle Qin left again?”

“Yes. He only came back midway in the first place. Now that things here are settled, the matters over there are still waiting for him. But this time, he won’t be gone for long before he comes back.

“What, are you worried I’d send him to Fujian to trouble those Officers of the Command Banner?”

“You’ve become calmer now.”

“Yes. When life gives you something to look forward to, people feel different.

“All right, go see Ah Li. Since you’re going on a long trip, the two of you should talk a little more.”

“All right, Granny.”

Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs and opened the door to Ah Li’s bedroom.

He did not need to knock, because Ah Li could sense his arrival.

When he entered, Ah Li had just set down her carving knife.

“Did I interrupt you?”

Ah Li shook her head and handed the seal over to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan took it. It was small and exquisite, yet it carried a hidden force. Especially the dragon-elephant carved on the top of the seal, which looked vividly alive.

He did not hurry to look at the inscription on the bottom. Instead, he pressed it into the seal paste and walked over to the hanging scroll on the table.

The painting depicted the moment he had ended Granny Yu.

“It’s painted so well.”

Li Zhuiyuan stamped the seal onto it. When he lifted it away, a bright red seal mark appeared on the painting:

Acting on Heaven’s Behalf

It meant the same thing as enforcing justice in heaven’s name, but the aura it carried was different.

Li Zhuiyuan could not help curling his lips into a smile. He did not have such lofty ideals. The concept of the righteous path was not all that deeply rooted in his heart either. After all, when he had first entered the path, the first thing he had read was Wei Zhengdao’s stash of personal books.

But he truly enjoyed this feeling of putting one over on the Heavenly Dao.

If he ever talked about these four characters in front of outsiders, they would surely assume they stood for his lofty aspirations. But in truth, only she knew that what they really represented was this mischievous, wicked little sense of humor buried deep in his heart.

The painting was finished, and the seal had been stamped. It was just that the frame had not yet been completed. Mainly because they had used up more scrap material than expected, so this batch of ancestral tablets was not enough. They would have to wait for the next batch of remade ancestral tablets to take over.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and held Ah Li’s hand.

“Come on, let’s pick another one.”

The boy and the girl closed their eyes together.

Li Zhuiyuan arrived behind the threshold. Ahead of him, the mist was still there, and so were those rustling sounds. Compared to right after Granny Yu had been dealt with, the mist had clearly pressed much closer, and the noise had grown much louder as well.

One Granny Yu had been enough to make them wary for a while, but far from enough to make them truly afraid and scatter.

Li Zhuiyuan stepped over the threshold and pulled out the white lantern wedged into the crack in the wall.

One person, one lantern, walking into the mist.

Within the mist, ghostly shadows loomed everywhere. Some were probing, some mocking, some teasing.

Just then, the lantern in front of him was suddenly wrapped up by a clump of mist, as if something had swallowed it whole.

Li Zhuiyuan did not panic. Both his hands remained firmly gripping the pole.

From the lantern’s end came a tugging force.

It was taking the initiative!

Li Zhuiyuan swung the lantern pole with all his strength, like a fisherman whipping his rod after a fish had taken the hook.

In that instant,

the surrounding mist scattered,

and a giant black fish swept overhead. Its body was enormous, and its eyes were full of hatred.

A willing fish takes the hook!

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