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The fortune teller lifted his head, only to see two small figures standing before his table, just barely tall enough to reach it. Clearly, they were quite young.

"So young and already seeking a fortune reading? You probably don't even understand what fate is, do you?"

The man held a crow-feather fan in his hand, waving it leisurely. The motion made his sideburns flutter slightly, giving him a youthful appearance.

However, Qin Shu knew better. In the cultivation world, appearances meant nothing—someone who looked like a young man might very well be hundreds or even thousands of years old.

Hearing his words, Qin Shu purposely raised an eyebrow and asked, "Could it be... you're actually not very accurate?"

Her narrow eyes, coupled with her playful tone, instantly irked the fortune teller. He scoffed and leaned back in his chair, tilting his chin up as he looked at Qin Shu. "You should go ask around. Everyone knows I, Lu Li, never get it wrong!"

Qin Shu frowned slightly, scratching her head. Why did this name sound so familiar? She felt like she had heard it somewhere before.

After thinking for a moment, a spark of realization flashed in her mind. She looked up at the man and asked, "Are you Lu Li from the Celestial Secrets Pavilion?"

Lu Li's fan swayed even more dramatically. "That's right! It's me! Since you've heard of my name, there's no need to question my abilities."

Qin Shu solemnly shook her head. "Indeed, there's no need to say more."

Just as Lu Li was about to bask in his own praise, he suddenly heard the little girl turn to the white crane beside her and say, "Since he's Lu Li, we'd better leave. Other fortune tellers charge money—he charges lives."

Lu Li: "..."

Yueming, the crane, hadn't been interested in fortune-telling to begin with. After all, he was just a crane—if the sky fell, the elders in his clan would handle it. His life was perfectly fine!

Hearing Qin Shu's words, he immediately nodded. "Then let's go. I'll buy you some spirit fruits."

But Lu Li wasn't having it. He called out to the two little ones who had already turned to leave. "You there—stop!"

Qin Shu turned back to look at him. Lu Li was now standing, pointing his fan at her. "You—you—you! Explain yourself! What do you mean, 'Other fortune tellers charge money, but I charge lives'?"

Yueming instinctively took a step forward, shielding Qin Shu behind him.

This fortune teller was clearly stronger than both of them combined. If a fight broke out, even if he and Qin Shu worked together, they wouldn't stand a chance. But at least, as a beast, his natural defenses were stronger—he could take a hit better than she could.

However, Qin Shu remained calm. The Red Gold City might not be as grand as a major metropolis like Tailai City, but it was still under the jurisdiction of Xuantian Sect. Combat was forbidden here, a rule designed to protect the sect's disciples.

She mimicked Lu Li's stance, slightly raising her chin and narrowing her eyes playfully. "Lu Li, you're a smart man. I'll just say two words. Whether I'm right or not, you can judge for yourself."

Lu Li's expression stiffened, and a faint sense of foreboding crept into his heart.

The little girl before him suddenly smiled and uttered two words: "Spirit Vein."

Lu Li's heart skipped a beat. He quickly waved his hand. "Alright, alright! I'll give you a free fortune reading! Just stop talking!"

Seeing his reaction, Qin Shu's smile widened. "Thank you for your kindness, but we'll pass. Farewell."

As the girl and the crane walked away, Lu Li frowned deeply. Turning back to his table, he slammed his fan down, causing a flash of white light as a set of ancient divination bones appeared.

"If she won't let me read her fortune, I'll do it myself!"

That day, when he had tried to divine the fate of the Zhong family's spirit vein, someone had interfered, blocking the heavenly secrets. Because of that, he had miscalculated, nearly causing a catastrophe.

His reputation had taken a severe hit, and he had been forced to flee to Red Gold City, where fewer people knew him. He had hoped to bide his time and find a way to help the Zhong family, repaying his karmic debt.

But he hadn't expected his past mistakes to have spread so far and wide.

Even a little girl in Red Gold City knew he was unreliable?! Would he have to use a fake name just to do business from now on?!

With a determined look, Lu Li quickly formed a hand seal, activating his third eye to interpret the divination bones.

One glance, and he was utterly baffled.

"What kind of reading is this? Are the bones broken?"

Or had his abilities truly deteriorated?

No! A real man never admits defeat!

He clenched his teeth, formed another hand seal, and pressed a drop of his own blood onto his brow.

*Pfft!*

A mouthful of blood sprayed out, and Lu Li's face turned pale.

Damn it! Who the hell is this little girl? Why am I getting backlash from trying to read her fortune?!

Taking damage was one thing—but the fact that he hadn't even *seen* anything was even worse!

Lu Li had always been a prodigy in divination, yet this event shook his very core.

Was he... truly losing his abilities?

The thought crept into his mind like a shadow, but he immediately forced it down, reciting a cleansing mantra to steady his heart. He exhaled deeply and pulled out his communication jade slip.

Finding a familiar energy signature, he sent a message:

**"Junior Brother."**

The reply came almost instantly:

**【Senior Brother, is your Dao heart wavering?】**

Lu Li stared at the jade slip, his emotions turbulent.

Though he hated to admit it, his junior brother, Sui Han, was indeed more talented than him.

The veins on Lu Li's hand tensed, but after a long pause, he forced himself to reply:

**【Yes.】**

He didn't know what emotions filled him as he wrote that single word, but Sui Han instantly understood.

With a casual stroke, Sui Han replied:

**【To undo a knot, one must find the one who tied it.】**

Lu Li frowned.

**"Junior Brother, you mean... I should go to the Zhong family?"**

A scoff came through the jade slip—Sui Han had sent a voice message this time. "No, you idiot. I mean, go find the person who made you doubt your Dao heart."

Lu Li finally understood.

That little girl?

He looked at the jade slip in his hand, then at the divination bones on his table. Finally, his gaze lifted to the bustling streets. His eyes grew firm with determination.

With a flick of his sleeve, his fortune-telling stall vanished into thin air.

Then, without haste, he strode in the direction Qin Shu had left. Though his steps seemed unhurried, he disappeared from sight within moments.

Meanwhile, Qin Shu was crouched at a street stall, flipping through a few jade slips.

Behind her, a familiar voice rang out.

"You're looking for movement techniques?"

Qin Shu turned around and saw Lu Li standing beside her, hands clasped behind his back, peering over at the jade slips in her hands.