Yuan Qi wasn't unwilling to accept the silver coins, but the two customers who came weren't fools with too much money, so he was slightly disappointed.

She rested her chin on her hands, her lips slightly pursed, reluctantly listening to the white-robed scholar state his demands.

The scholar said his name was Qi Sheng. He had just taken the imperial examination a few days ago and felt it went very well. He believed he would pass, and his friends also said he had a good chance. So today he spent a lot of money to have his fortune told.

After listening to his rambling, Yuan Qi grabbed the loose silver coins and put them into his cloth bag. His little hands were like rakes, and he was very skilled at scooping up money. In the blink of an eye, he had collected all the money.

When Qi Sheng saw that the other party had accepted his money, he subconsciously assumed that the other party was taking the money because they thought he would pass the imperial examination.

To everyone's surprise, Yuan Qi stared at his forehead with a serious expression: "You can indeed pass the imperial examination, but you're too stubborn. Even if you do pass, you won't live to see that day."

The white-robed scholar immediately became angry, pointing at Yuan Qi and scolding, "How dare you bully me, you little Taoist priest! You at least used copper coins to cast a divination stick when you told that lady's fortune, but when it came to me, you didn't even do a divination before giving me a reading?"

Yuan Qi stood up, pulled him to sit down, and stood himself, keeping his gaze at the same level as him. Then he said, word by word, "Your forehead is dark, you have an aura of death about you, and you won't live much longer. I can tell just by looking at your face, there's no need to calculate it. But since you have some talent, I can tell you how you will die. Your face tells me that you are destined to be harmed by villains and will be killed by the people around you."

She sighed, "It's such a pity. You weren't a bad person, yet you died young. If you would listen to my advice, don't believe everyone. As the saying goes, 'You shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you can't be without the heart to guard against others.' If you could think about it carefully, perhaps you could have escaped this calamity."

Qi Sheng wasn't disbelieving in Yuan Qi. After the fortune-telling woman left, he followed her for a while, stopped her, and asked her for clarification. The woman said that the young Taoist priest was right, so he decided to give up his money to have his fortune told.

He suddenly knelt down, startling Yuan Qi.

"Young Taoist priest, since you have foreseen that I am doomed, you cannot stand idly by. Please, young Taoist priest, save my life. I will tell you about the few friends I have recently made friends with. Please help me analyze who is trying to harm me."

Yuan Qi shook his head and refused outright: "No, if I were to calculate it in more detail, it would consume my spiritual power. Besides, if I were to forcibly interfere with your fates, I would be punished by the heavens. If you want to change your fate, it depends on your own destiny."

Of course, if you offer enough silver, I might make an exception, but it seems you can't afford it.

She took out a talisman from her cloth bag, held it in both hands, and handed it to him: "This talisman might be able to help you. Wear it close to your body."

Qi Sheng left with great regret.

Yuan Qi ate a bowl of noodles at a noodle stall not far away. The owner was a man in his early thirties with a girl who looked to be about twelve or thirteen years old.

The middle-aged man kneaded and rolled the dough with practiced ease, while the young woman cooked the noodles and served the customers their meals and dishes, providing excellent service. Yuan Qi received a generous portion of noodles, with two extra slices of meat added.

Yuan Qi ate noodles at this noodle stall last time. The owner was very welcoming. Seeing that she was so young, even two years younger than his daughter, and had to work to earn money, he felt sorry for her. He didn't take advantage of her young age.

The twelve or thirteen-year-old girl was mute and never spoke, but she was very pretty. As soon as Yuan Qi picked up his chopsticks, the girl brought him a plate of pickled vegetables.

"Young Taoist priest." A clear voice came from behind her. Yuan Qi was eating with her head down when she turned around and saw that the God of Wealth had come to her door. It was the young master in the carriage, the one Bai Youhui said would get a million taels of silver if he cured him.

She mumbled through her noodles, "Wait a minute! I'll be right there."

I just ordered noodles, and I haven't even eaten a few bites yet. I can't waste them.

The boy in black sat quietly on a small stool, his unfathomable eyes fixed on Yuan Qi's petite figure.

Yuan Qi ate faster, his cheeks puffed out like a little hamster, and he shoveled the noodles more quickly, turning his head to look around as if afraid he would run away.

The boy in black couldn't help but chuckle, "Eat slowly, I'm not leaving."

After finishing his meal, Yuan Qi sat back down on his little stool and exclaimed "Huh?" when he saw the boy in black.

"That's strange."

The boy in black, puzzled, asked, "What's wrong?"

Yuan Qi tilted his head and looked at it again and again: "That day when you passed by here, you were reflected in the Bagua mirror, and the evil energy had already escaped from your body. Why are you surrounded by evil energy again today?"

The boy in black had no idea what was going on. Recalling that day, after being blinded by a bronze mirror, he felt much better. The inexplicable irritability and chilling feeling had largely disappeared, and even his strength had returned somewhat. However, not long after returning home, that feeling returned.

"I..." Before the boy in black could say anything, Yuan Qi asked him, with a hint of reproach, "You've been running around again, haven't you? Do you know that people like you, who have been entangled by evil spirits, are most susceptible to being tainted by evil spirits again? How could you run around like that?"

The young man in black felt quite innocent. His guard, who was not much older than him, was also somewhat indignant and explained on his behalf, with a hint of reproach in his voice: "Young Master was a little tired after returning from Fusang Temple. He has been resting in the manor for the past few days and has not gone anywhere."

"If that's the case, then there's a problem with your residence. Could you take me to see your place?"

The guard, named Xuan Yu, was about fifteen or sixteen years old. He was dressed in black and had a very unfriendly face. He directly confronted the guard, saying, "You little Taoist priest, you wouldn't happen to be trying to curry favor with our Ninth Master, would you?"

"Ninth Master? Which Ninth Master? Do all people with a little money call themselves 'Master' these days?" Yuan Qi asked knowingly, knowing that the other party was the Ninth Young Master of the Xiangli family, the next head of the Xiangli family, yet she still asked this question. She looked at Xuan Yu provocatively, even raising an eyebrow.

Xuan Yu was furious: "Do you know that the person in front of you is no ordinary person? He is Xiangli Youming, the young master of the Xiangli family. You'd better be polite."

Xiangli Youming turned around, frowned, and scolded, "I haven't even said anything yet, what's the rush? What's wrong with going to my residence?"

Yuan Qi quickly packed up the stall, then arrogantly showed off to Xuan Yu: "See? Even your master is better at talking and dealing with people than you. Learn from him. Offending the Celestial Master is no joke."

Xuan Yu was furious and resentfully retorted, "He's not even fully grown yet, and he calls himself a Celestial Master..."

Xiangli Youming was furious and sternly reprimanded, "Apologize to the Celestial Master."

Xuan Yu dared not disobey her master's orders and reluctantly clasped her hands in apology to Yuan Qi: "Young Daoist Master..."

Xiangli Youming looked at Xuanyu again with a blank expression.

Xuan Yu changed her words: "Master, I'm sorry."