Chu Yi laughed in anger. If it were before, with the hosts slapping his face like this, he definitely would have turned and left without a second thought.
But now, with his reputation not yet spread, walking away like this would only confirm he was a fraud.
Chu Yi wasn’t that foolish. He at least had to vent this frustration before leaving!
Chu Yi didn’t even glance at the people in front of him and walked straight past them toward the master pretending to be deaf. “Master Zhang, right? We’re both Xuanmen Cultivators—how can we not exchange pointers when we meet outside? I just stepped in, haven’t even warmed my feet, and Master already sent his disciple to chase me out in a hurry. Could it be that you feel your skills are insufficient and fear exposing flaws before a fellow practitioner?”
“Who are you calling afraid of exposing flaws?!” Zhang Jue nearly jumped up.
“If you’re not afraid, then let’s compare. Whoever accurately diagnoses Young Master Li’s condition first.”
“Compare? My master fears you?” Zhang Jue fell for the provocation hook, line, and sinker, selling out his master in three sentences.
Master Zhang’s old face darkened at this, finally unable to feign ignorance. He set down the Luo Pan. “Young friend, no need for goading on my foolish disciple. This old man will exchange pointers with you.”
Zhang Jue’s face flushed red upon hearing this, and he glared fiercely at Chu Yi.
Chu Yi lightly pushed, shoving the blocking Zhang Jue aside, and strode confidently to the bedside. While examining the person on the bed, he asked, “What has Master Zhang discerned?”
“Why should my master speak first?” Zhang Jue chased after unwillingly.
Chu Yi glanced at him with the tone of instructing a junior. “Don’t you even know this etiquette? I’m the junior, your master the senior—of course the senior goes first. Otherwise, word spreads that your master bullies the young… Besides, I just arrived and haven’t even seen Young Master Li’s face clearly. Master has been studying the Luo Pan for ages, not even hearing our argument—surely you’ve found something. Right, Master Zhang?”
As a five-hundred-year-old antique, he impersonated a junior without blushing—who asked for his current youthful face? Moreover, his tongue was sharp, stringing words to trap without fear of Master Zhang not biting.
Master Zhang knew Chu Yi had the high ground and wasn’t afraid of him muddying the waters. He snorted coldly and stated directly, “According to the Luopan Compass’s calculations, Young Master Li remains unconscious because he lost souls. But no need to fear—this souls likely wandered off by accident. Once I set up a Magic Array for Call Soul, I can naturally call him back.”
Li Hongming and his wife paled at first, then sighed in collective relief at Heavenly Master Zhang’s follow-up.
Chu Yi raised a brow subtly. “Has Master Zhang also noticed that Young Master Li has Red Luan Enters Fate Palace, with signs of the Red Luan Star stirring?”
“Don’t joke—this Li Yunkai is comatose; how could the Red Luan Star stir? I told you you’re a half-baked pretender…” Zhang Jue scoffed, but he was quickly slapped down by his master.
“Indeed, Young Master Li’s Red Luan Star has stirred. As the saying goes, fortune and misfortune depend on each other. Young Master Li lost his soul and po yet triggered the Red Luan Star into the Fate Palace—it seems good fortune is near,” Master Zhang said slowly after a pause.
He finished and looked at Chu Yi in surprise. He hadn’t expected this arrogant young man to have such insight?
It seemed his challenge wasn’t mere calf’s bravado but backed by skill. Unfortunately, this bit of ability wasn’t enough to impress him.
The Li couple was shocked and delighted. Their son wasn’t young anymore; losing souls yet stirring the Red Luan Star—could it be that soul and po had accidentally drifted into some girl’s home?
Just as their minds filled with “unfinished romance between human and ghost,” Chu Yi raised his brow and smiled. “Is that so? Master, are you sure you didn’t misread? Young Master Li’s good fortune is near?”
For some reason, Chu Yi’s confident demeanor made even Master Zhang uneasy. He recalculated carefully. “No mistake—indeed, the Red Luan Star stirs.”
That was exactly what Chu Yi waited for!
“To me, this Red Luan carries evil, entering the fallen palaces of the Fate Palace—it’s a harbinger of disaster, none other than Peach Blossom Evil! If Master Zhang pairs Young Master Li with this Peach Blossom Evil, Young Master Li’s life will be in peril.”
Master Zhang’s face changed abruptly, cold sweat beading as he rapidly calculated with his fingers for a while, then resorted to the Luo Pan. By the end, even his lips trembled.
He had nearly… misjudged Young Master Li’s condition. If he’d rashly performed Soul Summoning, not only would the soul and po not return—Young Master Li could have died by his hand!
Thinking of the worst outcome, Master Zhang broke out in cold sweat…
Even if Li Hongming and his wife didn’t understand Chu Yi’s words, they could read Master Zhang’s face. Seeing Master Zhang rebutted into a sweating mess by a novice youth, what more was there to misunderstand? They had misjudged!
“Master Chu…” Li Hongming and his wife hurried forward to apologize, but Chu Yi didn’t give them the chance. He waved his hand, leaving not a trace of cloud behind. “Since Master Zhang is handling this, Chu won’t disturb further. Farewell!”
He exited the ward, and without seeing his long legs move much, he had already walked far away in a blink.
“Hey, hey, Master Chu, don’t go, Master!” Li Hongming and his wife were dumbfounded and could only desperately signal Mu Jiajun and Ouyang Yuyuan with their eyes to chase him back.
