Chapter 621 Mysterious Palace

Songhai. Just after dinner, the sun sank below the horizon, stubbornly projecting its last rays of light, dyeing the clouds on the horizon golden red.

Jiang Yuer walked out of her room in pink slippers, excitedly heading to her nephew's room, only to find it empty.

"Mom, where's Yuanzi?" she shouted, calling out to her grandmother, who was washing dishes in the kitchen.

"He just went out. Probably telling fortunes for the old men in the neighborhood again," her grandmother responded in an even louder voice.

"He doesn't know how to tell fortunes. Isn't he just scamming the old men and women in the neighborhood? Mom, beat him to death when he gets back."

"He's not scamming them, but he does deserve to be beaten to death," her grandmother said through gritted teeth.

"Mom, I'm going to take a nap. Call me when he gets back. Tomorrow's the weekend, and I want to play games," Jiang Yuer said, yawning, and went back to her room.

By the stone table in the neighborhood, Zhang Yuanqing sat imposingly, surrounded by a group of old men and women. Across from him was a balding old man.

The old man said with heartache, "Zhang-dashi, your predictions are so accurate. The stock I bought really did crash. Oh, it's making my liver hurt."

Hearing this, Zhang Yuanqing shook his head and sighed.

"Uncle Wang, you have the fate of a chive, always being harvested, from young to old. You'll never get rich in this lifetime. If you keep going like this, your later years will be miserable."

Uncle Wang was shocked and grabbed Zhang-dashi's hand tightly, saying, "Master, you must save me."

Zhang Yuanqing sat up straight, looking like a wise man of the world, "It's easy. Give the money to your old lady to manage from now on."

"Will that prevent me from being harvested?" the old man asked expectantly.

"Then your son will be the one being harvested."

".......Master, please reverse our family's fate against the heavens."

Listening to their conversation, the old men and women on the side exclaimed "Oyo" and showed shocked expressions.

"He really lost money?"

"Must be a blind cat finding a dead rat."

"The Chen family's kid really knows how to tell fortunes?"

The old men and women chattered in surprise. Recently, rumors had been spreading in the neighborhood that the Chen family's grandson had left home during the summer vacation to study with a master, learning the skills of face reading and fortune-telling from a high-ranking person. His predictions were always accurate, and he could find dragon spots and change fate.

It started like this: Last week, Old Man Fei from the neighborhood was playing chess with Old Man Chen when Chen's grandson suddenly appeared, pointing at Old Man Fei and saying:

"Uncle Fei, your Yintang is dark, and your eyes are muddy. You have early-stage cancer. Go to the hospital quickly; there's still time."

Hearing this, Old Man Fei wanted to show the kid what it meant to be still vigorous in old age, but the next words from Old Man Chen's grandson shocked him.

No one could remember exactly what he said, but after listening, Old Man Fei rushed to the hospital in a panic. After an examination, it turned out that he really had lung cancer. Fortunately, it was in the early stages, and the doctor said it could be treated.

After this incident, the Chen family's kid became famous among the old men and women in the neighborhood.

But some people were still skeptical of his abilities.

"Zhang-dashi really has real skills. A few days ago, he said I would have a grandson next year, and yesterday my daughter-in-law found out she was pregnant."

"Old Wang also lost money in stocks. It can't all be an act, right?"

At this time, an old man with triangular eyes pushed Old Wang away, "Let me go, let me go."

He scrutinized Zhang Yuanqing, his tone somewhat disdainful, and said, "Young man, look at my face. If you can guess correctly, I'll give you two hundred yuan."

"Forget about the money. We're all neighbors," Zhang Yuanqing maintained the calmness of a wise man, not annoyed by the other party's attitude and tone. As usual, he asked the old man's name and birthdate.

He actually knew this old man. He was known for his bad temper in the neighborhood and was stingy and mean. He had once had a conflict with his grandfather.

After the triangular-eyed old man finished speaking, under the gaze of the surrounding old men and women, Zhang Yuanqing stroked his chin and said:

"You are in good health, but your interpersonal, family, and children relationships are poor. Your children probably haven't come to see you in a long time."

The triangular-eyed old man snorted, "Stop bluffing. These are all well-known facts."

You also know that you have poor relationships....... Zhang Yuanqing changed the subject, "However, your *yuan gong* is shrouded in auspicious clouds, and there is hidden red light. Tsk tsk, congratulations, old man. Your love life is ushering in a second spring."

The triangular-eyed old man's expression changed. Before he could speak, Zhang Yuanqing changed the subject again:

"However, black gas permeates the auspicious clouds, and blood color surrounds the red light. This is peach blossom luck mixed with bloody misfortune. It means your lover is a married woman. Old man, have you hooked up with some old lady?"

The surrounding old men and women exclaimed "Oho" again.

The triangular-eyed old man's face froze, and then, like a rat whose tail had been stepped on, he jumped up.

"How is that possible!" He retorted loudly and vehemently, while looking at the people around him, "There's no such thing at all. This little rascal is talking nonsense. You'll die a horrible death for lying, you know."

He stood up angrily, pushed through the crowd, and strode away.

Because he had already discovered that the way the people around him were looking at him had changed. The old men looked wary and hostile, while the old women were full of gossip.

Zhang Yuanqing shouted at his back, "Old man, you're so old, just settle down and enjoy your retirement. Don't get involved in these fancy things."

"Yuanzi!" At this time, his uncle, having finished eating, came out of the building and waved, "Let's go, let's go square dancing."

"Okay!"

Zhang Yuanqing took out a mask from his coat pocket and followed him happily. The old men and women behind him loudly tried to persuade him to stay:

"Zhang-dashi, take a look at me."

"Zhang-dashi, don't go. Which family's wife did that old man hook up with?"

"Zhang-dashi, my son's been having trouble at work lately. Can we make an appointment for you to tell his fortune?"

But Zhang Yuanqing just waved his hand, leaving without a trace, and followed the family disgrace out of the neighborhood. Fifty meters away, in the square, a group of enchanting old women were waiting for him.

Zhang Yuanqing had been home for a week. During the day, he pretended to go to school, but in reality, he went to the Fu family's villa to be with Guan Ya, and he also supervised Xiahou Aotian tightening screws when he had time.

During this time, he took a trip to Jinshan City. The No Trace Hotel had closed down. Fearing revenge from the Southern Faction, Xiao Yuan had moved to the city with the four young people.

Kou Beiyue and Little Fatty had suspended their delivery business and switched to being express couriers, currently working for the "Man Blood Bun" logistics company.

In the evening, he would come back to eat dinner with his family, accompany his uncle to square dance, play games with his aunt, and occasionally join the urging marriage army, urging his overly mature cousin to find a girlfriend.

It's worth mentioning that last night, his aunt brought a girl home. She was the daughter of a friend of his aunt's older brother. Both parents were leaders in state-owned enterprises, and the family was well-off.

The girl was also a returnee and was currently a senior executive at a Fortune 500 company. She was thirty-two years old and was a high-quality woman with a beautiful appearance and outstanding abilities.

The girl's family had heard that his cousin was the captain of the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau, with a high position and great power, and they immediately hit it off, intending to bring the two together.

So his aunt brought that *jiejie* home for dinner. Zhang Yuanqing was also there at the time. That *jiejie* was really good. She had wavy hair, wore designer clothes, and had elegant intellectual aura with rimless glasses. If you didn't know better, you'd think her brother's surname was Gao.

When that *jiejie* arrived at his house and saw Zhang Yuanqing, her eyes lit up instantly, and she inquired about him in a roundabout way during dinner.

Where does younger brother go to school? Is he interested in interning at *jiejie*'s company? How is Aunt's business overseas? What brands of clothes does younger brother like....... Her attention was all on him, and she didn't even talk to his cousin.

Before leaving, she even wanted to add Zhang Yuanqing on WeChat.

There was nothing he could do about it. Zhang Yuanqing's appearance wasn't bad to begin with. After becoming a Lingjing Xingzhe, his figure was strong and tall, and his temperament combined the evil charm and wildness of a Night Wanderer with the mysterious and ethereal nature of a Star Official. His attraction to women was indeed great.

The blind date naturally failed. According to his aunt, the *jiejie* went home and told her parents that she had taken a fancy to her blind date's younger cousin, saying that she could start dating immediately, get married within three months, and have a child within a year.

His uncle's family didn't care. His uncle didn't care about his son's marriage. Chen Yuanjun was the old man's heir, not his.

His aunt felt that her son was the captain of the Public Security Bureau, with a high position and great power, and could choose any girl in Songhai, so he didn't lack a wife.

But his grandmother was very dissatisfied and regarded her grandson as a thorn in her side for the next few days.

........

At one thirty in the morning, after seeing his aunt off, Zhang Yuanqing locked the door and used Star Evasion to come to the rooftop.

He took out the Grand Luo Star Compass, opened his Star Eyes, and routinely deduced his future.

Half an hour later, he put away the star compass, having gained nothing, and sighed.

"There are still no omens. This shows that my death tribulation comes from a high-level being, at least a peak Ruler, or a high-level Night Wanderer who is good at concealing himself."

Zhang Yuanqing looked worried and sighed again.

Although Star Observation didn't give any feedback, logical reasoning wouldn't be interfered with by "hidden" forces.

He believed that the death tribulation should come from two aspects: Elder Cai and Ling Tuo.

The problem is, based on the Demon Lord's experience, Ling Tuo shouldn't make a move against him until after he advances to Day Wanderer.

Unless something special happens recently that makes Ling Tuo decide to act ahead of time, such as finding out that he is Zhang Tianshi's son.

And if the death tribulation comes from Elder Cai, the crisis will most likely be an assassination by multiple Rulers, which can be cleverly resolved by hiding in a dungeon.

"Alas, the most terrifying thing is not danger, but not knowing where the danger comes from, and not even having a direction to think about countermeasures."

Zhang Yuanqing turned into starlight and disappeared.

.........

Dark clouds covered the sky, layer upon layer, boundless and limitless. Pale light tried hard to penetrate the clouds, shining on this lifeless land.

This was an ancient battlefield, a forbidden zone of life. The gray-brown earth stretched to the end of the field of vision, and rotten corpses and decayed bones were like dark sores growing on the surface.

A lake of blood, like a scarlet gem, was embedded in the ground.

Above the blood lake hung an ancient palace, built of large black stones. The palace was neither Western-style spire nor Chinese-style tile.

Its architectural style did not belong to any era, as if it was divorced from human civilization, more like a cube piled up with stones by ancient humans.

But the rocks that made it up were seamless, and the outer walls were flat. The exquisite details were not something that ancient humans could do.

In front of the suspended palace, nine hundred and ninety-nine suspended stone steps extended, with the one thousandth step embedded in the ground.

A tall, weathered ascetic monk, with his hands clasped together, climbed step by step.

Each time he took a step up, the stone steps retreated by one level. He walked for a long time, but he was stepping in place.

Even so, he had already walked nine hundred and ninety steps, only ten steps away from reaching the palace.

"Past events leave no trace!"

A figure appeared at the end of the steps, wearing ragged robes. It had no flesh, and the exposed skull was snow-white, and its hands and feet were also pale bones.

The skeleton's empty eye sockets pulsed with soul fire, conveying spiritual fluctuations:

"You are not the one chosen by God. Do not try to steal God's authority. Return. This is your last chance."

.......

ps: Fix typos later.