"I'm asking you why you kept winking at me and wanted me to join that Xuanxue Society."
After arranging to meet Ji Quan and Pang Long at the Guangzhou branch of the Xuanxue Society the next day, Qin Yu and the others left Yi An Zhai. As soon as they stepped out of the shop, Qin Yu turned to Mo Yongxing to ask her.
"Do you know why I came to Guangzhou this time?" Mo Yongxing asked in return.
"How would I know why you came to Guangzhou? I'm not a mind reader," Qin Yu replied, rolling his eyes. People like Mo Yongxing, who came from wealthy families, frequently traveled to various major cities. With convenient transportation nowadays and him not lacking money, he might be in Shanghai tomorrow and in some hutong in Beijing the day after.
"My sister asked me to monitor He Ping, remember? He came to Guangzhou a couple of days ago," Mo Yongxing whispered in Qin Yu's ear.
"He Ping came to Guangzhou?" Qin Yu's expression became serious. He Ping was associated with a mysterious organization that was neither good nor righteous. What was he planning by coming to Guangzhou?
"And he specifically came to participate in the exchange event of this Guangzhou Xuanxue Society. That's why I asked you to agree to their proposal to join the society. This way, we'll have the opportunity to participate in the event and see what He Ping is up to in Guangzhou."
"Did you discuss this with your sister?"
"Of course. However, my sister had to handle something at home, so she sent me to Guangzhou. I didn't expect you to be in Guangzhou too. Oh, by the way, I haven't asked you yet, why did you suddenly come to Guangzhou?" Mo Yongxing suddenly realized that he had come to Guangzhou to monitor He Ping, but Qin Yu had no apparent reason to be in Guangzhou, and he arrived earlier than Mo Yongxing did.
"It's a long story..." Qin Yu briefly explained the reason for his presence in Guangzhou. Mo Yongxing's eyes lit up as he listened. This involved another Japanese person and the resurrection of a dragon. How exciting! He made up his mind to follow Qin Yu during their time in Guangzhou.
"Why are you following me? I work at the construction site every day. Are you planning to work at the construction site too?" Qin Yu didn't want to be bothered by Mo Yongxing, who was a rich young master. He found an excuse that he was staying at the construction site, thinking that someone like Mo Yongxing probably wouldn't be able to tolerate it.
"It's okay. I'll stay at a hotel near the construction site," Mo Yongxing chuckled. When he saw that Qin Yu was about to say something else, he cut him off with a single sentence, "Don't forget, the Dragon-Seeking Disk is mine now. I'm just lending it to you, and I can take it back anytime."
"If you don't find it boring, then go ahead and follow."
The two of them finished their conversation, and Mo Yongxing sent Li Bing and the other young masters at the intersection away. He then drove his car and followed Zhang Hua towards the construction site. As for Qin Yu, he got into Mo Yongxing's car, not because it was luxurious and comfortable, but because he wanted to give his cousin and Tong Min some alone time. He didn't want to interfere and have his aunt nag him if their relationship didn't progress.
The next day, Qin Yu, his cousin Zhang Hua, and Tong Min sat in Mo Yongxing's car as he drove towards the YueXiu District. The location of the Guangzhou branch of the Xuanxue Society was right next to the famous Guangxiaosi (Guangxiao Temple). Originally, Tong Min hadn't planned to come along, but Qin Yu persuaded her to join, saying that it would be nice to see the scenery at Guangxiao Temple while they were there.
Tong Min hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded and agreed. However, she glanced at Zhang Hua, who was smiling foolishly next to her, and a faint blush appeared on her face. Qin Yu's intentions were as clear as day, evident to everyone, including Mo Yongxing, who could tell that he wanted to matchmake Tong Min and Zhang Hua. Tong Min herself couldn't be unaware of it either, as girls are sensitive to certain things.
"We're here," Mo Yongxing announced.
He drove the car to a building, and Ji Quan and Pang Long were already waiting at the entrance. Qin Yu had called them before they set off, which was why they were there waiting.
"Guangzhou Xuan Yi Research and Cultural Society." Qin Yu nodded slightly as he looked at the seven ancient characters displayed at the entrance of the building. It seemed that the people in Guangdong were indeed concerned about feng shui. Just by looking at how luxurious this branch was built and how openly it was displayed, one could see the importance of feng shui masters in the hearts of the people in Guangzhou.
Shortly after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, feng shui was classified as feudal superstition, and many feng shui masters suffered varying degrees of persecution. However, Guangdong was an exception. The people in Guangdong believed the most in ghosts, gods, and feng shui. Whether it was opening a shop or celebrating important events, they would always invite feng shui masters to take a look.
"Brother Qin, this is the headquarters of our Guangzhou branch of the Xuanxue Society. Impressive, isn't it?" Ji Quan led the way and smiled at Qin Yu.
"At first, I thought it would be located in some alley." Qin Yu rubbed his nose, not hiding his surprise.
"In fact, this whole building isn't entirely for our branch. The offices of other companies are located on the fifth floor and above. But the employees of those companies use the side staircase. The lower five floors belong to our Guangzhou Xuanxue Society."
Ji Quan introduced as they walked, "The first and second floors are open to the public. We often hold lectures here, discussing important considerations for selecting residential locations. After all, the philosophy of our Xuanxue Society is to promote the study of feng shui and benefit the citizens. Only members of the society can access the third to fifth floors, so..."
Ji Quan paused for a moment, his gaze shifting towards the three people who had come with Qin Yu. The rule was established from the inception of the Xuanxue Society that only members could access the third to fifth floors, and although he was a council member, he couldn't break the rules.
"Xiao Yu, you go up. We'll wait for you downstairs."
Just as Mo Yongxing was about to speak, Zhang Hua, who was standing beside him, spoke first, leaving Mo Yongxing unable to say what he wanted to say. He could only pout and remain downstairs.
As for Qin Yu, he naturally followed Ji Quan to the third floor. When they stepped out of the elevator, Qin Yu was shocked by what he saw. A one-zhang tall (3.3 meters) Huangshan stone was placed horizontally at the entrance, simple and square, without a trace of carving. Just a glance at it caused the Qi in Qin Yu's body to spontaneously circulate, like a child who had found a beloved toy, filled with excitement.
"Master Ji, is this the Zhengtian Stone?"
There is a stone in Huangshan, Tianzhengfangyuan (perfectly square), receiving the essence of heaven and earth, keeping away demons and evil, noble men observing it can cultivate righteousness and nourish their spirits, while petty people observing it will be struck by thunder and feel restless.
"Yes, this is indeed a Zhengtian Stone. Brother Qin, your knowledge is truly profound. Just by a glance, you recognized it as a Zhengtian Stone. It was donated by the first president of our GZ Xuanxue Society when it was first established." Ji Quan's tone carried a strong sense of pride.
"What a grand gesture. With this Zhengtian Stone, the fortune of the branch will surely flourish."
Zhengtian Stone may be unfamiliar to many, but if you mention the famous figure in history, "Hai Qingtian Hai Rui," I'm sure everyone would know.
Hai Rui, also known as Master Gangfeng, was a man of integrity and incorruptibility. During his career as an official, he never flattered or fawned on others. Legend has it that when Hai Rui was young, he received a fist-sized stone from a stranger who instructed him, "This stone is called Zhengtian Stone. Carrying it with you can cultivate righteousness."
Upon receiving this square stone, Hai Rui was delighted and placed it on his desk. He would gaze at it every day, and over the years, influenced by the Tianzheng stone, Hai Rui's character gradually changed. He became as upright and resolute as the stone itself, with a clear distinction between right and wrong.
In addition, there is an account recorded in Ji Yun's "Notes from the Thatched Cottage." During Hai Rui's tenure as the Governor of Ying Tian, he once encountered members of the White Lotus Sect while on an inspection tour. At that time, the White Lotus Sect was preparing to incite civil unrest, and due to Hai Rui's esteemed reputation among the people, they feared he would thwart their plans. That night, the followers of the White Lotus Sect performed sorcery, summoning evil spirits to take Hai Rui's life.
Seated in his study, Hai Rui was engrossed in his night reading, holding a lamp in his hand. Suddenly, a cold wind blew, causing the doors and windows to rattle. Undeterred, Hai Rui picked up the Tianzheng stone from his desk, raised it high, and slammed it down, rebuking the entities outside the door, "You demonic creatures, unworthy of being seen by righteous individuals like myself. As a scholar, I possess unwavering integrity and shall not fear the likes of you."
After Hai Rui spoke these words, the wind abruptly ceased, and only a few mournful cries could be heard, followed by a return to silence. The next day, when the servants were cleaning the courtyard, they discovered the bodies of several animals, seemingly crushed to death by some unknown force.
Subsequent generations hold different interpretations of this incident. One view is that Hai Rui's righteousness was so strong that it struck fear into the evil spirits, causing them to perish. Another perspective suggests that Hai Rui tapped into the power of the Tianzheng stone. Known as an unparalleled force of righteousness in the world, the stone is a natural enemy of malevolent entities. By lifting and striking with the Tianzheng stone, Hai Rui was able to crush these demonic creatures.
Regardless of which interpretation one favors, Hai Rui and the Tianzheng stone had been inseparable companions for many years, having influenced each other long ago. The saying "a person is like their stone" refers to individuals like Hai Rui.
There are many other stories surrounding the Tianzheng stone, but such accounts are generally found in ancient records of anecdotes by notable figures, making them unfamiliar to the general public. Qin Yu, too, became acquainted with the Tianzheng stone because of his interest in reading ancient texts.
In addition to its ability to ward off evil, the Tianzheng stone serves another important purpose: suppressing malevolent qi. Wherever the stone is present, negative energy cannot prevail. The towering Tianzheng stone, standing over ten feet high, is exceptionally rare and can suppress all forms of malevolent energy within a three-mile radius.
"How do you like it? Our Guangzhou branch is quite impressive, isn't it?"
"It's an eye-opener. I've never seen such a large Tianzheng stone before." At that moment, Qin Yu felt that joining the metaphysical society seemed like a good decision.
Furthermore, there was another point Qin Yu didn't mention. He could sense his psychic power subtly nourished by the Tianzheng stone. In just a short while, it had grown stronger. If he were to stay by the stone's side for an extended period, it would greatly shorten the time needed for him to break through to the second-rank master level.
"Take this form, Qin Brother. Fill it out, and in a few days, you can receive your membership card. Unfortunately, our president is busy preparing for the exchange conference, or he would have personally met such a young geomancer like yourself. You're the youngest member we've had since the establishment of our metaphysical society."
Ji Quan brought a form and handed it to Qin Yu. Upon a quick glance, Qin Yu found it quite simple—a few basic details such as name, contact information, and some basic information were required. At the bottom of the form, there were two names as recommenders: Ji Quan and Pang Long.