Before any cultivators came for fortune-telling, Fan Jianqiang was sly and furtive, his small eyes darting around constantly. But at this moment, he looked simple, honest, and solemn.
"This guest is extraordinary," he said seriously. "What would you like to know?"
"Simple," Wu Xingyun replied nonchalantly. "Just tell me what I'm thinking right now."
Lin Fan stood quietly by the side. However, the people in line behind them were somewhat dissatisfied.
"Trying to pick a fight?"
"Young lady, you're making things difficult."
"A woman's heart is as unpredictable as the sea. If you want him to predict your past or future, the master might have some clues, but asking him to guess your thoughts—how could he possibly do that?"
"Even a worm in your stomach wouldn't know."
They had been there for a while and knew that Fan Jianqiang's predictions were incredibly accurate, so they naturally didn't want Wu Xingyun to ruin his reputation.
"Noisy," Wu Xingyun muttered, unwilling to waste words with them. A slight release of her aura as a Cave Heaven realm cultivator made their pupils shrink, and they retreated in fear, no longer daring to make a sound.
"Go ahead," she stared intently at Fan Jianqiang and spoke again.
Fan Jianqiang looked at her deeply and then used six copper coins for divination. After he finished, he didn't say a word, picked up his bucket, and ran away. Carrying the canvas with "Iron Mouth Predicts Accurately" written on it, he walked quickly, as if fleeing for his life.
"Why are you running?" Wu Xingyun was surprised and called for him to stop, but he only ran faster.
Lin Fan was secretly amazed, "This guy... has some skills."
"Stop!" Wu Xingyun flashed and blocked Fan Jianqiang's path. "You haven't told me what I'm thinking."
"Do I need to say it?" Fan Jianqiang replied helplessly, "Isn't it obvious? You want to beat me up. If I don't run, should I wait to be hit?"
He really figured it out!
Wu Xingyun was shocked.
She, a Cave Heaven realm cultivator, and he, an ordinary person... Even without considering the disparity in strength and 'karma,' he could actually deduce her thoughts. There was something seriously wrong with him!
He was definitely not as simple as he appeared.
Lin Fan also walked over slowly, even more astonished.
This guy could actually read people's minds?!
Could he also see through my thoughts?
He pondered for a moment, then stepped forward, "Sir, please don't mind. We are looking for someone, but this person is extraordinary, so we first posed a difficult question. As it turns out, you indeed have genuine skills. We would like to request another divination. If successful, we will offer double the fee. What do you think?"
As he said this, Lin Fan's mind was extremely active, even cursing inwardly, "Your mother is a slave."
He kept a close watch on Fan Jianqiang's face.
Seeing no reaction from him, Lin Fan felt slightly relieved.
At least it proved that Fan Jianqiang didn't have mind-reading abilities; even if he could understand others' thoughts, he needed to perform a divination ritual. Knowing this, there was no need to worry too much.
"Looking for someone?" Fan Jianqiang's expression softened slightly, though it was not his true demeanor. "Then I want double the fee."
"Agreed." Lin Fan nodded.
"Since that's the case, let's begin. You write a character." Fan Jianqiang said, "Character analysis."
"Character analysis?"
This was not unfamiliar.
Lin Fan pondered briefly and wrote the character "慎" (shèn).
The character for "caution."
Fan Jianqiang's eyes flickered, then he gave Lin Fan a deep look before pondering, "This person, easy to find yet hard to find."
"Oh?" Lin Fan's mind turned, "Why is that?"
Fan Jianqiang did not respond directly and instead said, "The clues are insufficient, I need to calculate further. Why are you seeking this person?"
"We want to take him as a disciple."
Lin Fan did not hide anything.
"...Why?" At this moment, it was Fan Jianqiang's turn to be surprised.
What shocked him even more was that, using his face-reading skills, he couldn't discern any background about Lin Fan at all! It was as if there was a cloud of chaos, or as if he didn't belong to this historical context, with no trace of his presence at all!
But this shock was well concealed by him.
"This child is fated with our sect."
"But whether he becomes a disciple depends on mutual consent. How can you be sure he will agree?"
"I'm not sure, we can only try our best and sincerely strive for it."
"If he agrees, naturally everyone will be happy. If he doesn't agree... it just means we are not destined."
It was all true!
Although in Fan Jianqiang's eyes, there was nothing but emptiness behind Lin Fan, unable to calculate anything, he could still distinguish between genuine and deceitful words.
So, he continued the conversation.
"Oh? Which sect are you from?"
"Moon Grasping Sect."
Lin Fan still didn't conceal anything, and he even vaguely guessed. Judging by this master's ability to see through people's minds, it shouldn't require such detailed information to find a person.
Clearly, the person in front of him either knew Fan Jianqiang and wanted to help him check.
Or...
But, could it really be such a coincidence?
"Moon Grasping Sect?" Fan Jianqiang smiled slightly and shook his head, "You should know, a wise bird chooses its tree. If I'm not mistaken, the person you're looking for has decent talent. If he wishes to join an immortal sect, even if he can't enter a sacred place or a top-tier sect, it wouldn't be hard for him to join a leading second-tier sect. Why would he choose a third-tier sect like Moon Grasping Sect? In my opinion, you should give up. If it were during the peak of your Moon Grasping Sect, there might be some possibility. Unfortunately~~~ Or, why do you think you can succeed?"
Lin Fan also smiled. "If we couldn't retain our peak, we'll walk the path again. This may sound arrogant, even ridiculous to you, but we've always walked this path with our heads held high and have already made some progress. As for why? We have no particular advantages right now, only our sincere hearts. Moreover, as you said, if he wished to join a sect, he would have already done so. Why is he still a rogue cultivator? Clearly, he is also waiting, perhaps for an opportunity, for the right sect. Or maybe he doesn't want to join a sect and be bound by it. But... I want to give it a try. Trying may not lead to success, but not trying is a sure failure, isn't it?"
Fan Jianqiang was moved.
His expression changed repeatedly, especially at the phrase "if the peak cannot be retained, then retrace the path you came from," and the look he gave Lin Fan was exceptionally complex.
There was melancholy, shock, disbelief, and even... a hint of joy.
Countless times he wanted to speak but held back in the end.
He simply took a deep breath and said, "I figured it out."
"Oh?"
Wu Xingyun's face lit up with joy. "Where is this person?"
Although she did not know the background of such a person, since they could match one of the sect rules, they must be extraordinary.
"Far away yet close at hand," Fan Jianqiang whispered.
Wu Xingyun was taken aback.
Lin Fan, however, laughed, "So it is you."
"How did you find me?" Fan Jianqiang was puzzled. "My disguising methods should be quite good."
"Fate. You are destined with our sect!"