"Brother Chen, what's going on? You've got to help me out here! I'll write you a check—no, I'll pay you in cash right now!"
Boss Wu's face had turned pale with fear, terrified that Chen Yi might abandon him halfway through. If Chen Yi decided to walk away, where could he possibly find another reclusive master of such skill?
Even if he did, there was no guarantee they'd be more capable than Chen Yi.
"No need for that. Since I've taken on this task, I won't back down, no matter how difficult it gets," Chen Yi said with a wave of his hand, offering Boss Wu a reassuring promise.
"That's good, that's good! I knew you were a righteous man, Brother Chen. You wouldn't leave your elder brother in the lurch!"
Boss Wu wiped the sweat from his brow, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace.
Chen Yi then drew three more Lingbao Dissipation Talismans and arranged them on the wall according to the "Heaven, Earth, and Man" trinity formation.
"For now, the malevolent energy is suppressed, but this is only a temporary solution. At most, it'll hold for a week," Chen Yi said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Drawing four talismans in succession had been no small burden on his current strength.
"Then… what should we do?"
Boss Wu's face was tense, his anxiety barely eased by Chen Yi's assurances.
If the malevolent energy couldn't be eradicated, he'd have no choice but to sell the jewelry store. Rumors of the store's troubles had already spread like wildfire along the pedestrian street. Even if someone were willing to take over, they'd undoubtedly drive the price down to rock bottom, leading to significant losses.
"To truly neutralize the malevolent energy here, it won't be easy. We'll need to find some artifacts to set up a proper Feng Shui formation."
"Artifacts? What kind of artifacts? Where can we find them? Don't you have any?"
Boss Wu's questions came rapid-fire, one after another.
"Do I look like a god who can conjure things out of thin air? Go to the Medicine King Temple and see if you can find anything there," Chen Yi replied irritably.
"Medicine King Temple? Why not Feng Shui Street?" Boss Wu asked, puzzled. Logically, Feng Shui artifacts should be purchased on Feng Shui Street, where Chen Yi was a local figure and could get things done more efficiently.
"Feng Shui Street? If they had anything good, do you think they'd sell it? They'd keep it for themselves. Besides, to resolve the issues with your store, mass-produced artifacts from factories won't cut it. We need items with history, which is why we're going to try our luck at the Medicine King Temple."
The Medicine King Temple was the hub for curios and antiques in Quancheng. If Chen Yi needed something with age and authenticity, there was no better place to look.
However, the sellers at the Medicine King Temple were notoriously unscrupulous. The ratio of fakes to genuine items was overwhelmingly skewed, and even seasoned experts often fell victim to their tricks.
Even if they managed to find something worthwhile, the sellers would demand outrageous prices, bleeding you dry.
"But isn't that place full of counterfeits? Won't we get ripped off?"
Although Boss Wu dealt in jewelry and jade, he had little knowledge of antiques. Facing those who specialized in selling fakes, he was sure to be taken advantage of.
"Ha! If I don't fleece them, they should consider themselves lucky. They wouldn't dare try to scam me," Chen Yi said confidently.
Recalling how deftly Chen Yi had fleeced him, Boss Wu felt a bit more reassured. Even so, he couldn't help but doubt—could someone so young really be an expert in antiques too?
Chen Yi's expertise in Feng Shui and divination was already astonishing. If he were also proficient in antiques, it would be almost unbelievable—unless he'd started learning from the womb!
Despite his doubts, Boss Wu had no other choice. He reluctantly drove Chen Yi to the Medicine King Temple to try their luck.
The temple was bustling with people, resembling a rural marketplace. Stalls were set up everywhere, and the air was filled with the sound of haggling.
Don't underestimate these seemingly ordinary vendors. Though they looked no different from those selling sweet potatoes at a farmers' market, many of them were worth millions—some even wealthier than Boss Wu.
"Boss, see anything you like? Take your time. I guarantee the price will be right!"
As soon as Chen Yi and Boss Wu entered, a vendor called out to them.
Chen Yi might have looked like an average person, but Boss Wu was a different story. His large gold rings and chains gleamed conspicuously, and his outfit, though not particularly stylish, was clearly expensive.
Even if he couldn't wear the clothes with flair, his wealth was undeniable. Whether or not he was gullible remained to be seen.
Chen Yi shook his head; there was nothing worthwhile at this stall.
The two continued forward, stopping at various stalls to inspect the goods. Chen Yi occasionally picked up an item to examine, but no matter how eloquently the vendors pitched their wares, he didn't make a purchase.
After wandering through most of the temple, they still hadn't found anything suitable.
"Brother Chen, have you found any artifacts yet? Say something!" Boss Wu was clearly growing anxious.
"Why are you so impatient, Brother Wu? In business, one must remain calm and composed. Even if you're anxious, don't let it show on your face," Chen Yi said, displeased. Boss Wu's constant chatter was starting to get on his nerves.
Meanwhile, the vendors eyed the two of them like fat sheep, making Chen Yi feel increasingly uncomfortable.
"Yes, yes, you're right, Brother Chen. I was too hasty," Boss Wu said, nodding repeatedly.
He realized his behavior had been inappropriate, but he couldn't hide the worry on his face.
Who wouldn't be anxious? Every day this dragged on, his jewelry store was losing at least tens of thousands of yuan.
Though he was wealthy, his money hadn't fallen from the sky—it had been earned through hard work and effort.
As the two continued their search, a sudden crash sounded at Boss Wu's feet—a porcelain bowl shattered into pieces.
"My heavens, my Qianlong imperial kiln!"
A wail, as mournful as if someone's father had died, erupted from a nearby vendor, startling Boss Wu into jumping back.
"You've broken my Qianlong imperial kiln! You have to pay for it!"
The vendor, a man in his thirties with a sharp, rat-like face, triangular eyes, and a bulbous nose, leapt out from behind his stall and grabbed Boss Wu by the collar.
"You broke it! You have to compensate me for my Qianlong imperial kiln!"
"I didn't even touch your stupid bowl! It rolled off on its own!"
"Rolled off on its own? Do bowls in your house roll around by themselves?"
The vendor, sensing an advantage, raised his voice. "Everyone, come and judge for yourselves! This man broke my Qianlong imperial kiln and refuses to take responsibility. He even claims the bowl moved on its own! Have you ever heard such nonsense?"
"That rascal is at it again."
"He's got a keen eye for fat sheep, doesn't he?"
"One day, this Medicine King Temple's reputation will be ruined because of him."
The vendor, known as Monkey Boy, had been running a stall at the temple for years, specializing in staged accidents to extort money.
The other vendors and regulars all knew his tricks and kept their distance.
But bad luck seemed to follow Boss Wu like a shadow. Accompanying Chen Yi to the temple, he had unwittingly become Monkey Boy's latest target.
Ignoring the murmurs around him, Monkey Boy continued his act, treating all the comments as praise. "You heard them! Everyone says you're in the wrong. Don't think you can weasel your way out of this!"
Boss Wu's face turned crimson with anger. He tried to shake off Monkey Boy's grip, but despite his wiry frame, Monkey Boy was surprisingly strong. After several failed attempts, Boss Wu lost his temper. "You little punk! You've got a death wish, don't you? Trying to scam me? I'll make sure you disappear from Quancheng for good!"
Boss Wu wasn't an ordinary man. After the initial shock wore off, he quickly realized he was dealing with a scammer.
If the bowl were truly from the Qianlong imperial kiln, the vendor would have cherished it like a treasure, not placed it carelessly at the edge of the stall where it could easily be broken.
"Oh, so now you're threatening me after breaking my stuff?"
Monkey Boy smirked, unfazed. Turning his head, he shouted, "Big Brother, someone's trying to skip out on paying!"
Moments later, a hulking bald man with a menacing expression strode over. "Trying to weasel out of paying? Fatso, you broke the bowl—why aren't you compensating for it?"
Without waiting for an answer, the man grabbed Boss Wu by the collar, tightening his grip until Boss Wu's face turned red.
"Let go of me, or I'll call the police!" Boss Wu finally panicked.
"Call them! Even if the cops come, you'll still have to pay!"
The bald man wasn't bluffing. In disputes like these, without concrete evidence, the police couldn't do much. In the end, Boss Wu would still be at a disadvantage.
"Big brother, let's talk this out. Business is about harmony and mutual benefit. There's no need to escalate things," Chen Yi said, picking up a shard of the broken bowl and examining it.
"Finally, someone reasonable," Monkey Boy said, his eyes lighting up. "How about this? Since I like you, I'll give you a special price—18,000 yuan. What do you say?"
"Eighteen thousand for that broken bowl? I wouldn't pay 1.8 yuan for it! Are you out of your mind?" Boss Wu snapped, his anger flaring again.
"Brother Wu, calm down. Sometimes, when fate deals us a bad hand, we just have to accept it," Chen Yi said with a smile before turning back to Monkey Boy. "But 18,000 is too steep. How about 3,000? Let's settle this like brothers trying to make a living."
"Three thousand? No way! That's a huge loss for me. Fifteen thousand, and I'm already being generous!"
"Fifteen thousand is still too much. Six thousand."
"Ten thousand! Not a penny less!"
"Six thousand. That's my final offer!"
The two haggled back and forth, drawing the attention of a white-haired old man who finally stepped in to mediate. "Gentlemen, if you keep this up, you'll waste the whole day. Why not split the difference? Eight thousand—fair and reasonable for both sides."
"Fine. Let's do as the elder suggests. A loss is a loss," Monkey Boy said, feigning reluctance.
"Eight thousand? That's still too high!"
While Monkey Boy was thrilled, Chen Yi was far from pleased. The broken bowl was clearly a modern replica, worth no more than a few dozen yuan elsewhere.
"You're being unreasonable, young man. The seller has already agreed to compromise, and you're still hesitating?" the old man said, frowning.
"Alright, but…"
Chen Yi glanced at the old man, as if persuaded, then turned to Monkey Boy. "But you'll have to throw in that bronze gourd as well."
He pointed to a small bronze gourd sitting at the edge of Monkey Boy's stall.
The gourd, no larger than a palm, was covered in patches of verdigris, evidence of years exposed to the elements. Its surface bore faint, fragmented lines, though the pattern was indiscernible.
"Fine. Consider it my good deed for the day," Monkey Boy said, handing over the gourd.
The gourd had been sitting unsold for over a year. Its poor condition made it an eyesore, so he was happy to get rid of it.
Chen Yi took the gourd and examined it closely. At first, his face lit up with joy, but soon it turned into a bitter smile.
"Sigh, I thought I'd stumbled upon a treasure, but it's just a worthless trinket!"
Monkey Boy watched Chen Yi's reaction with disdain. Did this kid think finding a hidden gem was as easy as picking cabbages?
"Alright, pay up!"
Monkey Boy didn't care whether Chen Yi was disappointed. All he wanted was the money.
"No way! I'm still getting ripped off. This thing is worthless!"
Chen Yi's tone grew agitated.
"Of course it's worthless! Did you really think I'd give you something valuable for free? Are you stupid or am I?"
Monkey Boy smirked smugly.
"You—!"
Chen Yi's face darkened as his temper flared, his posture suggesting he was ready to fight.