Chương 276: The Swindler

Moon-Lacking Pavilion Headquarters. Tianji Zi, along with Nie Feng and Xiong Ba, were listening intently to Master Song eloquently recounting his past."'How can a golden scale be a creature of the pond? Once it meets the wind and clouds, it shall transform into a dragon.' The expert didn't explain further. Before leaping away into the wind, he merely pointed a finger toward the east and said that my destiny lay in that direction.

'When the sun rises in the east, I alone am invincible!'""Since then, I haven't seen him again. But following the expert's words, I, Song, made a resolute decision to head east. From Giant Willow Village to Yellow Leaf Town, and now Qinghe County, it has indeed been exactly as he said—my endeavors have grown larger and larger."

"I have repeatedly sent people to search for this immortal, but regrettably, after several years, there is still no news. It leaves me, who wholeheartedly wishes to repay him, at a loss for what to do. Daoist Master Tianji is also a member of the profound Daoist sects; perhaps you might know of his identity. If you can help me find this person, I will definitely reward you handsomely!"

"May I ask if Pavilion Master Song knows the Daoist title of the person who read your fortune?" Hearing the words 'reward handsomely,' Tianji Zi's eyes subconsciously lit up several times, though he immediately raised his hand to stroke his beard to hide it. Having secretly observed everything, Master Song was already sneering inwardly. Outwardly, however, he continued to act deeply sincere and said:"The expert is called Mud Bodhisattva. I wonder if the Daoist Master has heard of him?"

"Mud Bodhisattva, Mud Bodhisattva... A mud bodhisattva crossing the river cannot even save himself. This person should be a high monk of the Buddhist sect. Unfortunately, I am of the Northern Daoist sect, so I have never met this Mud Bodhisattva."

"But rest assured, Pavilion Master Song. On my journey south this time, I also plan to visit a few friends. I will definitely make inquiries on your behalf. It shouldn't be hard to find news of him." Find him? Only if you see a ghost! Master Song smiled joyfully:"Then many thanks to the Daoist Master! I wonder if the Daoist Master could conveniently help me decipher a line from Mud Bodhisattva's prophecy?

I have pondered over it bitterly for years but still haven't found a clue, completely unable to understand the meaning behind those words."

"How can a golden scale be a creature of the pond? Once it meets the wind and clouds, it shall transform into a dragon." Tianji Zi mulled over the line several times, his fingers pinching and calculating wildly for a while before his eyes lit up and he clapped his hands.

"Marvelous! Marvelous! So that's how it is! Mud Bodhisattva's Daoist attainment is indeed very high, not inferior to mine in the slightest. Coming here this time, I must definitely find him and discuss the Dao for days and nights on end! Otherwise, this southern journey will be filled with regrets!"

"Then many thanks to the Daoist Master!" Song Que expressed his gratitude, his excitement palpable. He was already ninety percent certain this guy was a swindler, but he still wanted to hear the brilliant insights of this 'divinely calculating' Tianji Zi. After all, he was free anyway; he might as well listen for a bit of entertainment.

"I invite the Daoist Master to decipher the hexagram for me!" Calmly stroking his beard, Brother Swindler took a small sip of tea before slowly beginning to pontificate like a true master:"The first half of this sentence should already be understood by Pavilion Master Song. You are the 'Golden Scale' mentioned in the hexagram, possessing world-shaking talent but trapped in a small pond. Now, you are only waiting to find the 'Wind' (Feng) and the 'Cloud' (Yun).

Then, you will be able to ride the clouds and mount the mist, truly transforming into a dragon and roaring proudly across the nine heavens."

"I guessed as much too. But I don't know what 'Wind' and 'Cloud' refer to here?" Actor Song asked in a trembling, excited voice.

"Hahaha..." Tianji Zi tilted his head back and laughed heartily for a long while before turning to him, cupping his hands in congratulation:"Congratulations, Pavilion Master Song! Congratulations! In truth, you have already found both the 'Wind' and the 'Cloud'! The day you leap over the Dragon Gate is right before your eyes."

"Mister, please point out the way through this maze for me!"

"Haha, the Wind! Is it not this Almsgiver Nie Feng beside you? Ever since Pavilion Master Song gained his assistance, didn't your career begin to show signs of improvement?"

"Yes, exactly! Ever since Old Nie started helping me, I officially began establishing my foundation. You are absolutely right, Daoist Master! Please continue!" Song Que nodded eagerly like a chicken pecking at rice. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Where is my Bu Jingyun? He watched as the other guy spat saliva in all directions, bragging wildly:"Among the Four Symbols, the Dragon rules the East.

The further you travel in this direction, the more your destiny will be illuminated by the stars. Among the Four Divine Beasts, the Dragon ranks first.

'When the sun rises in the east, I alone am invincible' means that once you reach the extreme east, with the boundless ocean behind you, only then will you truly become invincible in this era!" Heh, I like these words! Hearing this, Master Song beamed with joy, though he still suppressed his laughter, waiting to see where his 'Bu Jingyun' had been forgotten.

"As for the Cloud, it has always been beside you, Pavilion Master Song. It's just that you haven't taken it yet." Hearing this, Song Que was slightly confused:"Mister means...?"

"A seven-story-tall tower that will help you soar like a kite catching the wind." Tianji Zi smiled mysteriously and pointed toward a faintly visible roof in the distance. Sea of Clouds Pavilion! The Yun family?! Even Master Song couldn't help but stare blankly. This guy's explanation was incredibly logical! Scumbag Song's mind wavered uncertainly, almost believing him. Could it be that I really have the potential to be a divine swindler? That even spouting nonsense can have such profound meaning?

Undoubtedly, if he swallowed the Yun family right now, it would be a massive boost to his empire-building! This brother is truly a great talent! At the very least, his research on Song Que and the Moon-Lacking Pavilion was extremely thorough. It wasn't just a sudden impulse to rely on a glib tongue to come here and bluff. Grandee Song decided to give him another chance.

"The Daoist Master's words have awakened me like a dreamer! My heart is now completely clear, and I understand so much! Please accept Song's sincere thanks!" Actor Song delivered a deeply emotional performance, bowing deeply before turning to Nie Feng and shouting:"Old Nie, go fetch a thousand taels of gold to gift to the Mister as my greeting gift!"

"Understood, Young Master!" Nie Feng immediately obeyed and left. With just a few words, ten thousand taels of silver fell into his hands! What a massive display of wealth! Truly a tycoon! Tianji Zi was also terrified by Master Song's tyrannical generosity. At this moment, his eyes gradually turned green with greed. It took a great effort to suppress the excitement in his heart and falsely decline:"This... I have long viewed wealth as dirt.

I came here today solely because the unseen forces of fate guided me to assist Pavilion Master Song. There is no need for such extravagance."

"Haha, it's just a small token of appreciation. I ask the Daoist Master to look at the fate between us and gladly accept it to make me happy. Furthermore, you need some pocket money for travel expenses on your journey, don't you?" When Old Nie brought out a tray holding several dazzling gold ingots the size of a child's fist, Tianji Zi found it hard to resist the temptation. After a bit of half-hearted hesitation, he forced himself to accept it.

"In that case... it would be disrespectful for me to decline. Pavilion Master Song is very thoughtful!" Addicted yet still pretending to be coy! Song Que laughed heartily:"Haha, that's more like it! Many thanks to the Daoist Master for doing me this honor. I wonder what you meant earlier about the guidance of fate bringing you here?"

"I won't hide it from you. Previously, I pinched my fingers and read a hexagram for myself. In the unseen void, I was guided that I was destined to face a tribulation. I had to travel south to assist a dragon in escaping its confines, repaying the favor of a true dragon from eighteen lifetimes ago who helped protect my path. Searching everywhere along the way, it wasn't until I arrived here that I realized Pavilion Master Song was the person meant by the hexagram. Therefore, I recommended myself to meet you.

Now that I have repaid this ancient karma, my heart is officially at peace. I can finally wander the mountains and rivers without any burdens, admiring the beautiful scenery of the south."

"Once again, many thanks for Pavilion Master Song's alms. I shall take my leave!" Saying this, he stood up gracefully and prepared to leave without dragging his feet. If it weren't for his movements of shoving the gold into his robes being too obvious, he really would have had the demeanor of an immortal. How could Grandee Song let this guy leave? He immediately reached out and grabbed him:"Daoist Master, wait a moment!"

Struggling but unable to break free from the iron pincer-like grip, Brother Tianji had no choice but to stop, asking coolly:"I wonder what other instructions Pavilion Master Song has?"

"Daoist Master, didn't you say Xiong Ba has a murderous tribulation on his body? He is the brother closest to me since childhood. I beg the Daoist Master to lend a hand and save him! Money is not an issue. I can easily bring out several hundred thousand taels of silver! I respectfully implore the Daoist Master, for the sake of our past karma, to help me one more time!"

Having originally intended to brush his robes and leave the matter finished, hearing the unit of money reaching hundreds of thousands made Tianji Zi's heart pound wildly in terror. After hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth and made up his mind:"Fine, fine... for the sake of Pavilion Master Song protecting my Dao in a past life, I will make an exception and intervene one more time."

"Many thanks, Daoist Master! I wonder what preparations are needed to perform the ritual to resolve his tribulation? I am not familiar with these things, so may I trouble the Daoist Master to prepare them on my behalf? Roughly how much will it cost so I can pay you in advance?" Master Song's eyes began to turn dangerous. Tianji Zi didn't sense the impending danger. Dizzied by happiness, this guy hadn't even regained his senses yet. Calculating for a moment, he quoted a number:"This...

the main expense is purchasing various jades and stones to aid in resolving the tribulation. It's quite costly. I estimate it will require around eighty to a hundred thousand taels."

"A hundred thousand! Not a problem!" Grandee Song generously waved his hand.

"Young Master..." Glaring at Xiong Ba and Nie Feng to signal them to shut up, Song Que finally turned to the swindler and smiled kindly:"Daoist Master, I have one more small doubt. I hope you can resolve it." Thinking of the massive amount of shiny white silver about to fall on his head, Tianji Zi's heart was already boiling with uncontrollable excitement. Hearing it was just a small issue, he happily nodded without hesitation:"Pavilion Master Song, please speak freely.

As long as it doesn't reveal too great a heavenly secret, I will naturally tell you everything I know, and hold nothing back."

"Haha, it's just a minor doubt. I won't make things difficult for the Daoist Master." Scumbag Song's mouth curled into a smirk:"You are so divinely calculating, knowing everything under the heavens. I wonder if you can read a hexagram for yourself? Daoist Master, try to guess: the punch I am about to hit you with right now... will it be my left fist, or my right fist?" Tianji Zi:......