Chapter 418: An Unexplained Old Man Blocks the Way

"Good Fruit... Good Fruit... Duanmu Yixian... honest to young and old alike..."

"Come, come, come... know your past ties... understand your present life... glimpse your future life..."

The half-dead, half-alive hawking of the shopkeepers on both sides of the road made one's scalp tingle, yet even so, Long Qi could not help but curiously glance toward the source of the sound.

With just this one look, Long Qi regretted it so much his guts turned green.

An old man had darted out from who knows where, his hand like withered wood gripping Long Qi's arm tightly, his bulging eyes filled with bloodshot veins.

"A living person! It's actually a living person!" The old man's expression was frantic, like a vicious wolf that had discovered prey, "It has truly been a long time since I've seen a living person!"

Long Qi secretly thought this was bad, but for some reason, no matter what, he could not break free from the old man's grip.

This...

How could this old fellow have such great strength!?

Looking at Adao and Chiyanzi, who hadn't noticed what was happening and were gradually walking away, Long Qi panicked even more, blaming himself for looking around aimlessly—the Youming Land was already fraught with danger, and even a cat with nine lives couldn't withstand him tossing himself about like this!

However, regret was useless now; having fallen into the hands of this evil ghost, could he still expect a good outcome?

Just as Long Qi was at a loss, the old man pulled him close and squinted at him.

Long Qi dared not move, only staring with wide eyes and nervously swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

"Young man, would you like your fortune told?"

After a long while, the old man finally spoke, and a foul stench rushed toward his face, making Long Qi's head spin.

"Uh... ah?"

Long Qi didn't react for a moment, and only after hearing the old man ask again did he look surprised and ask in disbelief: "Old... old man, you... you aren't going to eat me?"

"Hey~ what kind of talk is that!" The old man frowned in dissatisfaction, but his hand still didn't let go of Long Qi, as if afraid he would run away.

"Every soul that comes to the Ghost Market does so to seek the exchange of Good Fruit to offset their sins, so they can deceive the heavens above the Ten Halls; why would I act like a fool at such a critical juncture?"

"Of... offended, my apologies, my apologies." Long Qi scratched his head with a sheepish smile, but he felt something was wrong, though he couldn't put his finger on it for the moment.

The old man didn't give Long Qi a chance to think too much, leaning in and saying again: "How about it? Do you have any interest in peeking at the heavenly secrets?"

Long Qi found it amusing; he had been cultivating for some years now, and although he didn't understand the Dao of divination, he was still a member of the Daoist Sect, so it was truly absurd to be dragged into having his fortune told.

"This junior has urgent business and truly cannot linger, so I won't trouble you, elder."

Long Qi demurred and was about to break free from the old man, but the old man pulled him a little closer again.

"My methods are extraordinary; how can they be compared to mortal fortune-telling? The road ahead is dangerous; doesn't the young hero want to hear the way to resolve it?" As he spoke, he carefully glanced left and right, then snuck up to Long Qi's ear like a thief and whispered: "I have connections up above; I can certainly help the young hero turn danger into safety. If it isn't accurate, I won't take a single cent."

Hearing this, Long Qi frowned.

How did this old man know the road ahead was dangerous? Could he really have some ability? If so, listening wouldn't hurt, it's just...

"Old man, this junior has nothing of value and cannot afford the fee."

The old man grew indignant upon hearing this: "I have been setting up my stall for a thousand years; do you think I care about your pittance?" After finishing, he excitedly pulled Long Qi down to sit.

"Hmm?"

Long Qi was a bit confused—if he didn't care, then where did the "won't take a single cent" come from?

But before Long Qi could figure it out, the old man held Long Qi's hand and began to squint at it, his serious demeanor actually looking quite convincing.

"Mm... hiss... eh... oh?"

The old man made four strange sounds in succession, making Long Qi's expression change constantly, like a painted face on a stage.

Is this old man actually capable or not? Don't tell me he's a fraud like Lingxiang! Although Lingxiang wasn't entirely a fraud, this old man didn't look like someone who knew how to tell fortunes at all...

Maybe I should just call it quits; the old man seems to be struggling quite a bit...

Just as Long Qi was deliberating on how to tactfully call a halt to the old man, the old man actually followed Long Qi's arm and began to touch his body.

"You... what are you doing!"

Long Qi was startled at first, and when he came to his senses, he hopped away from the old man once, twice, three times.

"You child, why make such a fuss? You claim to be a member of the Daoist Sect, yet you don't even know the Bone-Touching Technique?"

Bone-Touching? Why does that sound so familiar?

Long Qi thought for a long time but couldn't remember where he had heard it, yet he was very certain he had encountered it somewhere.

Could it be that he saw it on the side when Lingxiang was swindling money from wealthy families?

No, no, Lingxiang never brought him along when doing such things; she always went alone, saying she was afraid he wouldn't understand the tricks of the trade and would give the game away.

Hah! A high-sounding excuse!

At the thought of Lingxiang, Long Qi couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth, and the old man took advantage of Long Qi's distraction to pull him back, touching his face and pressing his chest, hands all over him, showing no restraint at all!

Under the old man's molestation, Long Qi felt as if he had been seen through, a chill running through his heart, yet he didn't lash out, only feeling that this sensation was extremely familiar, as if he had experienced it somewhere before.

Where was it?

"Hmm... passable, passable..." The old man stroked his beard and nodded with satisfaction.

"Where... where is it?"

Long Qi was still lost in thought, and hearing the old man's words, he subconsciously blurted out the question.

"Dragon horns born by nature, roc bones naturally formed; your destiny is remarkably good, but the road ahead is dangerous. Fortunately, you have a noble person to help you, so turning danger into safety will be a breeze."

These words...

Why are they so familiar?

"Old man, have we met before?" Long Qi asked, puzzled.

"What nonsense are you spouting? I have been in this Ghost Market of the Nether Realm for a thousand years; how could I know a greenhorn like you?"

Oh, right, but the words just now...

Seeing Long Qi's puzzled expression, the old man spoke again: "Young man, it doesn't matter if you can't remember some things; as long as you don't forget the original agreement, everything still has a chance for a turnaround."

Agreement?

"What agreement?"

Long Qi looked up, but the old man had already vanished without a trace; he looked around in all directions, yet still could not find the old man.

This...

What kind of strange thing is this old man doing?

Everything that had just happened felt like a dream, leaving Long Qi somewhat dazed, and just then, a force pulled him to the side.

"If you don't follow me properly, what kind of death are you courting?"

It turned out to be Adao.

After seeing clearly who it was, Long Qi scratched his head: "Just now..." But he thought about it, and it seemed there was no need to explain, so he let it go.

Chiyanzi saw everything, glanced in the direction Long Qi had been looking, his eyes flashed, but he did not say anything more.

"There are many ghosts here, and who knows where there might be more eyes of the Demon Race; you had better follow closely, and if you run off again, don't expect me to come back and save you." Adao grumbled angrily while shaking the Hongwu again.

"Yes, yes, yes..."

Seeing Long Qi responding with what looked like sincerity but was actually absent-mindedness, Adao did not pursue the matter, instead sulking to himself as he led the two of them forward—this place was fraught with danger, he would settle the score with him once they were out of the Ghost Market!

As the three of them left, a ray of auspicious light flashed where Chiyanzi had just been looking, and two figures appeared, one of whom was none other than the old man from before.

"Tell me, you are the dignified Ziwei Dijun, the Underworld was originally under your jurisdiction, so why, after going to the Divine Court, have you resorted to sneaking around? And even coming to beg before this old man."

So that person was Ziwei Dijun!

And upon hearing the old man's words, Ziwei Dijun did not get angry, but only smiled and stroked his long beard.

"The dignified Tubo, who succeeded to the position of Houtu and has ruled Youdu for a thousand years, is now also stooping to stay within a single city, is he not?"

The old man was actually the legendary ancient god Tubo!

Upon hearing this, Tubo immediately jumped up, looking as if he had been quite angered.

"I am, at the very least, your senior; is this how you speak to me? Such lack of respect for your elders, is this the etiquette of the Divine Court?!"

While Tubo was still hopping mad, Ziwei Dijun paid him no mind, only looking toward the place where Long Qi had disappeared—

All things are fated; little child, oh little child, this trial in the human world, the great responsibility of suppressing the lingering malice of the Human King, depends entirely on you...