TEFSCBSS Chapter 119

Chapter 119: The Swordsman Seeks Someone

Saying they came from far away wasn’t something Gu Qing just made up.

The first rule of fortune-telling: observe.

A smudge of oil at the corner of the mouth, specks of mud on the shoes, the quality of jewelry, the type of fragrance on someone’s clothes—these details can tell you what someone’s been doing, their social status, even their personality.

Opening with a line like that was usually enough to gain a client’s trust. Once you had that, the rest was easy.

Looking at the trio’s clothing—so clearly different from Da Yin’s style—and the expensive fabrics, which he’d only ever seen listed as tribute items, Gu Qing had already guessed they were from the Jin Kingdom.

And with all the recent buzz about the Jin envoys in the capital, he had a few ideas about their identities.

So his first line was deliberate: “You’ve come a long way.”

It matched perfectly with the first card—Knight of Wands—and gave him plenty to say.

“You see this card? In Western divination, wands represent the element of fire—bold, brave, and unyielding. The figure on this card is riding forward with fierce momentum, charging into the distance.”

“This person is determined, confident in achieving their goal.”

That hit home for the trio.

Because that was exactly the plan. The political marriage was just the surface; the real goal was to quietly manipulate Da Yin from within. Would the emperor refuse a royal princess as a bride? Would he reject a proposal to marry her off to a seemingly weak prince?

Of course not.

This plan had to work. There was no way it could fail.

So the interpretation of the first card felt spot-on. All three nodded and urged Gu Qing to continue.

He pointed to the second card: a Reversed Tower.

“Now, look at this one. The Tower stands for ultimate power and status. Amid its surroundings, it is the center of authority.”

“People living inside such a tower would live without want, everything at their fingertips.”

That line subtly revealed their noble status—once again, the trio nodded in agreement.

“But!” Gu Qing’s tone shifted suddenly. “But in this card, the tower has exploded!”

“This suggests a major event is coming—something that will threaten the people inside.”

“Look closely. The crown has fallen, separated from its owner. This signals a loss of power… serious upheaval.”

The trio’s expressions froze. What kind of event could jeopardize their entire plan?

Gu Qing then turned to the last card: Ten of Swords.

“Young lady, could you describe how this card makes you feel?” he asked.

Changting hesitated. Whether Gu Qing’s reading was accurate or not, the idea that something dangerous was coming was unsettling.

She looked closely at the image: a person lying face down, a dozen swords stabbed into their back. Only the back of the head was visible, the body pinned and lifeless.

She clutched her chest. “It’s… tragic. I feel a sense of helpless sorrow.”

Gu Qing nodded gravely. “Exactly. Even you can see it. Do I need to spell it out?”

“You came full of hope, traveled from afar. But something catastrophic—like the explosion of the tower—will ruin everything. In the end, ten swords through the back, all the pain will fall upon you. You’ll want to look back toward your homeland, but you’ll never make it. Tragic, isn’t it?”

“Miss, this is a deadly omen.”

“The outcome of your plan? I’ll be blunt—disastrous. Very inauspicious.”

The trio stood there, stunned. What? Their plan would fail?

Zhou Jin frowned. The mastermind behind this plan had never failed before. How could this happen?

She stepped forward and gave Changting a reassuring pat. “Don’t overthink it. He’s probably just a fraud.”

After all, what kind of wealthy noble would be out here fortune-telling? Most likely, he was just conning people.

She turned to Gu Qing, demanding an explanation.

But Gu Qing? He never dealt with the aftermath. He just read the cards—believe it or not, that was up to the client.

So he waved his sleeve, ready to shoo them away.

“Alright, alright, your reading’s done. Believe it or not, your call. Now, please leave—you’re blocking other customers.”

Then he shot a smug glance at the older woman who’d mocked him earlier, and gave a triumphant nod to her son, Goudaner. See? He was a true master. He said it was free, and it was. No tricks. None of those scammy “extra services.”

But of course, Changting and her crew weren’t about to let this go. They surrounded Gu Qing’s stall, demanding a better explanation, full of hostility.

Just then, a calm, clear voice came from behind them.

“Folks, don’t make things difficult for the master.”

“He said the reading’s done, the interpretation’s given. It’s time to move along—don’t hold up the line.”

Gu Qing’s eyes lit up with joy. Who was this wonderful person coming to rescue him?

The three turned around and saw a swordsman dressed in black, a blade wrapped in tattered cloth slung casually over his back, radiating an air of freedom and rebellion.

Xie Yanting snapped, “And who the hell are you? This has nothing to do with you. Get lost—we’re not people you want to mess with!”

The black-clad youth simply smiled and waved his hand.

With one effortless motion, he nudged the three aside. It didn’t even look like he used force—just a flick of his sleeve—and the three were swept away like leaves in the wind. But Zhou Jin’s eyes sharpened: this man wasn’t ordinary.

That light touch concealed incredible strength. She could tell with just one contact that this man was at least her equal—maybe stronger.

She paused, then signaled to the others. Time to go. They had just arrived in Da Yin—now wasn’t the time to stir up trouble and risk the entire plan.

So, reluctantly, the three walked away in frustration, leaving the black-robed youth standing before Gu Qing’s stall.

“Master, could you do a reading for me?”

Gu Qing, grateful for the help, was more than happy to oblige. He shuffled the cards thoroughly.

“What would you like to know?”

“I’m looking for someone. I want to know where she is.”

Gu Qing laid the cards out on the table. This time, he didn’t explain the process. The young man closed his eyes, silently repeated his question three times, and drew three cards.

Gu Qing lowered his gaze, but instead of interpreting the cards directly, he began calculating something the old-fashioned way.

Hmm. When doing a reading for a benefactor, it’s better to use the traditional methods he learned as a child, more reliable.

But the result was troubling.

“Young sir… are you searching for a female relative?”

“I see that you were about to head to a noble estate. However…”

He sighed deeply.

“If you go, it will be a journey of no return.”

“Normally, as a cultivator, I wouldn’t say this much. But since fate brought us together, I’ll point you in the right direction.”

“Head south. Go where the crowds are—there you’ll find her.”

“Whatever you do, do not look for old friends. Remember that. Do not.”