At this moment, Baoyu and Wang Ye had caught up to the young man from behind. Wang Ye stepped forward with a light smile on his face and, in a teasing tone, said, “Not much! The situation at Wudang Mountain is even worse than here. I’m Wang Ye from Wudang Sect. How should I address you?”
The young man in the brown uniform scratched his head, looking a bit shy as he replied, “My name is Zhang Chulan.”
“……”
Upon hearing this name, both Baoyu and Wang Ye reacted slightly.
Wang Ye’s deep-set eyes became even more profound, and his face showed a subtle expression as he quietly repeated, “Zhang Chulan!”
Behind him, Baoyu’s eyes flickered with a sharp light.
The protagonist has finally appeared!
The young man before him had long, messy hair loosely tied behind his head, and his handsome face radiated youthful energy, with a sly smile that made him look like an ordinary college student. But this was none other than the main character from the original comic—Zhang Chulan!
Baoyu’s gaze shifted to the people around Zhang Chulan for a few seconds.
There was a girl in a similar brown uniform, wearing a blue baseball cap, her long hair draped over her chest, sipping a drink through a straw. As Baoyu’s eyes lingered on the girl, she seemed to sense it and slowly turned her head, meeting Baoyu’s gaze.
Their eyes locked…
The girl had an adorable expression, her cheeks puffed up like a little hamster as she stared blankly at Baoyu.
Baoyu quickly averted his gaze, his emotions slightly stirred—not because of the girl herself, but because she was Feng Baobao.
As the female lead of The Outcast, she carried countless labels.
Immortality…
Incredible strength…
Mysterious background…
Innocent mind…
A master of burying people…
The infamous “Awei 18 Style”…
…
And the two men in suits standing beside Zhang Chulan were no simpletons either.
Xu San and Xu Si, brothers who inherited their father’s position as leaders of the North China division of the Quan Tong company. They also took on their father’s mission—to protect Feng Baobao forever and help her uncover her past and find her family.
…
At this point, Wang Ye and Zhang Chulan were chatting as they walked, and the group soon reached the mountaintop.
“Oh, right, Daoist Wang! You haven’t introduced this monk here yet!” Zhang Chulan looked at Baoyu with curiosity and intrigue.
Xu San and Xu Si also paused, eyeing the exceedingly handsome young monk.
Baoyu put his palms together and nodded slightly to Zhang Chulan. “I wouldn’t dare be called a monk; my Dharma name is Baoyu. I’ve been practicing at Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, and I’m here on my master’s orders to attend the Luo Tian Grand Assembly.”
He paused, then his expression became serious and thoughtful as he looked at Zhang Chulan. The fingers that had been twirling his prayer beads stopped, and he seemed hesitant to speak.
“Zhang Benefactor…”
His serious demeanor startled Zhang Chulan, who cautiously asked, “Master… Master Baoyu, what is it?”
Baoyu hesitated before speaking. “Zhang Benefactor, from your appearance, I see a cloud of unresolved grief in your upper face. Your forehead seems faintly obscured, and since the forehead represents parental fate, I must be frank—have you been troubled by something related to your ancestors recently?”
Zhang Chulan’s face registered a hint of shock. “Master, how did you know?
Just as you said, I’ve been investigating my grandfather’s affairs lately, but I’ve found no leads. Can you see anything else?”
Baoyu’s prayer beads resumed their slow turning, and he gazed intently at Zhang Chulan’s face.
He spoke slowly. “Zhang Benefactor, if I’m not mistaken, your grandfather has likely passed on to the next world. The matters you seek are bound to an enormous secret. It will not be easy to uncover.”
Zhang Chulan’s expression turned slightly grim.
However, Baoyu quickly shifted the tone of the conversation. “But…
From your features, I see signs of great fortune. Your eyebrows show clear markings, and your Baihui point is strong—this is the mark of prosperity and longevity. There’s a hint of purple near your nose, signifying that your wishes will soon come true.
If I’m correct, a great benefactor will soon aid you, and you will begin to find the answers you seek. However, to completely unravel the mystery and verify your suspicions, it will take a long journey ahead.”
Zhang Chulan’s jaw dropped in shock.
At first, when the monk asked about his ancestral investigations, Zhang Chulan had been deeply cautious. The matter of his grandfather, Zhang Huaiyi, wasn’t entirely secret, and someone determined enough could dig up some clues. Initially, he thought the monk was probing him for information about the mysterious Qi of Origin. His earlier display of surprise had been a deliberate act to throw off the monk.
But as Baoyu continued, Zhang Chulan found himself truly astonished.
There were too many hidden details that no outsider could know. It was clear now—this monk, Baoyu, was indeed a real master of his craft!
“Chulan, Chulan!” Xu Si’s voice snapped Zhang Chulan out of his daze.
Realizing how shocked he had been, Zhang Chulan finally gathered himself. With his hands pressed together, he gave Baoyu a deep bow.
“Master Baoyu, I deeply admire your fortune-telling skills. I am truly grateful for your guidance.”
Baoyu quickly waved his hands in modesty. “Zhang Benefactor, you’re too kind. Compassion is at the heart of Buddha’s teachings; helping others and easing their burdens is my duty. There’s no need for such formalities!”
“Regardless, I still have to thank you, Master Baoyu. Please, don’t call me ‘Benefactor’; it sounds too distant. You can call me Zhang Chulan if you don’t mind.”
“Haha, then I won’t stand on ceremony!”
…
At this point, Wang Ye, Xu San, and Xu Si all wore expressions of astonishment.
Wang Ye had not expected that aside from Daoist arts, the Buddhist sects had such powerful fortune-telling techniques. And this young monk, Baoyu, seemed highly proficient despite his youth.
Actually, Wang Ye knew a bit about Zhang Chulan’s situation…
When Wang Ye’s grandmaster had asked him to participate in the Luo Tian Grand Assembly, his usual laid-back personality made him reluctant to get involved in such matters. But when he returned to his room and entered his inner sight to inquire about the outcome…
In his vision, he saw a massive, blistering fireball—something far beyond his current ability to decipher.
What was hidden behind Zhang Chulan, the core figure of this assembly, was too big to ignore, and Wang Ye was consumed with curiosity.
Attempting to forcefully glimpse into this secret had resulted in a violent backlash, ejecting him from his inner sight, leaving him bleeding from the seven orifices and in disarray.
In that instant, Wang Ye saw that if he chose to participate, his future would be filled with endless danger, and his peaceful days would be gone forever.
However, if he avoided this chaotic affair, he saw an impending catastrophe in the realm of the Yi Ren—a world where corpses would litter the ground and rivers of blood would flow!
Wang Ye had been deeply shaken. If he didn’t join the fray, such catastrophic events would unfold. Even his own involvement would be key to resolving it.
In the end, despite knowing his path ahead would be fraught with peril, he couldn’t turn a blind eye to the possible devastation awaiting the world.
This was Wang Ye!!
…
Just then, a shout broke through their thoughts.
“….”
“Behold! A string of red-glazed beads!
My master fought the Fire Qilin here for over 80,000 rounds, and this was the result—the qilin’s spirit refined into this string!
Not for 98,000…
Not for 9,800…
Only 998!!!”
Everyone turned to the source of the voice.
There, not far away, stood Feng Baobao, seemingly having wandered off without them noticing.
In front of her, a monk with white eyebrows sat cross-legged, clutching a string of red beads, loudly promoting it with a straight face.
Feng Baobao was practically jumping in excitement, already pulling out a wad of cash from her pocket. Her eyes were shining with desire as she stared at the beads.
“This is awesome! I want it, I want it!!”
“……”
Everyone watching this scene had the same expression—a collective sweat drop.
Xu San, pushing up his glasses, covered his face in embarrassment before swiftly walking over to stop the deal that was just about to go down.
“Baobao, you’re being scammed!
A monk selling qilin spirits on a Taoist mountain? Come on, you believe that nonsense?”
“……”
Xu San’s voice trailed off as he suddenly realized something and nervously glanced toward Baoyu, who stood nearby.
Meanwhile, Feng Baobao, still in Xu San’s grasp, was struggling to break free.
“But I want it! It took 80,000 rounds to get it…!”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152