Chapter 1214: People Without Fate

Jiang Wang had naught else to prepare. He himself ventured to the stable, leading Flare forth. A long sword hung at his waist, and he was clad in a set of azure robes. He then departed the manor, guiding his horse straight towards the "Yi" gate.

Of course, he wouldn't allow his steed to gallop wildly through the bustling market. Flare, too, was remarkably intelligent, treading steadily and mindful of others.

Just then, an aged man, trembling slightly, hobbled forth. Flare snorted once, then instinctively shifted his hooves, yielding to the side. Jiang Wang thus clearly saw that this old man also altered his direction accordingly.

And then—

"Ah ya!"

Just before Flare's hooves, he slowly and deliberately lay down.

With a feeble cry, he wailed, "He's struck a dead man!"

Judging by his breath, this was merely an ordinary mortal. He wore coarse hempen clothes, patched in two places, yet they were surprisingly clean.

A black line appeared on Jiang Wang's forehead. He pulled the reins, urging his horse in a wide circle around him, fearing Flare might truly, inadvertently, trample him to death.

"You cannot leave!" the old man bellowed again.

He shrieked, "Everyone, quickly come and see! He's crippled a man and now refuses to take responsibility!"

"I say," Jiang Wang, atop his horse, looked down upon him. He produced his blue plaque and brandished it before the old man's eyes. "Shouldn't you at least choose your marks when you scheme? I am truly curious, with professional skills such as yours, how have you managed to live to this age?"

The old man pushed himself up, squinting his eyes to examine the plaque, seemingly discerning its authenticity.

Then, he lay down again...

And loudly cried, "Everyone, quickly come and see! A man with a blue plaque, riding a horse, has struck a dead man!"

Jiang Wang: ...

Truly, he valued money over life!

A blue plaque holder striking a dead man was indeed a topic of great interest.

The crowd, which had been slowly gathering, suddenly surged forward, accelerating their pace. A cacophony of voices filled the air, endlessly reaching his ears.

If he were to depart now, the matter would truly be difficult to clarify.

Jiang Wang sighed. "If you don't get up, I shall summon the patrol inspector's manor to handle this affair."

"You wish to frighten me?" The old man glared at him. "I warn you. I injured my brain when I was young and cannot withstand fright. If you scare me into a perilous state..."

"I perceive you are indeed like one with a brain injury, perhaps from being struck when young?" Jiang Wang said mournfully.

"Are you threatening me again, are you not?" The old man shouted to the four directions, "People of Linzi, fathers, elders, fellow villagers, all behold! Beneath the Son of Heaven's feet, a blue plaque holder let his horse gallop and strike an eighty-year-old elder, and now threatens to strike me again!"

The surrounding spectators' eyes also burned with anger. Several young men, eager to eradicate evil and aid the weak, were already rolling up their sleeves.

Jiang Wang was helpless.

"Alright, alright." He directly produced a string of copper coins. "Quickly get up and take the money."

"You should have done this earlier! Wouldn't that have been better for me?" The old man agilely scrambled up, snatched the string of coins from Jiang Wang's hand, and began counting them with a satisfied air.

Witnessing this scene, everyone present realized that this old man was engaged in a scheme.

"Tsk!"

The righteous crowd swiftly dispersed.

Jiang Wang paid them no mind, reining his horse and preparing to leave. As for this old man defrauding people on the main street, the patrol inspector's manor would naturally teach him how to cleanse his heart and reform himself later. This string of copper coins, if not repaid tenfold, meant he had truly hung his fourth-grade blue plaque in vain!

"Hey, young man, wait." The old man extended an arm, blocking the horse's path. "Meeting is fate. How about we do another business?"

There was a hint of persistence in his words.

Jiang Wang looked at him. "Oh?"

This old man had a lean and refined appearance. Were it not for his recent tumble on the ground and the money clutched in his hand, he might, at a glance, truly possess a touch of immortal grace.

"What, do you truly believe I was just now deceiving you? At my great age, would I do such a thing that cuts off my descendants' fortune?"

For a moment, Jiang Wang didn't know how to respond. This old head was truly ruthless to himself!

The old man casually stuffed the string of coins into his pocket and continued, "I was just now startled by you, and I fell. Shouldn't you bear some responsibility? This little bit of money is already a bargain for you!"

Jiang Wang was so exasperated he laughed. "Didn't you just claim you were struck by the horse?"

The old man waved a hand. "It's much the same! It's all that meaning! In any case, you caused me to fall!"

"How you fell, you know clearly in your heart."

"Good heavens! Now you're going back on your word!" the old man asserted righteously. "If you didn't cause me to fall, why did you compensate me?"

"Old man, stir up less karma. Retribution, this sort of thing, might not be absent." Jiang Wang pulled the reins, guiding Flare to circle around. "I still have matters to attend to. I'm leaving!"

The old man retreated a step, yet somehow, he blocked the horse's path again.

He puffed out his beard and said, "You still don't believe this old man. This old man has a proper profession, understand? I am a proper person!"

Jiang Wang's pupils contracted slightly. He hadn't even noticed how this old man had blocked Flare just now.

The usually arrogant Flare seemed to perceive something and was remarkably docile at this moment.

"Old man," Jiang Wang looked at him seriously. "Let me make it clear to you, my tolerance for ordinary people and for extraordinary cultivators is not the same. Because some anger is unbearable for ordinary people, I restrain myself. Now, I ask you, are you certain you wish to continue entangling me here?"

Regardless of who this old man was, or how deeply he concealed his power...

This was Linzi!

Whether a dragon or a tiger, all must kneel, and kneel well!

"Ah ya, at such a young age, don't be so serious. It's easy to grow wrinkles." The old man shuffled closer, reaching out to gently stroke Flare's fiery red mane. Flare actually allowed him to touch him obediently.

He grinned, squinting as he looked up at Jiang Wang. "How about this, this old man will read your face? Delaying you for a moment is compensation enough."

"Read my face?" Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow. "This is what you call a proper profession?"

The old man wasn't angry, his smile squinting as he said, "Certainly more proper than a brothel madam, wouldn't you say?"

For a moment, Jiang Wang didn't know what to say. This old head's words held hidden meanings.

"One piece of origin stone as a favor." The old man extended a withered, thin finger.

Jiang Wang merely pulled the reins. "No need!"

"Hey!" The old man blocked his path again, proactively lowering his price. "Ten thousand pieces of origin stone, that's certainly acceptable, yes?"

Jiang Wang asked, "Does a face reader also divine for those without fate?"

"If you don't divine, how will you know you have no fate?" The old man stubbornly clung to him. "Perhaps you have fate, you simply don't know it yourself!"

Jiang Wang looked at him. "Your appearance, instead, reminds me of an acquaintance."

The old man smiled. "Everyone under heaven like me learns from me!"

This time, he actually had quite an air of superiority.

Jiang Wang shook his head. "I believe that person wouldn't agree. If he heard these words, he would directly scold you."

The old man persisted in his business. "Ten pieces of Dao Origin Stone, no less!"

Jiang Wang shook his head. "I'm not bargaining with you, old man. Look at the many people on this street. They might all be your business, but I absolutely am not. Do not waste your time on me. How my fate is, others' words do not count. What I wish to do, I do not need anyone to point the way."

The old man sighed. "Young man, I too was once like you, in my prime, believing I could face everything. And now, my spirit faded and body thin, wrinkles deep, I only understand that time and fate are everything, destiny cannot be reversed. Other than being foolish, youth is nothing remarkable. I have passed my youth, will you grow old?"

Jiang Wang said, "Age is also nothing remarkable. I will eventually grow old, but you cannot be young again. Do not rely on age to sell yourself short. Each generation has its own way of living. I, especially, am this sort of person."

The old man stirred his hand open, extending his deeply wrinkled hand before Jiang Wang. "Then give me another string of copper coins."

Jiang Wang decisively took out a string of coins and placed them in his hand.

This time, the old man seemed somewhat surprised, lifting his eyes to look at him. "Aren't you unwilling to have your fortune told?"

Jiang Wang laughed. "If it's merely a string of copper coins, then listening is also harmless."