Wang Hai wasn't a fool; he knew very well that with the current manpower, even if they found Ji Tianrui, they wouldn't be able to capture her, and would instead sacrifice their lives in vain.
After all, there wasn't even a Grandmaster among them, let alone a Celestial.
He just wanted to roughly ascertain what Ji Tianrui was plotting before Li Miao returned.
He wasn't actually going to run to Ji Tianrui to throw his life away.
Ever since he was cornered by the Thick Earth Banner Master last time, which resulted in Li Miao having to abandon the Mount Tai Sect and rush to his rescue, he had learned his lesson and would prepare for his own safety in advance.
Wang Hai went off to make his preparations, while An Ziyang and You Zi'ang were on their way.
The two changed their clothes and left the city.
The capital was not limited to within the city walls.
The area extending several miles around the city walls was entirely composed of various large and small settlements.
The common people would enter the city for work during the day and leave the city to return home and rest at night.
These places were most suitable for hiding.
The first place the two went was the long street outside the main gate of the capital.
Both sides of the street were filled with various shops, residences, and inns.
After You Zi'ang's Plum Blossom Bandit internal cultivation was crippled by Li Miao, he switched to cultivating the Shen Thief Sect's techniques, making him An Ziyang's fellow disciple.
The two changed into new clothes, looking like two wealthy young masters traveling together.
They chatted and laughed along the way, but as they walked, they also used their peripheral vision to mark locations, intending to investigate them one by one that night.
As they walked, An Ziyang's footsteps suddenly halted.
"Mr. An, what's wrong?"
You Zi'ang asked.
"You Xiong, look over there, a peerless beauty, not to be missed."
An Ziyang's gaze was fixed.
You Zi'ang turned his head to look and also let out a gasp of admiration.
The beautiful woman An Ziyang had seen when he entered the city during the day was sitting on a street corner.
She wore simple linen clothes, yet her demeanor was graceful and charming.
A table was set before her, and behind her stood a dilapidated flag that seemed out of place.
A bagua symbol was drawn in the center of the flag, with eight large characters written on either side: "Observing Stars and Qi, Divining Fortune and Misfortune."
This young woman was actually a fortune teller with a stall.
"That's quite unusual."
You Zi'ang said.
"Since ancient times, fortune tellers, even if not blind, had to be old men with goatee beards.
This young woman is so beautiful, and she's doing this?"
An Ziyang, however, waved his hand.
"It is said that strange people have strange phenomena, and no one stipulates that a fortune teller must be ugly, right?"
"How about it, You Xiong, we're searching for a needle in a haystack, and there's no rush.
Why not go and see?"
"Let's go." You Zi'ang nodded.
The two gracefully walked up to the woman and sat on the chairs opposite her.
The woman smiled charmingly: "This young master looks familiar, did we meet outside the city gate during the day?"
An Ziyang's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded.
"Yes, yes."
The woman chuckled softly.
"In that case, Young Master and I are fated.
How about I give Young Master three readings for free?"
"Here, I am very accurate at divining marriage, career, and lifespan."
An Ziyang's mind was entirely captivated by the woman's face; he had no thoughts of fortune-telling.
Although his character was resilient, he genuinely appreciated beauty.
As the saying goes, there can be a wrong name, but never a wrong nickname.
His alias, "Mr. An," was not a false accusation.
He nodded repeatedly.
"In that case, as the young lady says, let's divine these three things!
Marriage, career, and lifespan."
"Young Master, please extend your hand so I can examine your palmistry."
The woman extended a hand so fair it was almost transparent, taking An Ziyang's hand and holding it up to examine it closely.
An Ziyang naturally was happy to cooperate.
After a long look, the woman chuckled softly.
"Young Master, your fortune is truly good.
All three are excellent; which one would you like to hear first?"
An Ziyang naturally gave a feigned smile.
"In the past, I would definitely ask about lifespan first.
But today, having met the young lady, my heart is only concerned with the words 'marriage'."
"Young lady, please speak of marriage first."
The woman smiled, not letting go of An Ziyang's hand.
"In that case, let's talk about marriage first."
"However, Young Master's marriage is not with me."
She smiled charmingly, but An Ziyang's eyes darkened, thinking this was the woman's gentle refusal.
Although he appreciated beauty, he disliked forcing things.
If the other party was unwilling, he never pestered them.
It was just a pity that such a beautiful woman had no fate with him.
An Ziyang did not lose his composure, only saying:
"Young lady, please tell me, where should I seek this marriage?"
The woman chuckled softly and slowly uttered a sentence.
"I see Young Master's marriage is in Quanzhou."
"At Shaolin Temple, with Miss Ling'er."
Boom!
An Ziyang felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight to his crown, and his whole body suddenly shivered!
His hairs stood on end, and his scalp tingled!
Ling'er was Yongjie's daughter, and also the Miao King's daughter.
Only a few people in the martial arts world knew of her existence!
The monks of Shaolin, Li Miao, himself... and the Ming Cult, Ji Tianrui!
Counting it, Ling'er was precisely Ji Tianrui's maternal half-sister!
You Zi'ang, sitting beside him, noticed An Ziyang's unusual state.
He wasn't a naive newcomer to the martial arts world; the moment he saw the fear on An Ziyang's face, he was suddenly startled!
His hand flipped under the table, and the poison pill he had stolen from An Ziyang during the day was already clasped in his palm, ready to be activated!
But An Ziyang grabbed his wrist.
You Zi'ang looked at An Ziyang, whose face was already covered in cold sweat.
He forced himself to remain calm and slowly shook his head at him.
This poison of his would definitely not work against a Celestial.
If he activated it here, the woman would most likely be fine, but the surrounding common people would die seven or eight out of ten.
Besides, his hand was still held in the woman's hand.
He couldn't escape anymore.
After a while, under the woman's playful smile, An Ziyang trembled as he spoke, making a final probe.
"Young lady... where did you learn this name?"
The woman chuckled softly.
"Mr. An, how could I not know my own sister's name?"
"I just wanted to come and see my sister's marriage fate."
An Ziyang thought, 'It's over.'
It really was her.
Ji Tianrui.
She was sitting right opposite him, no more than three feet away.
An Ziyang was speechless, but Ji Tianrui chuckled softly.
"Mr. An, you've heard about your marriage; don't you want to hear about your lifespan?"
An Ziyang trembled and said,
"Can I say... I don't want to hear it...?"
"No."
An Ziyang was on the verge of tears.
Who the hell wants to hear you talk about my lifespan!
You say "five...", and then I ask "five years? five months?".
And then you say "four, three, two...", right?
Since he couldn't avoid it, An Ziyang's heart hardened.
"Jijiao zhu, just say it directly, how much longer can I live? Two breaths? One breath?"
"Kill me or dismember me, do as you please!"
"Damn it, Lord Li will avenge me!"
With his eyes closed and lips pursed, An Ziyang waited for Ji Tianrui to make her move.
He waited for a long time, but no sharp pain came to his body.
Suddenly, Ji Tianrui began to laugh softly.
"Mr. An, didn't I tell you that all three of your readings would have very good outcomes?"
"How could I kill my sister's destined partner?"
"I divined that you will live a long life, a hundred years, and grow old together with my sister."
An Ziyang suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Ji Tianrui.
Ji Tianrui laughed for a while before slowly stopping, her eyes looking into An Ziyang's.
"Mr. An, there's still one more reading: career."
"However, those two readings just now have already revealed heavenly secrets, so I cannot tell you this last reading directly."
Ji Tianrui seemed genuinely troubled, pondering for a moment before speaking.
"How about this, I'll give you a mantra that can help you rise quickly."
Ji Tianrui leaned forward, closer to An Ziyang, and lowered her voice, speaking softly.
"Mr. An, listen carefully."
"The mantra is—"
"Emperor, Imperial Tomb."