Chapter 7: Miss, Would You Like a Fortune Telling?
Underneath Yitian Bridge, Qin Ruan stopped, raised her arm, and rolled up her sleeve.
On the inner side of her arm, there was a brightly coloured red line.
This short red line, its length represented the remainder of her life.
She responded to this line.
One year...
Time was running out.
From the moment Qin Ruan opened her eyes till now, she only had one year left to live.
To extend her lifespan, she needs to find Evil Qi.
Evil Qi, the evil and sinister energy in this world.
It often comes from demons and evil creatures.
Qin Ruan let down her sleeve, momentarily unsure of where to find Evil Qi.
Her pace was slow, physical pain keeping her alert.
She wanted to plan the road ahead well.
"Come and see, I do fortune-telling. If it's not accurate, I charge less. If it is, I double the price..."
Suddenly, a distinct, aged voice called out nearby.
The sound came from ahead, not too far away.
Qin Ruan looked up, and a stall under Tianqiao came into view.
An old man wearing black sunglasses and a blue robe stood out.
Sitting in front of the stall with an air of wisdom, the voice was coming from him.
"Young lady, we are fated. I see a fortune in your facial features. Your forehead is round, your face slightly red, your vitality is strong.
However, there's a dark aura around your eyes, I'm afraid that disaster is near. Speak your birth date and time, I will cast a divination for you. Three hundred for a divination, not much."
Qin Ruan looked at the old man for a moment, with a myriad of emotions in her eyes. Suddenly, she burst out laughing.
Her pale, delicate face was lit up with her laughter, carrying an air of fragility.
It really did come without any effort.
Just now she was thinking about where to find Evil Qi, and now it is presenting itself.
The old man said that she was surrounded by a dark aura, oblivious to the fact that he was enveloped by a dense dark fog.
Each person carries an aura that changes with their actions for good or evil.
Most people's auras are black, red, white, or gold.
Black represents Evil Qi, for the wicked or those carrying sinister things.
Red signifies impending disaster, a bloody calamity.
White is for good people, people with longevity.
Gold represents merit, prosperity and abundance.
And then there is a rare aura, the Purple Energy that signifies Emperor Energy.
Those who can carry this kind of aura are extremely rare.
Qin Ruan walked up to the fortune-telling stall. She looked at the old man with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, her beautiful eyes scanning him from head to toe.
Her gaze finally settled on the white jade pendant hanging around his neck.
"Young lady, would you like a divination?" the old man asked with a beaming smile.
Qin Ruan shook her head slightly, her eyes, sparkling like a cat mesmerized by a fish, were fixated on the old man's White Jade Pendant.
As if her gaze was too direct, the old man's smile disappeared, replaced by caution and vigilance.
He quickly tucked his exposed Jade Pendant into his clothes, patting it gently before seeming to feel somewhat assured.
This was a prized antique he'd recently sourced from Antique Street. It cost half of his savings. It was a rare item that he had a preference for.
His distinct non-subtle action prompted a slight raise of Qin Ruan's eyebrows.
"Is something that's endangering your life so precious?"
The man's face hardened: "Nonsense! I think you're here to cause trouble. If you're not here for a divination, step aside. Don't hinder my business."
Leaving was not an option. She couldn't give up on the item she wanted without having it in her hands.