Zhong Chen’s eyes widened, and he asked, "You found another unoccupied dragon's lair?"
"Mm," Lin Fan nodded. "But I felt the terrestrial energy there was off, so I made a mark with three stones and went to look elsewhere. That's when I ran into Li Yusheng and the others."
Zhong Chen was so excited his hands trembled, and his eyes flashed with a brilliant light.
"Xiao Fan, how did your master teach you? Do you understand how to identify geomantic energy but not how to distinguish a dragon's lair?" An Hai asked.
"I..." Lin Fan gave a helpless smile. "I've said it before, I really don't have a master. I figured it all out myself by messing around."
"Then you..."
"Xiao Fan, do you wish to take a master?" Zhong Chen and An Hai asked simultaneously.
The two men exchanged glances, their gazes sharp and unyielding. Lin Fan was a rare piece of raw jade, unmatched in a millennium; who wouldn't want to take him as a disciple?
Zhong Chen withdrew his gaze, scanned the crowd, and changed the subject. "We'll discuss this later. Whether the Li Qi Sect admits it or not, in my heart, Xiao Fan won this round!"
"That's right! We won!"
"President, where did you find this prodigy?"
"To find so many dragon's lairs in a row, it's unbelievable!"
Many people looked at Lin Fan with sparkling eyes. From their earlier conversation, they could tell that this young man simply lacked some geomancy knowledge. If he could find four or five dragon's lairs in such a short period and even detect that the terrestrial energy of one was off, what would happen if he received some proper training? His talent was even greater than Li Yusheng's! And not just a little greater, perhaps several times over! Such a genius in the world! In another ten years, no, three to five years, he could sweep across China's geomancy world and become an unprecedented master of geomancy! Thinking of this, the way everyone looked at him became even more fervent.
"Ahem." Zhong Chen coughed twice. "The meeting ends here for today. I'll discuss the next match with Guo Cheng later." He then patted Lin Fan's thigh, the meaning clear: "Come with me."
"President," An Hai quickly followed.
"President, this isn't quite right, is it?" Someone couldn't help but complain. Everyone could see Zhong Chen's intentions. It would be too late to take Lin Fan as a disciple once he joined another sect! In life, people strive for either fame or fortune. Everyone could see that Lin Fan would definitely become a generation's master of geomancy in the future! To not take such a good prospect under one's wing would be a colossal loss!
"Xiao Fan, hurry and come with me," Zhong Chen said, no longer caring about anything else. He quickly called out and dragged Lin Fan away.
"President, you can't do this!"
"I am the twenty-eighth generation direct disciple of Yang Gong, Lin Fan, I want to take you as my disciple!"
"Lin Fan, if you become my disciple, in a few years, everything I have will be yours!"
"Become my disciple, and wealth and honor will be within your grasp!"
A cacophony of shouts was deafening.
Bang bang bang...
The knocking at the door gradually disappeared. Zhong Chen, pulling Lin Fan, managed to get back to his room first, blocking everyone outside. Even An Hai, who tried to force his way in, was sent flying with a punch, regardless of their old friendship. Lin Fan faced Zhong Chen, who had a half-smile on his face, feeling uneasy.
"President Zhong, this is..."
"Xiao Fan, I know Guo Cheng's intentions. He will definitely continue the competition. He wants Li Yusheng to succeed as the sect leader of the Jiang Xiang Sect, so he must win gloriously to have enough authority to suppress the other three branches. Do you have confidence in the second match?"
"I have confidence. This time, I absolutely will not lose!" Lin Fan said resolutely, clenching his fists.
"Good! Good! Good!" Zhong Chen exclaimed three times, grinning from ear to ear. He had previously guessed that Lin Fan's eyes, which sometimes emitted a purple glow, were extraordinary. He had never expected these eyes could not only observe mountains and determine water but also predict people's futures and destinies! Zhong Chen felt both emotional and envious. The geomancy masters in the market were uneven in quality. To put it bluntly, some top masters who dedicated their lives to research might not even be as good as Lin Fan's eyes. Heaven's ways are unfair, and it has always been so. Whoever possessed these eyes could effortlessly become a master in the geomancy world!
"Xiao Fan, I've spent my whole life practicing geomancy, and I've gained some fame and accumulated some wealth."
"President Zhong, you are too humble." Lin Fan knew with his backside that Zhong Chen was definitely not just someone with some fame and accumulated wealth. Even Long Yun had millions in assets, let alone the president of the entire association.
"Haha!" Zhong Chen laughed heartily. "To be honest, I have accumulated considerable wealth. In the past few years, with the surge in housing prices, I would demand a house for each geomancy reading. I've lost count of how many I've accumulated over the years."
"..."
What the heck! Lin Fan was speechless.
"All in first and second-tier cities, mind you," Zhong Chen added with a raised eyebrow and a smile.
"Hiss~" Lin Fan gasped. He had seen on the news that housing prices in first-tier cities now easily reached tens of thousands per square meter.
"Xiao Fan, I've wandered all my life, with no children and no disciples," Zhong Chen sighed. "As I'm getting older, I'm unlikely to live much longer."
"Please don't say that." Lin Fan knew he was in good health; this was him playing the emotional card.
"Xiao Fan, would you be willing to be my last disciple?" Zhong Chen looked at Lin Fan with expectation in his eyes.
"I, I..." Lin Fan didn't hesitate. He knew that if he nodded, he would gain countless benefits, immediately live a life like Zhou Yi's, and achieve unprecedented success in the geomancy world in the future. But these were not what he truly desired. The skills he possessed were not meant for him to become a geomancy master.
"I'm sorry, President Zhong. Thank you for your kind offer, but I don't think I'm suited to be a geomancy master."
Zhong Chen's expression changed drastically. "If you're not suited, then who is? Anyone in the world can say that, but not you!"
"I... I really am not suited. Besides, my ambition lies in medicine; I have no interest in geomancy." Lin Fan refused again.
"Heh, heh." Zhong Chen let out two helpless laughs. "What a fine 'no interest in geomancy'."
"That's the truth." Lin Fan shrugged, his expression even more helpless than Zhong Chen's.
Zhong Chen took a breath and said sternly, "Do you know who you are competing against? Li Yusheng! The head of the Li Zi branch of the Jiang Xiang Sect! Lin Xingnan's direct disciple and the most talented geomancy master of the Li Qi Sect in decades!"
"Even without interest, you could match him evenly. If you were interested, he would be like a common chicken and dog before you!" Zhong Chen's eyes revealed fanatical brilliance as he spoke. The Xing Shi Sect desperately needed a genius with unparalleled talent! Yuan Fei was absolutely out! Zhong Chen had seen Yuan Fei's violent and capricious nature the first time they met; he was not a good person. And here was an excellent candidate, who could definitely lead the Xing Shi Sect to a bright future!
"Xiao Fan, be my disciple!"
"I can give you whatever you desire!"