"Perhaps there are truly people in this world who are born with knowledge," Guo Cheng mused. He rose and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the bright moon in the night sky, a profound sense of powerlessness washing over him.
Lin Xingnan, a celestial talent, knowing his end was near, broke the Jiangxiang Sect's rule of passing down their legacy only to males and took the Li Yusheng siblings as disciples. His sole aim was to reclaim the Sect Leader position that rightfully belonged to him.
Who would have thought that there existed such an extraordinary person as Lin Fan in this world! Lin Fan's talent, he suspected, far surpassed that of Li Yurou, whom he had greatly admired. Guo Cheng couldn't help but feel deeply concerned for the future of the Liqi Sect.
Silence fell upon the room, so profound one could hear a pin drop.
After a long while, Li Yusheng suddenly asked, "Uncle-Master, are we still continuing the competition?"
"We are!" Li Yurou declared resolutely. Her gaze was firm, her heart filled with immense fighting spirit. "Now is the best chance to defeat Lin Fan!"
Li Yurou carefully analyzed the current situation. She could tell that Lin Fan was an amateur, relying entirely on his innate talent. But in a few more years, once Lin Fan truly grasped the fundamentals, winning against him would be far more difficult!
"We'll compete!" Guo Cheng nodded vigorously. "If we miss this opportunity..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the siblings understood his unspoken words. It was a matter of bringing up the old topic again.
"Alright," Li Yurou stood up. "From now on, it's my turn to perform."
...
The next afternoon, at Left Bank Café. Lin Fan, as a personal disciple, followed behind Zhong Chen.
"President Zhong."
Upon the meeting of the Northern and Southern factions, the atmosphere immediately became tense. After yesterday's competition, the Xing Shi Sect and the Li Qi Sect had completely fallen out, reaching a state of irreconcilable animosity.
"Brother Guo, as we agreed earlier, for this round, my disciple Xiaofan will score four points, and your nephew Li Yusheng will score six." Zhong Chen said calmly.
"Agreed!" Guo Cheng's voice boomed. Last night, after much discussion, the two had devised this unconventional, albeit flawed, solution. Both sides wished to continue the competition and were unwilling to concede, leading them to compromise and find a mutually acceptable middle ground.
Lin Fan looked through the window at a lottery shop across the street. He knew that he absolutely could not afford to lose today's competition!
"Please!"
"Please!"
Zhong Chen and Guo Cheng clasped their hands in greeting, and their respective entourages also parted ways. Li Yurou stood behind, her small hand gripping her brother's arm, pressing it firmly. Li Yusheng looked back at his sister, a silent understanding passing between them as they nodded in unison.
Lin Fan, guided by An Hai, took his seat at a long table. Sitting beside him was his opponent, Li Yusheng. They exchanged a glance and then turned their faces away.
At this moment, a considerably aged elder with white hair and beard stood before them and announced in a clear voice, "I wonder if your elders have explained the rules of the competition to you. Let me take a moment to reiterate them." He pointed to the bell on the table. "Today is the Double Color Ball lottery draw day. When I say 'start,' any customer entering or leaving the lottery shop opposite, whoever can first discern their fortune, will ring this bell. Please note, the accuracy must be to a certain degree, for example, correctly predicting winnings of hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands. If they lose, you must also state the specific amount of betting money lost."
Upon hearing the elder's words, the masters present all wore solemn expressions. Determining victory or defeat was simple; observing their demeanor and complexion, they were about eighty percent confident. If someone approached with exhilaration and joy, they had clearly won the lottery! Conversely, if they were dejected and stumbled, they had likely lost money or not won at all. However, to accurately gauge the specific amount of gain or loss was a test of keen eyesight and experience, and perhaps even a touch of luck.
"Hmm."
"Alright, but I have a small question." Lin Fan raised his hand to ask, "Is today's competition also out of ten points? One point for each correct answer, only guessing the win or loss, no points if the amount isn't specified, and a deduction of one point for guessing the win or loss incorrectly. A total of ten points as the limit?"
"That's correct," the elder nodded. "This was agreed upon in advance."
Lin Fan chuckled, "Then, if... if I were blindfolded, could my score be doubled? Two points for each correct answer?"
"What?"
"Are you mad?"
"This..."
"How can you compete blindfolded?"
"Lin Fan, what trick are you playing?"
The members of the Xing Shi Sect and the Li Qi Sect reacted with varied shock and expressions. While the Xing Shi Sect members were astonished, their reactions were mostly filled with concern. The Li Qi Sect members, however, showed more apprehension. Something unusual must be brewing! A feng shui master is not a god! How could one see with their eyes covered?
Guo Cheng looked at Zhong Chen in surprise and displeasure. "President Zhong, what tricks are you trying to play?"
"Brother Guo, your words are rather misplaced," Zhong Chen replied with a smile. "It's simply that my disciple is exceptionally gifted, and ordinary fortune-telling and physiognomy are no challenge for him. This competition presents a perfect opportunity for him to push his own limits."
"Your disciple?" Guo Cheng was greatly surprised, and his expression immediately darkened. Zhong Chen chuckled, "Everyone, as of yesterday, Lin Fan has officially become my disciple, my final disciple. I hope you will all grace us with your presence at the future apprenticeship ceremony."
At this point, Song Tian and Yuan Fei arrived.
"He actually took him as a disciple?" Yuan Fei exclaimed in utter astonishment. President Zhong hadn't considered taking on a disciple for decades, so why the sudden impulse? He then smirked. It would be truly entertaining when Lin Fan made a fool of himself in front of everyone.
"Master, it seems your position as the head of the Jinmen Association might advance further," Yuan Fei whispered.
Song Tian waved his hand, chuckling, "Let's just watch the show." The master and disciple walked to the back of the crowd, whispered greetings to those beside them, and then observed the Li Qi Sect members gathering together, anxiously discussing their strategy.
"Old Guo, do we agree or not?"
"I suspect there's a trap."
"Definitely. The Xing Shi Sect, seeing they can't compete with Master Li, is resorting to scheming."
"But if we don't accept, it seems we'll be at a disadvantage in terms of momentum."
Everyone chattered, unable to reach a consensus. Guo Cheng's expression was grave, and he, too, dared not make a hasty decision. If they followed Lin Fan's proposed method of competition, the maximum score for a single round could reach twenty points! If he had some clever tactic, he might be able to instantly reverse the previous deficit and even secure victory!
Seeing their predicament, Zhong Chen felt a surge of delight. If he hadn't personally witnessed the marvel of Lin Fan's eyes, he wouldn't have dared to agree to such a radical competition method. Truly, he had found a good disciple!
"Brother Guo, have you reached a decision?" Zhong Chen inquired. Guo Cheng shot him a glare before exchanging words with those around him and then making eye contact with Li Yurou. He then walked over and said, "President Zhong, doubling the score for a blindfolded competition is indeed reasonable, but..."