Chapter 170
Chapter 170: The Fated Ones
“Are you the shopkeeper?”
Wang Jie nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the street, waiting for the fated one to arrive.
“I want to buy gravity star stones.”
“This shop only sells pills, no star stones.”
“The pills here are far too expensive. I doubt many can afford them. How long will it take to sell all these Gravity Star Force Pills?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not short on money.”
Gao Chi furrowed his brows, releasing the aura of the Wandering Star Realm to pressure Wang Jie.
Wang Jie glanced up, locking eyes with him: “Do you intend to break the rules of the Four Path marketplace? And this is Zhi Academy.”
In the Four Path marketplace, money was the only currency. Anyone who tried to use force to intimidate others would be expelled.
Though Gao Chi was from the Wandering Star Realm, he wasn’t foolish enough to challenge the rules of the Four Path marketplace. Especially in Zhi Academy, where such behavior could ruin his reputation permanently.
Reluctantly, he withdrew his aura: “Apologies, I was hasty. But this pill is really hard to sell here in Zhi Academy. Please consider it, Shopkeeper.”
Wang Jie waved him off.
Before Gao Chi could say more, someone approached. Wang Jie’s eyes lit up—his fated one had arrived.
“I am Xiao Jian Mu, here to visit Master.” The newcomer appeared young, but his gaze and demeanor revealed a maturity far beyond his years. He was polite and respectful.
Wang Jie gestured for him to sit.
Xiao Jian Mu took a seat: “I wonder if I have the fate to be connected with Master?”
“You do,” Wang Jie answered plainly.
Xiao Jian Mu’s eyes brightened. “I’ve encountered some troubles today and wish to seek Master’s guidance. This is a hundred-star stage sea stone.”
Wang Jie’s reputation had started to spread, and even though he had only helped two people with their fate, many speculated about his abilities.
“You have wronged a woman.”
Xiao Jian Mu frowned, “I have not. I spend my days studying formation dao and have never been involved in any romantic matters.”
“Fate brings you to me for the cause of your past life. How could Master know about your past life?”
“Do past lives really exist?”
“Some things are not meant to be spoken of.”
Xiao Jian Mu appeared troubled. “No wonder I was made to do that. How should I resolve this, Master?”
Wang Jie replied, “I can help, but it’s best if you resolve the cause of your past life on your own. Just do what needs to be done.”
Xiao Jian Mu forced a bitter smile. “But I don’t know what to do. I have no idea where to begin.”
Wang Jie chuckled softly. “You owe a debt to someone. Repay it, and that’s enough. What you owe is not affection, but a tear.”
Xiao Jian Mu let out a long sigh. “The tears of a heartbroken young girl.”
“Go. Pretend to break up a couple, and make that girl cry.”
“Uh, isn’t that a bit… wrong?”
“The cause is already set. Even if I help you solve it, it will come back again. So you must resolve it yourself. The method is simple—just make more amends. You won’t really break them up.”
Xiao Jian Mu was helpless, his smile bitter. “Alright.” He stood and looked over at Gao Chi, who was still lingering by the Gravity Star Force Pills. Frowning, he said, “Are you here to challenge Master? I advise the artifact forging dao to mind their own business and stop acting as lackeys for others.”
Gao Chi glared at Xiao Jian Mu, recognizing him. Wasn’t he from the formation dao? Hadn’t he considered dealing with him? But after a brief thought, he didn’t speak further and walked away.
Xiao Jian Mu snorted. “Zhi Academy is getting dirtier by the day. Everyone used to just focus on their own cultivation, but now outsiders keep interfering. These idle cultivators have no principles.” He then looked at Wang Jie. “Master, be careful.”
Wang Jie was grateful. “Thank you.” He suddenly felt a sense of guilt. Xiao Jian Mu seemed like a man of integrity. “By the way, your energy is unbalanced. Over time, you’ll waste your strength, and your efficiency will decrease. Pay attention to it.”
Xiao Jian Mu was surprised. “Master, what do you mean?”
Wang Jie pointed to his left arm.
Xiao Jian Mu gasped. “Thank you, Master.”
This observation was something Wang Jie had gathered through his insight, a small form of compensation.
Perhaps Xiao Jian Mu’s character was trustworthy, or perhaps it was the experiences of Yi Hao and Su Le that had led to fewer people mocking Wang Jie’s abilities. More and more were curious about his fortune-telling.
In the distance, Ji Zheng kept his watchful gaze.
After Gao Chi returned, his expression darkened. He suggested killing Wang Jie and taking the Gravity Star Force Pills for himself.
Ji Zheng didn’t care much for the pills; he only cared about when to take action.
He consulted Master Bian.
Master Bian told them to return.
“What have you learned from observing these days?”
Ji Zheng didn’t know how to answer. Business at the shop had been slow; hardly anyone bought pills, but the fortune-telling became increasingly mysterious.
He wondered if others were just trusting Wang Jie, but Yi Hao, Su Le, and Xiao Jian Mu were no simple characters. They couldn’t have been bought off. This meant that Wang Jie had truly solved their problems, and those problems must have been caused by him in the first place, since all of these “fated ones” had appeared on the list he bought earlier. This was something only she, Du Xian, at Star Dome, truly knew.
But even with Star Dome’s resources, they couldn’t figure out how Wang Jie did it.
It was puzzling.
Could it be the legendary star dao?
“Master, I wish to seek your fortune-telling.”
“Sorry, I only read for the fated ones.”
“What exactly does it mean to be a fated one? Does it mean you already know how to help them with their troubles?”
Wang Jie didn’t even glance at the person, clearly aware they were here to provoke him.
This wasn’t the first time this person had slandered him, but today, this person had a tenacious attitude. They had blocked the door for three days without leaving. Wang Jie almost wanted to slap a card on them.
Two more days passed, and someone finally arrived. Wang Jie’s eyes brightened. They had truly endured.
The tasks he had given were clearly difficult for these people to complete. This meant that those who hadn’t come yet were living in restless anxiety. Remarkably, there were still a few who hadn’t arrived.
The person before him was from the artifact forging dao.
Of the three factions, only the artifact forging dao hadn’t sent anyone.
“I am Shi Jia, and I wonder if I could be one of Master’s fated ones?” The visitor was a middle-aged man, living not far from the Star Dome trading hall in a weapon shop, and like Yi Hao, he owned several shops.
Wang Jie nodded. “You may.”
Shi Jia entered the shop.
Outside, the person who had been slandering shouted angrily, “Why is he the fated one? How can a shop be run like this? This is clearly a setup, even if it’s not a scam, it’s close enough.”
Shi Jia turned back, his gaze cold. “Get lost.”
The man opened his mouth to argue, but Shi Jia snapped, “Don’t think I don’t know you’re with Ji Zheng, trying to stir trouble. Leave now.”
In the distance, Ji Zheng’s eyes darkened as he watched.
The man left, unwilling to stay any longer.
Wang Jie smiled. “Customer, please.”
Shi Jia shot a hidden glance at the distance. He, too, was with Ji Zheng. In fact, he was the real person Ji Zheng had sent to deal with Wang Jie. The other man was just a pawn. Using Shi Jia to drive away that person made the public more convinced.
After all, Shi Jia held a respectable position in Zhi Academy and had a significant reputation.
This Wang Jie was finished.
However, Ji Zheng had no idea that Shi Jia truly wanted to seek fortune-telling. Recently, he had been troubled by problems, unable to cultivate, unable to forge, and his spirit had been worn thin.
He didn’t understand the Rainbow Drinking Sword Style, let alone the hundred-strike sequence.
Why was he suddenly so obsessed with it? He didn’t even know how to perform the sword style. So, for the past few days, he had been frantically searching for the Rainbow Drinking Sword Style, never stopping.
When Ji Zheng arrived, he had just heard about Yi Hao and Xiao Jian Mu and decided to visit Wang Jie.
That was why he hadn’t rejected the invitation and had come along.
Shi Jia sat opposite Wang Jie, his face full of worry. “I heard Yi Hao came. Did Master help him solve his problems?”
Wang Jie answered, “Do you know what a fated one is?”
“I don’t know.”
“A fated one is someone bound by the causes of their past life.” Wang Jie’s voice was loud, carrying across the room for all to hear. “Destiny reveals the past to understand the future, but it is not meant to change the future. Those like us must be sincere in heart to follow the path.”
“Those who come to me seeking answers about their future, a better life, or even relationships have come to the wrong place.”
“I only help a select few resolve their specific troubles.”
Shi Jia understood now. “So you are bound by the causes of your past life, Master?”
Wang Jie smiled. “Can you practice the sword, customer?”
Shi Jia’s eyes widened, and his breath quickened. “I didn’t practice before, but now I do.”
Wang Jie looked him over. “Looking at your face, your sword technique is wrong.”
“How can I fix it?”
“No need to fix it. Cut the karmic ties. Tomorrow morning, bring one hundred swords, and I’ll destroy them. That will sever the karmic connection.”
“Just like that?”
“Exactly.”
Shi Jia nodded, stood, and bowed. “I understand. I’ll come back tomorrow morning.”
Wang Jie reminded him, “If you want to sever it cleanly, the swords should be of the best quality.”
Shi Jia bowed again and left.
After leaving the shop, Ji Zheng found him. “What’s going on? Why didn’t you stir trouble?”
Shi Jia spoke lightly. “I’ll take care of it tomorrow morning. Can’t cause trouble without doing the work first. It’s too obvious.”
Ji Zheng agreed after some thought.
“Help me find swords, one hundred, the best quality you can.”
Ji Zheng was baffled. “Why make me do it?”
In the end, he was the one who went to gather them.
The next day, Shi Jia returned with more than twenty high-quality swords, all made from fifth-grade materials, one even being a seventh-grade sword. Ji Zheng brought the rest, but they were of much lower quality, all made from third-grade materials.