Chapter 9: The Fate-Severing Technique
Chen Yan was willing to compensate for the medical expenses. Originally, such a matter would cost around five hundred silver coins.
However, he took the initiative to increase the amount to two thousand, the excess meant as an apology for the distress caused. He even offered a personal apology, face-to-face, to the injured party.
He understood well—this delicate young lady was entirely blameless. She had no idea she carried misfortune upon her, nor could she have foreseen that her presence would affect an entire airship full of travelers. She was simply a girl, seated properly, fast asleep on the journey, when suddenly, a man strode over and—bam!—struck her with a fist.
Truly, it was a grievous misfortune.
Whether or not the matter could be resolved, Chen Yan made sure his sincerity was displayed first. Of course, it still depended on the injured party’s response. If she refused to forgive him… things could take a turn for the worse.
If she wished to escalate the matter, if she refused to accept reconciliation, the process could become a tangled mess. A full medical examination, a formal legal procedure—perhaps even detention for him. And the compensation would only increase.
However, to Chen Yan’s surprise, the police soon delivered unexpected news.
The young girl he had punched… was willing to forgive him.
[What a kind and soft-hearted girl,] he mused.
Under the police’s supervision, they met in the mediation chamber. The young lady signed a formal statement of forgiveness, and Chen Yan transferred the two thousand silver coins on the spot.
“Miss Lu Si Si… because of my actions… I extend my deepest apologies… I am willing to compensate… and take full responsibility.”
Chen Yan spoke with utmost sincerity. The girl—Lu Si Si—still seemed fearful, her gaze flickering with apprehension. But eventually, she nodded slightly and murmured, “I… I accept your apology.”
She truly fit the description of a delicate and innocent girl, one who—if struck—would likely cry for a long time.
Moreover, upon arriving at the Police Office of the Airship Terminal, he discovered another shocking detail.
This girl… had only just turned eighteen this year.
[Heaven’s mercy! What a disaster…]
With the matter settled, the girl departed first.
Chen Yan, however, was not free to go just yet. A young officer remained behind to lecture him on proper conduct. It was, in truth, a calculated effort. The police could not, in good conscience, allow both parties to leave together—it was necessary to ensure the girl’s safety.
Thus, they detained Chen Yan under the guise of an educational reprimand, keeping him occupied for a little while longer.
He accepted the lecture with good grace. Given the circumstances, any resistance would be sheer folly. To argue with the police over his own misdeeds? That would be the height of foolishness.
Once the lecture concluded and Chen Yan prepared to leave, the young officer suddenly recalled something.
“Wait a minute,” he said, eyes narrowing. “Earlier, you mentioned your ex-girlfriend swindled you out of your rent money… So tell me, how were you able to afford a first-class airship ticket? According to the flight records, you sat in first class.”
Chen Yan did not flinch. “After breaking up, I found a new girlfriend. She is… a wealthy lady.”
The officer scrutinized him suspiciously, glanced at the signed documents in his hand, and—though visibly displeased—simply waved him off. “Get lost.”
Upon leaving, Chen Yan lingered outside the Airship Terminal Hall, searching for the girl. He wasn’t harboring any improper thoughts.
Rather, he had seen the Dark Aura of Misfortune swirling atop her head with his Heaven’s Eye. Something was amiss with her fate.
And his method of Accepting the Calamity might not have entirely dispelled her streak of misfortune.
She was a kind girl, and if he could, he would have liked to find her and examine her fate once more.
Unfortunately, she had vanished.
Chen Yan had secured a modest residence in Jin Ling Prefecture after graduation. A simple lodging near the University Town of the Eastern District, where he had stayed throughout his apprenticeship.
It was a cramped room in an Inner City Village, rented for a mere eight hundred silver per moon cycle—one month’s deposit, three months’ advance payment.
The landlord was a miserly, sharp-tongued man who had taken an old three-bedroom dwelling and divided it into four single rooms. He even rented out a bed in the common area, squeezing five tenants into a dwelling meant for three.
And there was no air conditioning.
Fortunately, as of late, only he and his next-door neighbor remained in the building. The other three were either working overtime or away on business trips.
Back in his quarters, utterly exhausted, Chen Yan collapsed onto his bed. Yet, he did not immediately fall asleep.
Forcing himself to stay awake, he sat cross-legged and began circulating his Vital Energy.
A moment later, his eyes snapped open in realization.
His Vital Energy had subtly increased compared to before he boarded the airship!
Though the growth was not dramatic, it was noticeably more than what he usually gained from a full day of training.
By his estimation, this single incident had accelerated his progress by at least three days’ worth of cultivation!
This was no small blessing.
Chen Yan immediately retrieved his Sect’s Secret Manual, flipping through its pages in search of an explanation.
But despite his efforts, the tome held no mention of such an occurrence.
Frowning, he sat in silence, pondering the mystery. But ultimately, he had no choice but to set it aside for now.
[If the answer isn’t there, there’s no use forcing it.]
Regardless, an increase in strength was never a bad thing.
With that thought, he turned to the section detailing Mystic Arts, skimming its contents.
Previously, his meager Vital Energy had only allowed him to employ Heaven’s Eye, the most basic of techniques.
But now…
Chen Yan decided to attempt something slightly more advanced.
Recalling the misfortune that had plagued the delicate young maiden on the plane, inspiration struck him like a stray gust of autumn wind.
“Luck? Now that’s an interesting concept.”
Yes, this mystical art—perhaps it was worth a try. Chen Yan’s gaze lingered upon a certain passage within the old manual before him…
At around three in the morning, coarse curses erupted from the neighboring room, shattering the tranquility of the night.
The clamor roused Chen Yan from his meditative state. He furrowed his brows and glanced toward the wall. Judging by the vulgar exchanges, it was likely some frustrated gamer locked in a battle of insults with an opponent.
Chen Yan made no move to intervene. First, he had already rested enough and was not particularly annoyed. Second, past experience had taught him that confronting such people was futile—reasoning with them was pointless. If they had any sense of civility, they wouldn’t be disrupting others at this hour in the first place.
To beat them into submission? He had considered it before. But back when he had just graduated and landed a job, he refrained, lest word of his actions reached his grandmother and caused her undue worry.
Against people like this, either one acted decisively to ensure they never dared cross the line again, or one simply ignored them altogether—no half-measures. If he couldn’t utterly resolve the matter, then patience was the wiser path.
Chen Yan referred to this personal philosophy as: Do nothing, or do it completely!
His university classmates, however, had another saying about him—”The dog that bites doesn’t bark.”
Thus, within the school halls, he had earned a certain moniker…
Wearing a pair of slippers, Chen Yan left his room and entered the small, dimly lit kitchen. He lit the stove and prepared himself a bowl of instant noodles, feeling the weight of the one million yuan now sitting in his bank account.
With such vast riches at his disposal, he indulged himself—cracking not one, but two eggs into the steaming broth.
After satisfying his hunger, he turned his thoughts toward the first order of business: finding a new place to live.
His current residence, a cramped eight-square-meter rental, had long outlived its purpose. A bed and a small desk barely left room to turn around. There was no air conditioning, and the water heater functioned erratically—a miserable situation, especially with winter approaching.
Chen Yan had no interest in suffering through freezing showers.
Furthermore, if he were to properly cultivate the secret techniques left behind by his grandmother, he required privacy.
Returning to his hometown was not an option.
The rural lifestyle lacked modern conveniences, and having lived in the city for years, he had developed a reliance on Wi-Fi and food delivery—an affliction common among urban youth.
In the countryside, food delivery was nonexistent, and even setting up an internet connection would be a hassle. But most importantly, rural life lacked privacy.
In the city, people were cold and indifferent, shutting their doors to the world, with neighbors who might as well be strangers. But villages were different.
Despite their lower population density, the social entanglements ran deep—half the village could claim some distant kinship. Doors were left wide open during the day, and neighbors came and went as they pleased, stepping straight into one another’s homes without warning.
If someone were to lock themselves away, rarely seen and doors perpetually shut, they would quickly become the talk of the town.
“No more endurance! With money in my hands, I should start living comfortably.”
Decision made—today, he would find a new place!
As he turned toward the kitchen to wash his empty bowl, the shouting next door intensified. Even from here, the man’s curses were clear as day.
Chen Yan paused in thought. Since he was leaving soon… did he really have to keep enduring this?
Perhaps, before his departure, he could arrange a little something?
Just as this thought took root, the neighboring door banged open. Out stormed a man in his thirties, still cursing under his breath. He filled a glass of water at the sink and, as though still simmering with rage, shot Chen Yan a hostile glare.
“What the hell are you looking at?”
He downed the water in large gulps, his mood foul.
Chen Yan’s expression remained warm, his smile unreadable.
Summoning the power of Fate Circulation and activating his Heaven’s Eye, he studied the man’s fortune.
Hmm… this man’s luck was actually quite decent at the moment.
Chen Yan chuckled and stepped closer. “Brother Wang.”
With his words, he extended a hand. At his fingertips, a sliver of unseen primordial energy coiled into a mystical mudra, pressing lightly against the man’s shoulder—once, twice, thrice.
Brother Wang narrowed his eyes. “What do you want?”
“Nothing much, just a bit of ash on your shoulder,” Chen Yan replied with a pleasant smile.
Suspicion flickered across Brother Wang’s face, but he found nothing amiss. With a grunt, he turned back toward his room.
Bang! The door slammed shut behind him.
Fate Severing Technique!
Tonight, after two hours of testing, Chen Yan had successfully executed this novel art.
By forming a specific hand seal and infusing his fingers with primordial energy, he could sever a thread of another’s fortune, turning blessings into calamity.
The advantage? His targets would suffer misfortune unknowingly.
The downside? The technique wasn’t particularly powerful, and it could only invert good fortune—not worsen existing bad luck. Had his target already been shrouded in dark misfortune, like that unfortunate girl on the plane, this art would have been useless.
The cost? The energy expenditure was roughly three times that of activating Heaven’s Eye.
With a satisfied nod, Chen Yan retreated to his room.
Within the next few days, Brother Wang would inevitably encounter some misfortunes—nothing severe, but he was certain to lose some money, perhaps suffer a minor injury.
A fitting punishment, subtle yet effective.
Chen Yan lay back against his bed, a smirk playing at his lips.
Tonight had been… fruitful.
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