"Why did you two co back?"
Turning around, Qin Fan frowned as he looked at Ye Jizong and Lai Zhuge.
"Mr. Qin, we had just walked over when we happened to witness this. Mr. Qin, what happened?" Ye Jizong asked. He had heard Zhou Yihang’s cry of alarm but paid it no mind, instead adopting a sowhat humble posture toward Qin Fan.
"Nothing. Just a wolf in sheep’s clothing and an ungrateful wolf, both with insolent mouths that needed a lesson," Qin Fan replied with a casual, wicked smile.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing? An ungrateful wolf?
Ye Jizong was taken aback by these two phrases.
Upon hearing this, Lai Zhuge looked over at Yi Tianji, who was dressed in the standard attire of a Fortune Teller, and his brows furrowed. He gave a slight bow, his previous relaxed and carefree deanor gone. He had even changed his form of address from "young friend Qin" to "Mr. Qin" after learning about Qin Fan’s background from Ye Jizu.
"Mr. Qin, is that man from the Feng Shui World?" he asked.
Qin Fan pursed his lips.
"I suppose so," he answered mockingly. "I hear even the city’s top officials have to put on a smile for him! Heh heh—"
SWOOSH!
Zhou Yihang and Yi Tianji, who had overheard every word, began to tremble.
How does Qin Fan know Secretary Ye? How does this young whelp know Master Lai? And why are these two prominent figures acting so humbly, even addressing him as ’Mr.’? How is this possible?! One is the Governor in charge of HN! The other is a leading authority in the southern school of Feng Shui! How could they possibly know a cast-off from the Qin family, a universally acknowledged good-for-nothing? This... this is absolutely preposterous! It was one thing for Yi Tianji, who knew nothing about Qin Fan. But it was different for Zhou Yihang; he could rattle off Qin Fan’s pathetic history from recent years as if reading from a book! Yet the scene before him completely upended that reality? He couldn’t believe his eyes! An illusion! Yes, this must be an illusion!
Subconsciously, he shook his head violently.
"Ma-Ma-Master Lai!" Yi Tianji stamred out of panic, his throat working as he addressed Lai Zhuge with reverence.
"You know ?" Lai Zhuge asked, frowning.
"Master Lai, I was fortunate enough to see you once at the Feng Shui exchange conference in Lingnan three months ago!" Yi Tianji said, a baseless anxiety rising within him. At this mont, his mind was in turmoil.
"Which Feng Shui Association are you a mber of?" Lai Zhuge’s frown deepened, and an imposing aura radiated from him toward Yi Tianji.
"The Lingnan Fengshui Association, Master Lai!"
Given his unease and the gravity of the situation, Yi Tianji would have preferred not to answer. But in front of Lai Zhuge, he couldn’t muster an ounce of courage to lie.
As his words fell, Lai Zhuge ignored him. Instead, he turned to Qin Fan and said, "Mr. Qin, would you enlighten this old man as to what is going on? As the honorary president of the Lingnan Fengshui Association, I must offer you an explanation for the actions of one of our mbers!"
"It’s nothing much. I just slapped him a few tis, and then he threatened that if I don’t kneel before him and repent within three days, he’ll write his na, Yi Tianji, backward. Tsk, tsk. The people from the Feng Shui Association are quite arrogant these days! First, he boasts that top city officials have to curry favor with him, and then he demands I kneel in repentance within three days! How very impressive, how very forceful. Hah..." Qin Fan scoffed.
He knew full well how easy it was for a Feng Shui Master to use insidious ans to harm an ordinary person. But who was he? Trying such tricks on him was no different from seeking death.
Upon hearing Qin Fan’s account, Lai Zhuge’s expression darkened completely. A rare anger began to simr within him.
It was not unusual for mbers of the Feng Shui Association to be treated with respect by the rich and powerful. But these were unwritten rules! Once spoken aloud, the aning was twisted into sothing ugly.
He glared at Yi Tianji, his grandmaster-like brows furrowed. His large, prominent ears trembled slightly.
"You demand soone kneel and repent to you within three days?" he thundered. "What? Are you planning to use the title of a Feng Shui Master to play your dirty little tricks?"
"No, no, Master Lai, it’s a misunderstanding! All of it! How could I do sothing so treacherous?" Yi Tianji panicked. He had indeed planned to use his Feng Shui techniques to make Qin Fan pay a terrible price. But now, standing before Lai Zhuge, the honorary president of the Lingnan Fengshui Association, he didn’t have the guts to even think about it, let alone admit it.
"A misunderstanding? I’ve seen plenty of heretics like you who tarnish the na of ’Fortune Teller’! The Lingnan Fengshui Association has no place for vermin like you, nor will it tolerate you! Yi Tianji, in my capacity as honorary president, I hereby announce your expulsion from the Lingnan Fengshui Association! This declaration will be circulated to all Geomancy Associations throughout Huaxia!" Lai Zhuge roared.
Expelled from the association? And have it announced to the entire Geomancy World? No! Absolutely not! How could I survive in the Geomancy World then? How could I possibly get any more clients? Who would ever trust again? This is a completely annihilating blow!
The thought of the fates that had befallen his expelled peers sent a cold shiver down Yi Tianji’s spine.
"Master Lai, no, no! Please, give a chance! I was blinded by anger and spoke carelessly! I know I was wrong, I beg you, please be rciful!" Pale as a sheet, Yi Tianji trembled as he dropped to one knee before Lai Zhuge. He could not afford the price of expulsion. Having grown accustod to a life of luxury built on his fa, he simply couldn’t bear it.
"From this day forward, you are no longer a part of the Lingnan Fengshui Association! Say no more. The order is final and will not be changed!" Having announced the expulsion, Lai Zhuge’s anger subsided, replaced by a steely calm.
"Master Lai!!!" Yi Tianji collapsed, crying out in hysterical despair.
But Lai Zhuge paid him no further mind. He turned back to Qin Fan and bowed apologetically. "Mr. Qin, a large forest has all kinds of birds. I hope you can forgive this."
"That’s your association’s business. What does it have to do with ? Heh heh! Rest assured, even without this little show, I didn’t have a high opinion of your so-called Geomancy Association to begin with," Qin Fan said with a faint laugh.
"Ultimately, it was a black sheep from the Lingnan Fengshui Association who offended you, Mr. Qin. As the honorary president, it is my duty to give you a proper account!" Lai Zhuge insisted with renewed seriousness.
If Ye Jizong hadn’t told him about Qin Fan’s identity and status, he might not have reacted so strongly. But faced with a teenage Transformation Realm Grandmaster, he had to tread with extre caution! The title of Grandmaster was inviolable, not just in the Martial Arts World, but in society at large. No one would dare to offend such a figure lightly.
In response to Lai Zhuge’s words, Qin Fan simply lifted his hand, shook his head with a faint smile, and said no more.
"Xiao Fan, I, I, I—" Zhou Yihang stamred from the side, his face bloodless with panic as he stared at the unbelievable scene.
With a derisive smile, Qin Fan spat out, "Scram!"
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