Outside the antique street in Xi'an, an ancient capital of thirteen dynasties.

Zhou Ding wore an ancient-style white long robe, holding a folding fan, sitting on a low stool, looking like a pedantic old scholar, putting on an air of profound mystery.

Before him was a small table, beside which stood a canvas sign with two large characters written on it: Divination.

There was a lot of foot traffic near the antique street, people coming and going. However, Zhou Ding's business was unusually slow. After setting up his stall for more than an hour, he didn't even get a single inquiry.

"Are they impossible to swindle again today? People are getting too smart these days, they've all learned. It seems even idiots aren't enough anymore!"

"I'm so messed up that even eating a meal is a problem, let alone avenging my grandfather..."

Just when Zhou Ding was bored out of his mind, he suddenly saw a young man in his twenties or thirties, dressed in brand-name casual wear, walking over. He was handsome and dashing.

He knows the other person, whose name is Song Xianming. He's a rich second-generation fool who has lots of money. A few days ago, he calculated a fortune for him and cheated him out of one thousand yuan by fooling him.

"Brother Song, have you made a fortune recently? Are you here again to ask me for a divination?" Zhou Ding greeted him with a smile, thinking about how to cheat him one more time and earn some food money.

Unexpectedly, Song Xianming took a few steps forward and suddenly grabbed Zhou Ding's collar, roaring furiously:

"You liar! You made me lose one hundred thousand yuan. Today, I'm not only going to smash your sign, but also tear apart your stinking place, to rid the people of harm."

It was obvious that Song Xianming had come prepared, bringing along two powerful and sturdy bodyguards who surrounded Zhou Ding on both sides.

Oh no, I'm going to be defeated this time!

Zhou Ding's heart skipped a beat, but he had been learning divination and physiognomy from his grandfather since childhood. Although he hadn't learned the real skills, relying solely on bluffing people, he had cultivated a silver tongue that could talk his way out of anything. He quickly said:

"Brother Song, please calm down first. Don't get your hands on me. How did I deceive you? You have to make it clear."

"Fine, today I'll let you die with understanding!" Song Xianming temporarily let go of Zhou Ding and said angrily:

“Last time you told me that I would be very lucky lately, with great fortune coming my way, winning every bet and being victorious in everything. I believed your nonsense, spent 100,000 buying an ancient jade pendant, thinking I could make a profit, but it turned out to be fake, costing me 100,000.”

After figuring out the reason, Zhou Ding was speechless. What does it have to do with me that you bought a counterfeit?

But the other side had three people, and they looked like they were ready to beat him up. He cursed inwardly, knowing he couldn't say anything or he'd be in for a beating. He could only try to find an excuse to defuse the situation:

"I'm saying you always win when you gamble, but buying ancient jade pendants isn't gambling. It doesn't fall under my fortune-telling scope so my predictions aren't wrong."

"You're nitpicking with me! You say I'm prosperous and lucky, but what's the point? Your fortune-telling is inaccurate, it cost me money. If I hadn't listened to your nonsense, I wouldn't have bought those antiques."

"Either compensate for all my losses, or I'll rip you to shreds, break your legs, and leave you crippled."

Song Xianming became angrier and angrier as he spoke. He pulled out the fake jade pendant he had bought and hurled it at Zhou Ding fiercely.

Zhou Ding subconsciously caught it. It was a white jade pendant with a yellowish tint, shaped like a gossip diagram. It was simple and unadorned, with the eight trigrams of Qian, Kun, Xun, Zhen, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui engraved on it.

For some reason, after receiving the gossip-shaped jade pendant, he felt a strange sense of unease. At the same time, it was as if he had caught a glimpse of a white flash that pierced him.

Following him, a mysterious Bagua diagram appeared in his mind, along with a cryptic message.

What's going on?

Before Zhou Ding could think, Song Xianming grabbed his collar again and said fiercely, "Choose, either pay or get beaten."

Two burly bodyguards beside him sneered, raised their arms, and flexed their muscles, a threatening look in their eyes.

"Brother Song, you're being unreasonable. I didn't sell you a fake, and I'm not trying to scam you. You should go find the seller instead of picking on me."

Zhou Ding will definitely not lose money, only try to find a way to appease him.

At the same time, he noticed that the gossip pattern in his mind, with the eight hexagrams of Qian, Kun, Xun, Zhen, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui, started to rotate automatically. Then a string of information appeared.

"Song Xianming, born on March 5, 1995, is a native of Chang'an City. He has one sibling and is unmarried. He holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Chang'an Finance University. His family is well-off and involved in real estate development. He has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Today, his fortune is prosperous, and he has the assistance of noble people..."

Zhou Ding was secretly surprised. This gossip pattern could actually deduce the hexagrams on its own, and it matched everything he knew about Song Xianming's situation.

Because a few days ago, he had just calculated the Eight Characters of Birth and Family Situation for Song Xiaming through divination. He still remembers that the information derived from the I Ching diagram was exactly the same.

Zhou Ding unconsciously glanced at the gossip jade pendant in his hand a few times, and the gossip pattern in his mind once again turned, deducing a piece of information.

"The Meteorite Bagua, forged from celestial meteorite, is a mystical technique that contains the innate Bagua diagram. It can be used to predict all things in the world and is invaluable. Having been soaked in medicine to appear aged, it has now recognized its destined owner, Zhou Ding..."

This information shocked Zhou Ding. It was a profound mystical technique forged from an extraterrestrial meteorite, capable of deducing everything in the world. Did it recognize me as its master?

How can such an amazing item be mistaken for a fake? Are they all blind?!

"Luckily, the people who received this jade pendant before me didn't know its value. They made a mistake and gave it to me. Now I'm going to get rich!"

In fact, it's not that Song Xianming and others didn't know the value. The jade pendant appeared to be ordinary jade, intentionally aged by the seller using medicinal substances. It was a case of selling ancient artifacts as fakes.

After Song Xianming bought it back, he asked a professional appraiser to authenticate it. He immediately saw through the aging techniques and determined that it was a fake.

It's all because your fortune-telling is inaccurate, you made me lose money! Who else would I go to if not you?

Song Xiangming's furious roar pulled Zhou Ding back to reality. He snarled, "You won't pay? Then I'll beat you until you do!"

Actually, Song Xianming went to see the seller today, but antique shops rely on knowledge and eyesight. Whether a buyer buys fake or overpriced goods, or a seller sells at a loss or low price, they cannot return them or settle accounts afterward.

The seller refused to take the item back, saying Song Xianming didn't know the rules. He even went to his sworn enemy, Bai Changliang, and was ridiculed. He lost money and reputation.

With Song Xiaoming's family background, losing ten thousand yuan is nothing.

But he was too proud to be laughed at by his arch-rival, Bai Changliang, and was filled with resentment. That's why he brought people here to find Zhou Ding, this fortune teller, to vent his anger.

"Wait, hold on, I'm not finished yet!"

Zhou Ding hurriedly stopped him, remembering the information displayed in the recent deduction of the先天八卦 diagram. It showed that Song Xiaming's fortune would be prosperous today with the help of nobles.

Could this benefactor be talking about me?

Seeing that he unintentionally did a good deed, allowing me to obtain the profound technique of Falling Jade and Eight Trigrams, I should help him recover his losses. This way, we'll be even.

Just casually explain away the previous fortune-telling I did, so as to save face.

(Editor in charge：novelas)