Chapter 55

Féilún dismissed Zhuang Sheng with a few words and sent him back home. He didn’t expect that the next morning, after Zhuang Sheng had burned paper money for Zhuang Yueming, he would come again.

"Why aren’t you treating your hand? What are you doing here?" Féilún sneered, "Are you here to tell me you want an amputation again?"

"No, no, Brother Féi!" Zhuang Sheng waved his hands frantically, "I will do my best to treat my hand and definitely won’t have it amputated."

Féilún pursed his lips, "We’ll see about that!" After all, if the limb injury is too severe to be treated, amputation is usually the only option. Otherwise, the wound could worsen, leading to sepsis or gangrene, which could be fatal.

"Brother Féi, today I want to invite you to go shopping in the city," Zhuang Sheng pleaded.

It wasn’t Féilún’s fixed time for daily practice, and he had nothing else to do, so he could wander around. He teased, "I’m free, but are you not afraid others will misunderstand us two men going out together?" He then gave Zhuang Sheng a very disgusting "seductive" look.

Zhuang Sheng was startled by Féilún’s antics and wiped his sweat, "Brother Féi, every year on my aunt’s anniversary, I go to Huang Daxian to seek divine guidance. This year, I want to invite Brother Féi to come with me." As he spoke, his eyes revealed a passionate and hopeful light.

Féilún sensed that something was off with Zhuang Sheng but didn’t point it out. He agreed, "Alright, let’s go and pay our respects to the gods."

So, the two of them drove to the Huang Daxian Temple.

After parking the car and walking around to the outside of the garage, Féilún saw the bustling crowd at the temple, truly a constant stream of visitors!

Zhuang Sheng, who had clearly been here many times, saw Féilún looking around and hurriedly said, "Brother Féi, this way!"

"Where are we going?"

"Have you heard of Master Zhixuan?" Zhuang Sheng said as he led the way, "I always seek guidance from her."

Féilún, half-believing and half-doubting, said, "Zhixuan? Is she really that mysterious?" After all, he had personal experience with supernatural matters, not just hearsay, so he still had some respect for these so-called mystic masters.

"Master’s predictions are very accurate. She always predicts my fortune for the next year, but unfortunately, she can’t change it!" Zhuang Sheng said, becoming dispirited as he spoke.

Féilún didn’t remind him, just watched coldly, wondering what Zhuang Sheng’s true intentions were. Could he be an undercover agent for Old Li? It wasn’t impossible.

Fortunately, Zhuang Sheng quickly regained his composure and said, "Sorry, Brother Féi! I was just thinking about my parents, so I got a bit distracted!"

Féilún smiled indifferently and changed the subject, "How much further?"

Zhuang Sheng pointed, "There, right in front. See that woman distributing talismans? That’s Master Zhixuan!"

Féilún looked over and saw a woman in simple white linen with a well-proportioned figure moving among the crowd, distributing yellow talismans. He was a bit taken aback, "Zhixuan is a woman?"

"Yes, Brother Féi!" Zhuang Sheng said matter-of-factly, "Don’t underestimate her just because she’s a woman. Her predictions are very accurate."

"Very accurate, yes, you’ve already said that," Féilún replied casually.

As they approached, Féilún got a clearer view of Zhixuan’s face. She had a delicate and graceful appearance, with a particularly striking pair of clear, deep, and serene eyes. Her graceful demeanor and elegant steps gave the impression of someone strolling through the world.

Unfortunately, Féilún, who was used to dealing with half-gods and half-demons, felt no initial shock, only a sense of caution.

When they reached Zhixuan, Zhuang Sheng bowed reverently, "Master, I’m back!"

Zhixuan, however, didn’t respond as she usually did. Instead, she stood frozen, staring at Féilún in shock.

"Confucius said, 'Respect the gods as if they are present.' Master Zhixuan, the way you’re looking at me, it’s like 'Respect the gods, and they will be present!'" Féilún said with a half-smile.

Zhixuan snapped out of her daze, glanced at Féilún again, and announced to the surrounding visitors that the distribution of talismans was over for the day. She then said to Zhuang Sheng, "A Sheng, bring your friend with you, follow me!"

They followed her into a nearby concrete building with an ancient style. People they met along the way greeted Zhixuan, and she nodded in response.

Finally, Zhixuan led Féilún and Zhuang Sheng into a quiet tea room, sat down in the main seat, and gestured to the opposite seat, "Sir, please sit!"

There was only one seat, and Féilún waved it off, "No need." He pointed to Zhuang Sheng, "He’s the one seeking a prediction, let him sit."

Zhuang Sheng quickly said, "Brother Féi, you sit, I’ll stand!"

Zhixuan said calmly, "No matter how you try to hide it, you can’t conceal your true intentions."

Féilún knew this was directed at him but pretended not to understand, "I don’t know what you mean, Master." Despite his words, he sat down without hesitation.

Seeing Féilún sit, Zhixuan glanced at the thick bandage on Zhuang Sheng’s hand, "A Sheng, your destiny has changed. You don’t need to come to me for predictions anymore."

Zhuang Sheng was shocked and anxious, "Master, why? I can increase this year’s offering to three million."

Zhixuan waved her hand, "It’s not about the money. Your future is bound by a sixteen-character prophecy, so whether I predict it or not makes no difference."

Zhuang Sheng was even more surprised, "Master, what are the sixteen characters?"

Zhixuan glanced at Féilún, then at Zhuang Sheng’s injured hand, and recited slowly, "Life and death, a life of toil, death leads to reincarnation, life leads to becoming a demon!"

Zhuang Sheng was silently memorizing the sixteen characters, but Féilún’s eyes widened, and he demanded, "Master, what do you mean by 'reincarnation'?"

Zhixuan looked at Féilún meaningfully, a faint smile appearing on her calm face, "Both Buddhist and Taoist texts mention the cycle of rebirth. When I say reincarnation, I mean exactly that. What did you think I meant?"

Féilún was speechless, but Zhixuan continued, "You said I respect the gods as if they are present. What about you? Is it 'as if' or 'as'?"

"Respecting the gods as if they are present leans towards atheism, while respecting the gods as if they are present leans towards the belief that the gods are everywhere. Zhixuan’s question hit a nerve with Féilún.

But Féilún, experienced in such matters, didn’t let it faze him. He replied mysteriously, "Master, I’m sitting here talking to you. Isn’t it obvious that the gods are present?"

Zhixuan’s expression changed slightly, and Féilún, mimicking her, pressed on, "Master, can you predict the recent situation of my parents?" Fortunately, Zhuang Sheng was deep in thought over the sixteen characters and didn’t hear their conversation, or he would have been thoroughly confused.

Zhixuan, thinking quickly, caught Féilún’s slip, "If you can sit here, how can you have parents?"

Féilún seemed to have anticipated this question and replied, "Why not? I’m talking about the parents in my heart."

This left Zhixuan speechless. Seeing her at a loss, Féilún was about to taunt her, but Zhuang Sheng suddenly shouted, "Master, I understand! I understand the meaning of the prophecy!" He knelt down, bowed to Zhixuan, then turned to Féilún and bowed several times, "Brother Féi, I will persevere, I will definitely not have my limb amputated!" It seemed he thought amputation would lead to a life of toil, while not persevering would mean death.

Although Zhuang Sheng hadn’t fully understood the meaning of "life leads to becoming a demon," Féilún found Zhixuan’s sixteen-character prophecy intriguing. He pulled out a checkbook, signed a check for one million Hong Kong dollars, and threw it at her, sneering, "You’re quite the charmer!" With that, he stood up and left without another word.

Zhuang Sheng quickly stood up, bowed to Zhixuan again, and followed Féilún.

After Zhuang Sheng’s footsteps faded away, Zhixuan picked up the check, looked at it, and murmured, "Féilún? Master, I never thought there would be a 'reversal of life and death' in this world. Is this my fate?"

After sending Zhuang Sheng away, Féilún returned to the Shallow Water Bay villa. After a night of practice, the next day was a workday. Féilún arrived at the police station early and started writing the report on rescuing Xiaofei.

By the time Xie Yixin and the others arrived, Féilún had completed the report and submitted it to Zhong Weiming.

Since the forensic report for the Half Hill murder case hadn’t come out and the on-site investigation hadn’t yielded any useful clues, the case was at a standstill, and everyone in the team was idle.

Bao Nv was reading the newspaper in the inner office, Féilún was busy modifying a gun, and Dai Yan and the others were secretly watching the stock market.

"Féi Sir, 0494 was pulled back to a high position last weekend, but it’s diving today. Should we buy in at the bottom?" Li Lidong asked.

Féilún glanced at him, "Buy in? Be careful, you might end up buying at the top and losing all your money. You’ll be crying before you know it!"

Hearing this, Shi Yiran interjected, "Féi Sir, do you have any other good recommendations?"

"Recently, there’s a small fortune to be made. I’ll take you all along when the time comes," Féilún said.

"Féi Sir, it’s a deal then," Dai Yan chimed in, "By the way, I heard Madam is writing a report to request more personnel. I wonder if the new colleague will be a man or a woman?"

The Serious Crime Unit usually had six to seven members, and Xie Yixin’s team currently had only five. Requesting more personnel was reasonable, and Féilún knew about it. Hearing Dai Yan mention it, he commented, "Better to get a man, it’s more convenient for work."

Shi Yiran was taken aback, "Won’t that make our team too male-dominated?"

"Be careful what Madam hears!"

As they were chatting, a female clerk knocked and poked her head in, "Is Féi Sir here?"

"Is there something?"

"There’s a Mr. Ma outside looking for you!"

(Seeking recommendations, seeking collections, all kinds of seeking!!)

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