First Signs of Influence

Although Chen Xiao's requests seemed peculiar, they didn't interfere with daily life. Since he was paying for the house renovations, Chen Changgen hesitated only briefly before agreeing.

Once the roof was completed, Chen Changgen led two workers to carve out a new main entrance in the location Chen Xiao had designated. The original entrance was sealed temporarily, with plans to rebuild it as a wall when time and money permitted. Meanwhile, Chen Xiao worked with another group to dismantle the kitchen's stove and rebuild it at a spot he had carefully marked.

Chen Xiao understood that his actions might seem baffling to others, so he disguised the changes required for the feng shui layout as part of the renovation. Tasks he could handle himself, he did quietly. For more significant changes, he provided plausible reasons.

For instance, the new stove design featured two fire openings instead of one, allowing simultaneous cooking of rice and dishes—a practical improvement. When the new stove was completed, his aunt beamed with delight. Despite the changed location, she quickly adapted.

The walls were smoothed with prepared mud, giving the once-worn courtyard a neat appearance. The new black roof tiles instantly elevated the home's aesthetic. The Chen family was thrilled. Following Chen Xiao's directions, they rearranged the furniture and eagerly moved back in.

Traditionally, walls need to dry before occupying a renovated house to avoid dampness and cold. However, the Chen family didn't mind. They gathered firewood to help dry the house and moved in without hesitation.

Chen Xiao, helpless in the face of their eagerness, quietly agreed with Ershun to meet in the middle of the night to complete their secret task.

The main room of the house was the ideal place to install the feng shui artifact. Chen Xiao planned to secure the jade pendant into a hidden compartment in the central beam, which he had secretly requested the timber seller to prepare. The seller, familiar with such requests, created a discreet compartment and took Chen Xiao's payment without question.

In the dead of night, Chen Xiao and Ershun quietly carried a ladder into the main room. Chen Xiao climbed up in the darkness, feeling around until he located the compartment and carefully placed the jade pendant inside.

As soon as the pendant was set, its stable energy spread throughout the house, activating the feng shui arrangement. Seeing the energy harmonize seamlessly with the village's natural flow, Chen Xiao finally relaxed.

Ershun steadied the ladder below. When Chen Xiao descended, they silently returned the ladder to its place.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Ershun whispered, "Brother Hanwa, will this really help Brother Wu get selected? I feel... unsure."

The young woman refrained from outright disbelief, leaving some face for Chen Xiao. After all, she had never heard of repairing a house to secure someone's place in an immortal sect.

Chen Xiao whispered back, "I'm not certain. I learned this method from... somewhere, and I'm unsure how effective it will be. But it should help to some extent."

He had indeed completed the feng shui adjustments.

The Chen family home was positioned on a street where the left road was long and the right road short, making it favorable to open the "White Tiger Gate" to draw in energy. Chen Xiao relocated the entrance accordingly.

Although celestial alignments were off, preventing him from pinpointing Chen Changgen's specific life star, Chen Xiao used the Eight Mansions method to configure the furniture into a "Nurturing Prosperity" arrangement. This alignment would ensure small fortune and peace for the Chen family over the next three to five decades.

To link Ershun's betrothed, Wu Xinzhi, to the house's energy, Chen Xiao proposed another step. Handing Ershun a bundle of red string, he instructed, "You know Wu Xinzhi's birthdate and time, right? Tonight, stay up and silently recite his name and birthdate while braiding this string. Tomorrow morning, give it to him and tell him to wear it on his wrist without taking it off."

Although surprised by his peculiar instructions, Ershun dared not question him further. Chen Xiao's cryptic words only fueled her imagination—perhaps he had learned immortal techniques in the county city.

Treating the red string as a sacred artifact, Ershun meticulously braided it overnight, ignoring her fatigue. By dawn, she had crafted it into a cord as thick as a chopstick and promptly delivered it to Wu Xinzhi.

Since Wu's parents resented her, Ershun didn't dare knock directly. Instead, she had one of Wu's schoolmates call him out.

Wu Xinzhi, having calmed down after three days, felt apologetic about his mother's earlier behavior. Though he couldn't openly criticize his mother, he planned to console Ershun and encourage her patience.

Meeting by a lotus pond outside the village, Wu Xinzhi noticed Ershun's haggard appearance—red-rimmed eyes and swollen lids from a sleepless night. Feeling a pang of guilt, he softened his tone. "Ershun, I know you've been wronged. Don't take my mother's words to heart. I appreciate your kindness and won't let you suffer in the future."

Ershun quickly shook her head. "Brother Xinzhi, I understand. Auntie was just upset. She didn't mean it." Whether or not his mother had ill intentions, Ershun refrained from arguing—it wasn't why she had come.

She pulled out the red cord and gently tied it around Wu Xinzhi's right wrist. Startled, he asked, "What's this?"

Looking up with a serious expression, she replied, "Brother Xinzhi, you must wear this. My Brother Hanwa used an immortal technique to prepare it for you—it will ensure your success in the upcoming selection."

Wu Xinzhi chuckled, amused by her sincerity. He didn't believe he'd fail the selection anyway, but since it was a heartfelt gesture, he wore it as a charm. "Alright, I promise I'll wear it and never take it off."

After delivering the red string to Wu Xinzhi, Ershun felt a weight lift from her shoulders. However, when Wu Xinzhi returned home, a shocking piece of news awaited him.

The Wu family's parents were sitting gloomily in the living room, their faces clouded with worry. An old acquaintance of the Wu family had rushed over earlier to inform them of a troubling update: the final selection list for the re-evaluation was out, and Wu Xinzhi's name wasn't on it!

Upon learning this, the Wu family was thrown into a panic. They quickly mobilized their connections to investigate the matter, only to discover that the headmaster in charge had accepted bribes from the Fan family and replaced Wu Xinzhi's name with that of the Fan family's son.

In the re-selection process, six families had competing candidates. Unlike the Wu family, the other families had all utilized their connections to varying degrees. After some discussion, they collectively decided to exclude Wu Xinzhi.

The blame fell heavily on Wu Xinzhi's parents. Despite being aware of the competition, they had failed to visit the headmaster or offer even a token of goodwill. Without any incentive to feel guilty, the headmaster had no qualms about striking Wu Xinzhi's name off the list.

In desperation, the Wu parents scrambled to pool their savings to offer a belated bribe. However, the headmaster outright refused to see them, claiming ill health and shutting his doors to visitors.

The news struck Wu's mother like a bolt from the blue, causing her to collapse on the spot. Wu's father, flustered, tried to revive her by pressing her philtrum and calling for a doctor. Meanwhile, Wu Xinzhi stood in the living room, trembling with anger as he witnessed the chaos unfold. It was then that he truly understood how ruthless and corrupt the world could be.

As the Wu family struggled in despair, the day of the Chongxuan Sect's re-selection ceremony arrived.

Though the candidates on the final list were supposed to head directly to the ancestral hall, Wu Xinzhi was too disheartened to give up and insisted on going to observe. The gatekeeper, a teacher from the academy who had previously tried to counsel him, sympathized with his situation and reluctantly allowed him inside.

"Just remember," the teacher warned, "don't cause a scene and disturb the immortal masters. If you stir up trouble, other sects might blacklist you entirely for future selections."

Frightened by the warning, Wu Xinzhi promised to behave.

Inside the hall, the immortal master who had overseen the initial selection presided over the event. The inner disciple previously chosen stood by his side, while the headmaster introduced each selected candidate.

Wu Xinzhi watched from a distance, his fists clenched and his nails digging into his palms. His frustration boiled over, and he longed to expose the shady dealings between the headmaster and the Fan family. But the teacher's earlier warning held him back.

As his anger simmered, his gaze fell upon the red string tied around his wrist. Remembering Ershun's heartfelt hopes and blessings when she had given it to him, a surge of grief welled up inside him, reddening his eyes.

Meanwhile, the Wu family home was shrouded in gloom. Wu's mother remained bedridden, Wu's father neglected his farming duties, and the rest of the family dared not make a sound, fearing his wrath.

Suddenly, loud shouts came from outside the house. Wu's father looked up in confusion to see the same acquaintance who had delivered the bad news earlier rushing in. The man exclaimed breathlessly, "Your Xinzhi has been chosen after all! Stop standing around and pack his things quickly—the immortal masters are leaving today, and they're only waiting for a short while!"

Wu's father was stunned, a mix of disbelief and joy washing over him. Grabbing the messenger by the arm, he demanded, "What did you say? My Xinzhi was chosen? How could that be? Didn't the Fan family take his spot?"

The man slapped his thigh with a grin. "That's how it was at first! But just as the immortal masters were about to leave, one of them suddenly asked why your Xinzhi wasn't on the list. The headmaster turned pale with fear and hurriedly swapped out another name for Xinzhi's. That's how your son got in!"

The Wu family was overjoyed, bustling to pack Wu Xinzhi's belongings.

Meanwhile, Chen Xiao, hearing the news, finally let out a long sigh of relief.

The essence of feng shui is turning possibility into certainty. With the right adjustments, even a 1% chance can become a 100% success.

Luckily, in this world, the core principles of feng shui, shifting fortunes, manifesting blessings, promoting prosperity, and mitigating misfortune—remained as effective as ever.