The Qi Observation Technique

The old swindler's sharp eyes immediately spotted Huo Xuan. Grinning, he waved him over. Xiao Hei also noticed his master and bounded over joyfully, wagging his tail and circling Huo Xuan's ankles with affectionate enthusiasm.

As Huo Xuan approached, he glanced at Ge Xiaoxian before addressing the old swindler, "Old man, so this is why Xiao Hei keeps running off—you've been luring him away."

The old man rolled his eyes. "Luring? Nonsense! We met by chance on the road. I could tell at once this dog was extraordinary—his bones refined, his coat gleaming, the very king of canines. Naturally, I took him under my wing to train."

Huo Xuan clearly didn't buy it. "Oh? So you're an expert in judging dogs now?"

"Indeed!" The old man adopted an inscrutable expression. "In my youth, I traveled the breadth of the land. My skill in reading people is peerless, and my eye for dogs is no less remarkable."

Huo Xuan couldn't help but laugh, giving him a thumbs-up. "Impressive!"

The old man grinned, revealing a row of yellowed teeth. "You see, under my tutelage, this dog's strength has grown exponentially. In three to five months, he'll rival wolves and leopards. In three to five years, he'll challenge lions and tigers."

Huo Xuan's mind raced. If this dog has already developed Hidden Force, could he possibly reach Transforming Force? The thought was so absurd even he struggled to believe it.

After a pause, he said, "Well, since you're such an expert, I'll gift him to you."

The old man's eyes lit up. "Excellent! A teachable pupil!" Then he extended his hand. "Now, pay up for his food."

Huo Xuan's eyes bulged. "You miser! I'm giving you the dog, and you still want me to pay for his meals? Where's the justice in that?!"

The old man straightened with dignity. "How many years do I have left? Once this dog becomes the true king of canines, won't he return to his rightful master—you?"

"Stop right there!" Huo Xuan nearly choked. "That's not how 'rightful master' works."

The old man waved him off. "Regardless, the dog remains yours. I'm merely fostering him. Doesn't that warrant covering his expenses?"

Huo Xuan was speechless. The old rogue's audacity surpassed even the Great Wall's thickness. Resigned, he pulled out his wallet and slapped 2,000 yuan on the table. "Will this cover it?"

The old man pocketed the cash gleefully. "Enough for a month. Remember to bring more next month!"

Huo Xuan: "…"

Ge Xiaoxian had been silently observing the two men, her expression flickering with something between disbelief and fascination—as if witnessing the strangest spectacle in the world. Only when the old swindler pocketed the money did her features smooth into a serene smile directed at Huo Xuan.

Huo Xuan jerked his chin toward her. "Old man, who's this girl?"

The swindler chuckled. "Some stray lass who suddenly begged to become my disciple."

"Your disciple?" Huo Xuan's eyes bulged.

"Indeed." The old man sniffed. "But her bone structure lacks refinement. Far beneath my standards."

Huo Xuan gaped at Ge Xiaoxian, his look screaming: You actually want to learn from this fraud?

Ge Xiaoxian clasped her hands respectfully. "Master Daoist's divination skills border on the divine. This humble one sought apprenticeship, yet my mediocre aptitude disqualified me."

Any mystique Huo Xuan had attributed to her evaporated. She must be out of her mind.

Noticing his incredulity, Ge Xiaoxian added, "The Master mentioned you possess exceptional qualifications to be his pupil."

Huo Xuan scoffed. "Fortune-telling's not my thing."

"Nonsense!" The old man bristled. "Not fortune-telling—physiognomy. My craft lies in these eyes." He tapped his temples. "The Qi Observation Technique perceives cosmic shifts above, worldly tides between, and human fortunes below."

Huo Xuan felt the familiar pull of a con. "How does one learn this... technique?"

The swindler's grin widened. "Three simple words."

"Which are?"

"Study diligently," he intoned.

Huo Xuan nearly choked. Never trusting this swindler again!

"Doubt me?" Suddenly, the old man's demeanor shifted—an uncanny gravitas enveloping him as he produced a grease-stained, thread-bound manual from his sleeve. With ceremonial solemnity, he pressed it into Huo Xuan's hands.

"Boy, this ancestral manual contains the secrets of Qi Observation. Guard it with your life. Let no other soul glimpse its contents."

Despite the old swindler's solemn demeanor, Huo Xuan remained wary. He cracked open the manual—only to find the first yellowed page torn and patched with a palm-sized scrap of paper featuring a bikini-clad pin-up girl.

His gaze locked onto the scantily clad figure. Blinking, he flipped to the second page—another tear, this time mended with a full-frontal nude cutout.

Snapping the "secret manual" shut, Huo Xuan exhaled deeply. "Fascinating content indeed."

The old man beamed. "Naturally! Its profundity demands my daily review—three to five times at least."

Resisting the urge to fling the book away (lest it pollute the environment), Huo Xuan tucked it under his armpit. "Keep up the... enlightening work, old man. I'll take my leave."

"Defamation!" the swindler squawked. "When have I ever deceived anyone? Boy, get back here and—"

But Huo Xuan was already striding off, leaving Xiao Hei behind. After a few steps, he sensed a presence trailing him. Turning, he found Ge Xiaoxian following like a shadow.

Slowing his pace until she drew alongside, he asked coolly, "When did you descend the mountain?"

"A week ago."

"Why infiltrate Tianxing Jewelry?" His voice carried frost.

"To find you." Her candor disarmed him. "Grandfather said you were supposed to escort me down. Naturally, I'd track you."

Huo Xuan flushed. "About that marriage arrangement—"

"Relax." Her laughter tinkled like wind chimes. "Grandfather pledged me, not I. Should you prove unworthy, I'll have him nullify it."

The words pricked his pride. "And what constitutes 'worthy'?"

"No fixed criteria." She gazed ahead serenely. "If it feels right, it is right."

"Then I hope I disappoint spectacularly."

Unfazed, she smiled. "Who can fathom the ways of fate? They call Grandfather a living immortal, yet even he meets people he cannot read... and outcomes he cannot foresee."