1: Divination at midnight

Qinghe Market, the outer shanty town.

"Ugh..."

Zhou Wannian snapped his eyes open, gasping heavily for breath. A sharp, agonizing pain shot through his chest, as if someone had just squeezed his heart with all their might.

An unfamiliar ceiling, cobweb-covered beams, and two sets of memories frantically intertwining in his mind.

It took a full cup of tea's time before Zhou Wannian propped himself up with a complicated look, accepting a reality.

He had transmigrated.

From a corporate slave on Earth, he had become a low-level Loose Cultivator in this Immortal Realm's Qinghe Market—Zhou Wannian.

And the original owner of this body had died just moments ago.

The cause of death was simple: he died of pure rage.

In his memories, the original host was an honest and simple Loose Cultivator with mediocre Aptitude, possessing only Five Elements mixed Spiritual Roots. After struggling in the market for three years, living frugally and not even daring to eat Spirit Grain, he had managed to scrape together thirty Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

This was the original host's life-saving money, his chance to change his fate. He had planned to buy a copy of "Introduction to Basic Talisman Crafting" tomorrow to learn a craft so he wouldn't have to risk his life in the wilderness anymore.

But just yesterday, the original host's "best friend" of three years, Li Mazi, came to him with a sincere face, saying he had a lead on a batch of flawed Spiritual Plants leaked from a Sect at a low price, and they could double their money by reselling them.

The original host believed him.

Thirty Spirit Stones, his entire life savings, were handed over to Li Mazi without reservation.

The result was predictable. The Spirit Stones were given, and Li Mazi vanished into thin air. When the original host went to Li Mazi's place, it was already deserted, leaving behind only a room full of Trash.

Despair, regret, and fury, combined with a sudden surge of rage, caused the original host to lose his breath and his soul to depart for the underworld, leading to the current Zhou Wannian.

"What a... fool."

Zhou Wannian rubbed his still-aching chest and sighed with a bitter smile.

But he had no time to mourn for the original host, because what was left behind was not just this body, but also a "mess" about to explode.

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

A heavy knocking sounded abruptly, accompanied by a series of fierce curses:

"Kid Zhou! Don't play dead! I know you're in there!"

It was the rent-collecting steward of this shanty town, known as Steward Zhou The Exploiter.

"Tomorrow at noon is the deadline! This month's rent is three Spirit Stones. If you can't produce them, then get the hell out! The market doesn't support idlers!"

"I've already notified the Law Enforcement Team. Don't blame me for being heartless when the time comes!"

The grumbling voice gradually faded away.

Zhou Wannian felt the shriveled Storage Pouch in his bosom, turned it upside down, and shook it for a long time, only for three dull Spirit Stone fragments to fall out.

Three Spirit Fragments. Not even enough to make half a Low-Grade Spirit Stone.

In this Qinghe Market, one couldn't move an inch without Spirit Stones. If he were kicked out of the market's grand array, the outside was a wilderness teeming with Yao Beasts. With his meager cultivation at the Qi Refining Second Layer, and in the dead of winter, he likely wouldn't survive the first night.

"Transmigrated just to die immediately?"

Zhou Wannian took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

As a transmigrator, he didn't have the original host's dead-end despair. He had weathered countless storms in his previous life's workplace and knew that the more desperate the situation, the more one must remain rational.

Borrow? Everyone around him was a pauper; no one had spare food.

Rob? That was suicide.

Risk his life against Li Mazi? He couldn't find the man, and even if he did, he couldn't win.

It seemed like a dead end.

But Zhou Wannian vaguely remembered that before transmigrating, he was fiddling with an ancient bronze tortoise shell at an antique stall... Just then—

A strange humming sound abruptly echoed deep within his Sea of Consciousness.

At this moment, the bell tower in the center of the market struck twelve times.

The midnight had arrived; Yin and Yang were interchanging.

Zhou Wannian felt a heat at his brow as his consciousness was forcibly pulled into his Sea of Consciousness. Amidst a vast Chaos, a bronze tortoise shell covered in ancient cracks slowly emerged. It looked plain and unadorned, yet it exuded an air of indifference and antiquity, as if viewing all things as straw dogs.

A stream of information naturally merged into his mind.

【Heavenly Secret Dao Disk, one divination per day.】

【Know luck and misfortune, judge fortune and woe, understand Yin and Yang.】

A Golden Finger!

Zhou Wannian's heart pounded wildly, but he didn't cry out. He only gripped the corner of his blanket tightly. In this dog-eat-dog cultivation world, any abnormality could invite disaster; he had to stay steady.

He quickly digested the information from the tortoise shell: the divination Opportunity refreshed every day at the midnight. Sincerity brings results; the more specific the question, the clearer the hexagram. However, limited by the host's cultivation, he couldn't divine matters too far in the future or those with too heavy Karma.

"Whether I live or die depends on this divination."

Zhou Wannian closed his eyes. He didn't ask nonsense like "how to achieve Immortal Ascension," nor did he ask about "where Li Mazi is," a grudge he couldn't act on yet.

He asked something very practical, very humble:

"How can I overcome the rent crisis tomorrow at noon?"

Buzz—

The bronze tortoise shell in his Sea of Consciousness vibrated gently, and several lines of pale gold ancient seal script characters slowly formed in the void:

【Today's Divination: Auspicious】

【Opportunity Direction: Due West, Kan Position, Drunken Immortal Tower.】

【Divination Statement: Liu Hongyi, the chief Alchemist of the Hundred Herbs Hall, lost her spirit pet due to a fire-control error. Currently, that 'First-Tier Fire Spirit Mink,' which craves spiritual wine, is hiding and sleeping in the third discarded wine jar in the back alley of the Drunken Immortal Tower in the market's west district.】

The writing stayed for three breaths, then dissipated.

Zhou Wannian snapped his eyes open, a sharp light flashing in his gaze.

Hundred Herbs Hall! Liu Hongyi!

These were major figures in Qinghe Market. The Hundred Herbs Hall monopolized thirty percent of the market's Medicinal Pill business, and Liu Hongyi was a great Cultivator at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer Perfection, only half a step away from Foundation Establishment, possessing an incredibly noble status.

"First-Tier Fire Spirit Mink..." Zhou Wannian muttered to himself.

Although this kind of Spirit Beast was only First-Tier and its combat power wasn't very strong, it was a treasure for Alchemists to assist in fire control, worth a fortune.

If he could return it... Zhou Wannian glanced at the pitch-black night outside the window.

He couldn't wait until dawn.

At dawn, there would be too many eyes. If someone else got there first, or if the mink woke up and ran away, he would truly be at a dead end.

He immediately threw off the blanket, ignored the piercing cold, and put on the faded grey Daoist robe left by the original host. After a thought, he fumbled under the bed for a rusty iron dagger for self-defense, hiding it in his sleeve. Finally, he grabbed a handful of hard, dry Spirit Grain cakes the original host had been reluctant to eat and tucked them into his bosom.

He pushed the door open and stepped out.

The cold wind was like a knife. Zhou Wannian hunched his shoulders and, using the original host's memories, specifically chose dark and narrow alleys. He walked very slowly and quietly, like a wary rat, avoiding the Law Enforcement Team patrolling the main roads.

Half an hour later.

West District of the market, the back alley of the Drunken Immortal Tower.

This was a place where kitchen waste was dumped. Before he even got close, a nauseating sour stench hit him. The smell of slop, rotting organs, and low-quality rouge mixed together, making Zhou Wannian almost gag.

But he endured the nausea and crouched down, slipping into the darkness.

By the faint light of distant lanterns, he could see the scene deep in the alley.

Several huge slop buckets were placed haphazardly, surrounded by various broken jars and pots.

"The third discarded wine jar..."

Zhou Wannian silently recited the Divination Statement in his heart, his gaze locking onto a pile of clutter in the corner.

Found it!

A large blue-and-white porcelain jar, originally used for strong liquor, lay tilted in the mud.

Zhou Wannian held his breath and didn't approach rashly.

Although it was a First-Tier Spirit Beast, the Fire Spirit Mink was naturally irritable. If it bit him, the innate fire poison would be enough to give a Qi Refining Second Layer Trash like him a hard time.

He carefully took out the Spirit Grain cake from his bosom, crushed it into powder, and gently sprinkled it near the mouth of the jar.

Then, he took off his outer robe and held it open with both hands like a large net, silently looming over the mouth of the jar.

"Snore... snore..."

Faint snoring came from the jar, carrying a faint scent of sulfur.

It really was sleeping!

Zhou Wannian's eyes narrowed, his body tensing like a drawn bow.

He was waiting.

Waiting for a gust of cold wind to mask the sound of his movements.

Whoosh—

The wind rose.

Zhou Wannian moved!

He lunged forward with his whole body, using his weight to press down the outer robe, tightly sealing the mouth of the jar!

"Squeak?!"

A sharp screech erupted from the jar, followed by a violent struggle beneath the robe. It felt as if a lump of burning coal was darting around; the scorching temperature could be felt even through the thick Daoist robe.

"Stay still!"

Zhou Wannian grit his teeth, channeling his pitiful amount of Qi into his arms. He tightened the robe with all his might, binding the mouth of the jar securely and quickly tying a dead knot.

Fortunately, the Fire Spirit Mink was drunk and sluggish. Combined with being unable to move in the narrow jar, its struggles eventually subsided after a moment, leaving only dissatisfied whimpers.

"Phew..."

Zhou Wannian slumped onto the muddy ground, cold sweat having long since soaked his back.

He held the wine jar wrapped in clothes like a rice dumpling, as if he were holding his very life.

He had won the gamble.

But he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he found a sheltered corner and kept watch until the sky grew faintly bright... In the morning, the market awoke.

The Hundred Herbs Hall was located on the market's most prosperous central street, appearing quite grand.

At this moment, many early-rising Cultivators had gathered at the entrance of the Hundred Herbs Hall, pointing and gesturing at a notice posted on the vermilion gates.

Zhou Wannian, wrapped in his filthy Daoist robe, blended into the outer edge of the crowd, looking inconspicuous.

He looked up; the notice shimmered with spiritual light:

【Heavy Reward Bounty】

Alchemist Liu Hongyi has accidentally lost her First-Tier spirit pet, the "Fire Spirit Mink." Characteristics: entirely crimson with a tuft of white fur at the tip of its tail. Anyone who finds and returns it will be rewarded with twenty Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

"Twenty Spirit Stones!"

"Tsk tsk, Alchemist Liu is truly wealthy and generous."

The eyes of the surrounding Loose Cultivators were full of greed. In a place where low-level Loose Cultivators would risk their lives for a few Spirit Fragments, twenty Spirit Stones was a fortune, enough to incite crime.

Zhou Wannian felt a chill in his heart.

He instinctively tightened his hold on the bundle in his arms.

If he were to swagger up now and shout "I found it," he would likely get the reward and then be followed by countless pairs of wolf-like eyes the moment he left the Hundred Herbs Hall. In the end, not even his bones would remain.

The first rule of the Path of Stealth: Do not flaunt your wealth; make your fortune in silence.

Zhou Wannian lowered his head, avoiding the crowd's gaze. Instead of the main entrance, he circled around to a side door of the Hundred Herbs Hall.

That was the passage for the Hundred Herbs Hall's supplies and servants, where only two guards at the Qi Refining Third Layer were chatting.

Zhou Wannian took a deep breath and adjusted his expression, making himself look like a submissive delivery servant.

He stepped forward quickly and, before the guards could shout at him, bowed first and lowered his voice, his tone extremely humble:

"Big brothers, a word in private, please."

One of the guards frowned, looked him up and down, and waved him away in disgust: "Where did this beggar come from? This isn't a charity house. Get lost!"

Zhou Wannian didn't get angry. He just stepped half a pace closer and pulled back a corner of the bundle in his arms.

A flash of crimson fur and a unique sulfur scent instantly leaked out.

The guard's eyes instantly widened.

That was the treasure Alchemist Liu had been frantically searching for all last night!

Zhou Wannian immediately covered the bundle, his voice extremely low, audible only to the two of them: "I had good luck and found this little ancestor in a back alley. I didn't dare disturb the people out front for fear of trouble. I only want to ask you two big brothers to let me in so I can hand it over to Alchemist Liu personally."

Speaking to this point, he paused and added with great discernment: "After the matter is settled, Alchemist Liu will surely give a reward. I would never dare keep it all for myself and am willing to share a portion of the 'tea money' with you two big brothers."

The two guards looked at each other, both seeing the pleasant surprise in the other's eyes.

This was a merit delivered right to their doorstep! Moreover, this kid was sensible; not only did he not go through the main entrance to steal the spotlight, but he was also willing to share the money.

"You know the rules, kid."

The previous guard's expression softened immediately. Seeing no one was paying attention, he quickly opened the side door: "Come in. Keep your mouth shut and don't make a scene."

"Yes, yes, I understand."

Zhou Wannian nodded repeatedly like a startled quail, clutching the jar and quickly slipping through the door.

As the side door slowly closed, cutting off the noise outside, the tension in Zhou Wannian's back finally relaxed slightly.

Step one, accomplished.