To know the past is to know the future.
Understanding the past, foreseeing the future.
This is the origin of the names Wang Jíwǎng and Wang Zhīlái, a pair of master and disciple brothers.
The "She Dao Ren" (赊刀人), or knife-selling fortune tellers, have been passed down through the ages. They are said to be descendants of Guiguzi, capable of divining life and death, and predicting prosperity and decline. Especially before major societal shifts, these mysterious individuals would suddenly appear, offering hints to the world.
As a folk sect, the She Dao Ren are naturally influenced by the "five curses and three deficiencies" (五弊三缺), meaning their predictions are more accurate than those of some orthodox sects.
What is Meihua Yi Shu (梅花易数), Taiyi Shen Shu (太乙神数), or Qimen Dunjia (奇门遁甲) cannot compare to the She Dao Ren in power.
They possess their own unique skills, much like the Lu Ban Book (鲁班书), which is not passed down to outsiders.
Wang Ruhe was the name of Wang Jíwǎng and his master. He was a lean old man with a small goatee, who enjoyed smoking and drinking.
Ever since Wang Ruhe took Wang Jíwǎng, he treated him as his own son, showering him with affection while also setting very strict demands.
Wang Ruhe, with Wang Jíwǎng in tow, traveled all across China, teaching him the skills of the She Dao Ren: drawing talismans, expelling ghosts, geomancy, and setting up formations.
But the most important skill was the She Dao Ren's ability to know the past and foresee the future.
When Wang Jíwǎng was young, he watched Wang Ruhe make seemingly absurd vows, which years later all came true.
He saw impoverished people transform into wealthy individuals.
He saw those critically ill become full of life within a few years.
He also saw some people die as a result of predicted misfortunes.
Wang Jíwǎng greatly admired the predictive abilities of the She Dao Ren. However, Wang Ruhe never taught him the true depths of their art.
This made Wang Jíwǎng feel very distressed, as if he had not earned his master's full approval.
Until three years ago, when a child joined their master-disciple duo, the current little one, Wang Zhīlái.
Wang Zhīlái was very intelligent, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a child prodigy.
While other children took a week to walk, Wang Zhīlái was running at seven months. While other children were babbling, Wang Zhīlái had already begun learning the skills of the She Dao Ren.
Sometimes Wang Jíwǎng even felt that Wang Zhīlái was a reborn soul, aware since his time in the womb, otherwise, why would he be so intelligent?
But Wang Zhīlái was not perfect; he was mute and could not speak.
One day, Wang Ruhe suddenly called the two master-disciple brothers together, intending to begin teaching them the predictive arts of the She Dao Ren.
Wang Jíwǎng was ecstatic.
However, Wang Ruhe told them that the She Dao Ren's ability, Jíwǎng Zhīlái, allowed them to understand the past and foresee the future. He explained that they, his two disciples, could not learn both; they had to choose one: either to master understanding the past, or to master foreseeing the future.
Wang Jíwǎng did not understand why he couldn't learn both, just like his master.
Wang Ruhe said: "Jíwǎng Zhīlái is not a skill, but a curse. If you both learn it, you will not escape the predestined calamity. But if you each learn half, perhaps there will be a glimmer of hope for the future."
Only then did Wang Jíwǎng understand his master's profound intentions.
He himself yearned to foresee the future, but Wang Jíwǎng felt that his junior disciple, Wang Zhīlái, was more suited to learning it.
Coupled with their names, which already seemed to represent their master Wang Ruhe's stance, as the elder disciple, Wang Jíwǎng chose to master understanding the past.
As the mute junior disciple, Wang Zhīlái naturally began learning to foresee the future.
Three years of tutelage saw the two disciples achieve considerable success in their respective fields, results that greatly pleased Wang Ruhe.
However, tragedy struck. Wang Ruhe's time was drawing near, his health rapidly deteriorating. In just a month, he passed away.
Wang Ruhe's last words were for his two disciples to go to Rongcheng and find West Lake.
Wang Jíwǎng knew of the promise Wang Ruhe had made to Lin Fan. After burying Wang Ruhe, he intended to take his junior disciple to Rongcheng to fulfill that promise.
But halfway there, they were ambushed by individuals of unknown identity!
They had been hiding and evading pursuers all the way. Upon finally arriving in Rongcheng, they were also tricked by Lin Fan. In his anger, Wang Jíwǎng resorted to various subtle tactics at West Lake.
What happened afterwards, Yan Shouyi knew.
Wang Jíwǎng sighed, "Master didn't fully explain his words back then. Now I think about it, perhaps he didn't want me to demand West Lake, but to come to West Lake to find you... Master took me away from my father back then. Now that Master is gone, he probably wanted me to return to my father's side."
And so the story goes.
Wang Ruhe didn't seem like a bad person. He didn't intend to kidnap Zou Xiazi's son; rather, fate had chosen Wang Jíwǎng, destined to become a She Dao Ren.
In the unseen currents, the threads of destiny connected everyone.
Because of Zou Xiazi's choice, Wang Jíwǎng became a She Dao Ren. And perhaps it was because Wang Jíwǎng became a She Dao Ren that Zou Xiazi suddenly fell gravely ill.
In the end, Wang Jíwǎng could not escape the influence of the five curses and three deficiencies.
This is also the fate of every folk inheritor; they are destined to walk alone through this world.
Yan Nanfei patted Wang Jíwǎng's shoulder in comfort.
"Your master, your father, both loved you."
"Thank you."
Wang Jíwǎng lowered his head.
Ling Xiaoxiao said, "Don't cry..."
"I'm sorry, I just can't help it... Ugh! I feel like throwing up again!"
Wang Jíwǎng leaned over and vomited for a long time.
Yan Shouyi and the others covered their noses in helplessness.
What concerned Yan Shouyi more was the group that had pursued Wang Jíwǎng midway, as mentioned by him.
Who were these people, and why were they chasing Wang Jíwǎng?
Were they targeting She Dao Ren, or folk sects in general?
After Wang Jíwǎng had slightly recovered, Yan Shouyi voiced his confusion. Wang Jíwǎng replied, "I have no idea about their identities. I've never seen these people before, and it seemed like they were targeting us specifically. They were well-trained, all dressed the same. Most importantly... the skills they possessed were extremely diverse."
"Extremely diverse?" Yan Shouyi was puzzled.
"It seems they didn't come from the same sect, but each had their own abilities. For example, some could use 'Palm Thunder' (掌心雷), some could use 'Five Thunders Righteous Method' (五雷正法), some were 'Chuma Xian' (出马仙 - spirit mediums), and some were 'Gan Shi Ren' (赶尸人 - corpse drivers)..."
Wang Jíwǎng's answer made everyone in the car gasp in surprise.
Could such an organization actually exist in this world?
Times have changed. Extraordinary individuals like them are becoming increasingly rare. Each sect tightly guards its disciples, never allowing them to act recklessly outside.
Unless, all these people were traitors from various sects, united together?
But who would have the ability to rally such a group?
Most importantly, why would such a group, gathered together, be pursuing Wang Jíwǎng? What was their objective?!
Yan Shouyi was lost in thought, unable to find an answer.