Chapter 140 – Extra 1 – Master Sun’s Marvelous Adventure 1

After returning from South Korea, Sun Chengfeng had been in a foul mood. That idiot son of his hadn’t taken on a single job in over half a month, instead spending all his time glued to the computer, completely engrossed, using the excuse of “post-traumatic stress.” Meanwhile, Xiaofeng, who was well into her forties, had also started causing trouble, insisting on getting plastic surgery. After a full set of procedures—breast enhancement, facelift, and nose job—she had already spent over a hundred thousand yuan. Though it was cheaper than his own high-end “maintenance,” it still left Master Sun’s wallet significantly lighter, and his heart aching. However, these spendthrift family members were the least of his worries. What really had him on edge was the fact that his star employee had been skipping work!

Wei Yang, his ever-money-hungry assistant who never missed a chance to make a buck, had actually stood him up and stopped showing up for work! What the hell was going on? Was this kid really planning to strike out on his own?! Over the past two years, most of the jobs handled by Jieshui Studio had been managed by him, not to mention the big deals he had pulled off with that Little Celestial Master Zhang. If Wei Yang really decided to leave, Jieshui Studio might as well pack up and leave Shanxi Province. The stakes were too high, and the thought alone made Sun Chengfeng’s heart race with anxiety. Yet, no matter how uneasy he felt, he didn’t dare to confront Wei Yang directly. So, for days, he wore a sour expression, as if everyone owed him five million yuan, completely wasting the money he had spent on his eye lift and his shiny new porcelain teeth.

But no matter how much he fretted, he couldn’t turn down the job that had come his way. So, gritting his teeth, Master Sun put on his most dignified outfit and went to the meeting with a demeanor befitting an immortal sage.

This was actually a banquet organized by Ling Miao, the chairman of Shuirui Rongguang, the largest development group in the province. Just by the absurd name, it wasn’t hard to guess that the chairman was lacking in the water element according to the five elements theory, and that he had elders who were deeply superstitious about feng shui. Following their lead, Chairman Ling himself was also a feng shui enthusiast. With his wealth and influence, he had managed to carve out a reputation as a “God of Wealth” in the feng shui circles of the province. However, being wealthy didn’t mean he was foolish. This Chairman Ling was nothing like those uneducated old-timers. He was the type who preferred to “sit and discuss the Dao” and “see immediate results,” a shrewd old fox who wouldn’t bite unless he saw tangible “results.”

For a high-profile sucker like this, Sun, the charlatan, originally had no business getting involved. However, the old chief of the construction group, Chief Chang, was quite close to Chairman Ling and had strongly recommended Jieshui Studio. This was thanks to the feng shui layout Wei Yang had arranged in Chaoyang Community. It was said that Chief Chang’s career had been smooth sailing ever since, and he was convinced that Jieshui Studio was a force to be reckoned with. Thus, after some back-and-forth, Old Sun had managed to seize the opportunity.

Even if he couldn’t secure the job, at least he could make a good impression. With this in mind, Sun Chengfeng arrived at the venue on time. However, when he actually got there, he realized he had been too naive. It was indeed a banquet, but what was with the sea of fellow con artists? Among them were at least four charlatans he had dealt with before, and even the scoundrels from Tiande Culture had shown up in droves. Was Chairman Ling hosting a feng shui symposium?

After all, the feng shui circle was supposed to be a high-end “cultural circle.” Those old-school mystics were all addressed as “Master,” and even the crudest bosses wouldn’t dare to invite a bunch of people to pick and choose as if they were bidding on a project. Doing so would ruin their reputation—who would want to consult them for divination or fortune-telling? Yet, this guy had the audacity to do just that. Had he been kicked in the head by a donkey?

But no matter how awkward he felt, he was already there, and he couldn’t just turn around and leave. Sun Chengfeng straightened up, put his hands behind his back, and began wandering around the venue like a true sage. The banquet was semi-buffet style, with not only drinks but also a variety of snacks and cold dishes. Seeing plates of salmon, foie gras, caviar, and other delicacies, he swallowed hard but didn’t dare to dig in. Instead, he picked up a cup of green tea and sipped it with an air of refinement.

After three rounds of tea, his stomach began to growl with hunger. Just then, a commotion broke out at the front of the room. Chairman Ling appeared in the center of the venue. The man wasn’t young anymore, probably in his fifties, and though he had put on some weight, he still carried himself with a Western-style elegance in his suit. However, despite his fashionable appearance, his tone wasn’t overbearing. Instead, he cleared his throat and spoke in an apologetic voice, “Thank you all for waiting. I’ve invited the masters of Shanxi Province here today not to show off, but because I recently acquired an item and would like someone to examine it.”

Without further ado, he gave a signal to his assistant, who promptly wheeled in a small cart covered with a red cloth. After carefully placing it in the center of the hall, the assistant removed the cloth to reveal a redwood tray. On the tray was a black stone, about the size of a fist. It looked like obsidian, but if it were just obsidian, Chairman Ling wouldn’t have gone to such lengths. Given the elaborate setup, it was clearly something rare.

However, appraising the treasure was likely just a pretext. What was important wasn’t the stone itself, but the events that had led Chairman Ling to gather so many people for this appraisal meeting. As soon as Sun Chengfeng, a seasoned charlatan, realized this, he began to have second thoughts. This was probably some dangerous business, and he had no business getting involved. Clearly, he wasn’t the only one who thought so. Over half of the “masters” present began to glance around, looking for an opportunity to slip away. Sun Chengfeng stroked his long, flowing beard and quietly began making his way toward a side exit. Just as he was about to leave, a voice suddenly called out to him, “Oh, isn’t this Master Sun from Jieshui Studio? Why are you here alone?”

Damn it, Chief Chang was here too! Sun Chengfeng cursed inwardly but immediately stopped in his tracks, putting on a calm expression as he replied, “Ah Yang and Xiao Zhang have work to attend to, so this old man is just here to join in the fun.”

“Nonsense, Master Sun, you’re too modest!” Chief Chang, completely unaware of the charlatan’s true nature, immediately made a welcoming gesture. “I’ve been strongly recommending Jieshui Studio to Chairman Ling. As they say, a great master produces talented disciples. Since your two young masters have such remarkable skills, it goes without saying that your own abilities are even more impressive. Please don’t decline!”

The pedestal had been set too high, and now the charlatan couldn’t step down. Forcing a faint smile, Sun Chengfeng said, “Each of us has our own expertise. I’m not very confident in matters of appraisal, so I wouldn’t want to delay Chairman Ling’s important business.”

“Just take a look first, and then we’ll see!” Chief Chang wasn’t about to let him off the hook. With great enthusiasm, he led Sun Chengfeng toward the inner circle of the venue.

Now, Sun Chengfeng was truly caught between a rock and a hard place. Chief Chang was a figure of some standing, and Sun didn’t dare to embarrass him in public. So, he put on his most dignified air and followed Chief Chang into the inner circle of the venue. By now, a crowd had gathered around the stone as well. Among them were other con artists, with the more cautious ones already preparing to slip away. However, there were also plenty of bold ones. After all, charlatans thrive on chaos, and some were already spinning wild tales, trying to gauge Chairman Ling’s reaction.

Chairman Ling, clearly accustomed to such situations and well aware of the tricks these charlatans used, stood to the side with a smile on his face. He appeared to be listening attentively, but his expression remained unchanged, giving no hint of who he favored. Occasionally, he would turn to a thin, elderly man standing beside him and exchange a few words.

It was only then that Sun Chengfeng realized the man standing next to Chairman Ling was none other than Master Li, the founder of Tiande Culture. If he had already invited Guo Hongtu, why go through all this trouble?

Before he could finish his internal grumbling, Chief Chang had already greeted Chairman Ling with a smile, “San Shui, look who I’ve brought!”

Chairman Ling immediately smiled and extended his hand, “This must be Master Sun from Jieshui Studio, right? I’ve heard so much about you! Old Chang has been singing your praises to me. It’s truly an honor to meet you.”

Sun Chengfeng shook his hand with the practiced ease of a seasoned charlatan, wearing the calm and composed smile he had rehearsed countless times in front of the mirror, “Chairman Ling, you’re too kind. These are just minor skills, hardly worth mentioning.”

“Haha, you’re too modest.” Chairman Ling turned to Guo Hongtu, who was standing behind him, and introduced, “Master Guo, this is Master Sun from Jieshui Studio…”

Before he could finish, Guo Hongtu waved his hand, “Chairman Ling, I’m already acquainted with Mr. Sun and have witnessed the capabilities of Jieshui Studio. Since they’re here, there’s no need for me to intervene.”

At these words, everyone present was momentarily stunned. Chief Chang immediately looked embarrassed, as he suddenly remembered the feud between Master Bai Luan and Jieshui Studio. He hadn’t expected that after dealing with the younger generation, the older generation would also step in to back them up. Sun Chengfeng, on the other hand, was breaking out in a cold sweat. He knew about the conflicts Wei Yang had had with Guo’s group, but back then, they had the support of Little Celestial Master Zhang. Now, he was all alone, and with things turning out this way, it seemed Guo was about to tear him apart!

Yet, even as his back was drenched in sweat, Sun Chengfeng’s expression remained unchanged. He simply smiled faintly and said, “Master Guo, you flatter me. The younger generation just got lucky a few times. They’re not really up to par.”

On one side stood a thin, withered old man, and on the other, a sage-like master. The contrast in their appearances instantly swayed the opinions of those around them. Guo Hongtu, of course, was well aware of this. He had also done his homework on Jieshui Studio and knew that the key to their recent success was the new Little Celestial Master Zhang. With a cold sneer, he gestured toward the black stone on the table, “All this talk is meaningless. Why don’t you take a look at this object, Mr. Sun, so Chairman Ling doesn’t waste any more time.”

With this, he had effectively pitted the old charlatan against every feng shui master present. Many eyes turned toward Sun Chengfeng, who inwardly cursed his bad luck. But there was no way to back out now. So, he furrowed his brow slightly, pretending to ponder for a moment, and then said, “Appraisal isn’t really my specialty. However, since Chairman Ling has asked, I’ll do my best. I just need to make some preparations. If Chairman Ling doesn’t mind, could you arrange for a quiet room where I can cleanse my hands and perform a quick test?”

This response completely bypassed Guo Hongtu. The latter’s expression darkened, but Chairman Ling immediately nodded, “Then I’ll trouble you, Master Sun.”

None of the people present had offered any concrete insights, and even Master Guo seemed to be uncertain. Relying on him clearly wasn’t a sure bet. Since this man was willing to go head-to-head with Master Guo, he must have some skills. As expected of a big-shot chairman, Ling’s decision was swift and decisive.

“In that case, I’ll trouble you all to wait a moment.” Sun Chengfeng smiled politely at Chairman Ling and Chief Chang, then gave Guo Hongtu a pointed look before following the assistant to a private VIP room to prepare.

Of course, such a “master” couldn’t be expected to use a common restroom. The assistant, being quite perceptive, led Sun Chengfeng to a VIP suite and invited him to make his preparations there. Sun Chengfeng didn’t stand on ceremony. He entered the room, closed the door, and immediately rushed into the bathroom. Pulling out his phone, he dialed a number.

After two rings, someone finally picked up. A slightly groggy voice came through, “Uncle Sun, it’s early in the morning. What’s up?”

“Ancestor!” Sun Chengfeng’s voice was almost tearful. “It’s almost ten o’clock, and you’re still in bed?! Something big has happened. I’ve been cornered by that damn Guo from Tiande Culture. For the sake of Jieshui Studio, you have to help me out!”

He was practically babbling. There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a cough, “Uncle Sun, it can’t be that bad. What happened?”

“Do you know Chairman Ling from Shuirui? He got his hands on a stone—black, about the size of a fist, looks like obsidian or jet. He’s hosting this big meeting to have it appraised. How the hell am I supposed to know what it is?! But now I’ve been put on the spot by that Guo guy… Damn it, what did you even do to piss him off? Is it really because of Bai Luan?!”

“Well, it’s not just because of Bai Luan…” came a muttered response from the other end. Then, the voice changed, “Hold on, I’ll let Brother Qi explain.”

The phone was handed over, and soon another voice came through, “There are a few types of black stones. Chang Chu can contain souls, Nightmare Wood can control them, and there’s also a rare divine object called Yang Bi, which is impervious to yin and yang.”

“That many?!” Sun Chengfeng was stunned. “How the hell am I supposed to tell them apart?”

Wei Yang chuckled on the other end, “Uncle Sun, have you forgotten? Did you bring your compass? Just use it to test. Chang Chu will definitely react, Nightmare Wood is harder to say, but Yang Bi won’t affect the needle at all. With some clever questioning, you should be able to handle these amateurs, right?”

The laughter instantly reassured the old charlatan. That’s right! He might not know the real techniques, but when it came to putting on a show, he was a pro. He immediately straightened up, “Right, right, that’s the way! Ah Yang, you’re a lifesaver. By the way, when are you…”

Before he could finish, Wei Yang chuckled, “Uncle Sun, don’t worry. We’ll be at Jieshui Studio this afternoon to see what’s going on.” Without waiting for Sun Chengfeng’s response, he hung up.

Listening to the dial tone, the old charlatan didn’t know whether to feel relieved or anxious. He quickly put away his phone, turned on the faucet, and washed his hands. Instead of drying them, he pulled out a silk handkerchief from his pocket, walked to the door, and opened it. As he slowly wiped his hands, he said to the assistant waiting outside, “I’m ready. Please lead the way.”

The assistant, clearly impressed by the master’s aura, quickly led him back to the lounge. As he walked, Sun Chengfeng suddenly realized something. Wait a minute, how was Wei Yang able to call with Little Celestial Master Zhang? Wasn’t he supposed to be sleeping in…?

Lost in thought, he followed the assistant into the lounge.