72 The Untimely Fortune Telling

Qin Keqin had a sudden meeting with the grand elders this morning and she had left in a hurry.

Therefore Lu Qingyun had decided to take a stroll outside his abode and explored the inner courts of the Heavens Ridge Villa.

After a while he saw an old man with pure white hair squatting at the pavement and he was picking and arranging the pebbles.

He thought, "What is he doing?"

Curious, he approached the old man to have a closer look as he asked, "Old senior, what are you doing?"

The old man laughed hoarsely, "I am divining. You may not know this but nothing in this world escapes my eyes. Say, young man. You look like a fine young man with a bright future. Do you want me to read your future?"

Lu Qingyun smiled, "If the future can be known then it may not come true eventually. I will rather that my future is an unknown and I'll determine my own path."

The old man chuckled hoarsely, "The future is but a guide. You may or may not heed to it. But it is good if you are able to avoid some unnecessary pitfalls. In this way, there will be less bitterness in it and you will lead a sweeter life."

Lu Qingyun nodded slowly, "Maybe."

The old man threw more pebbles on the ground as he said solemnly, "Pardon me for saying so. I really want to help you as we are fated to meet. So do you have a beloved now?"

Lu Qingyun laughed awkwardly, "I have someone in mind." But he could not tell the others who she was because he had promised Qin Keqin that he would keep their relationship a secret.

The old man gave him a queer look, "If I am not wrong, you should have plenty of peach blossoms luck lately."

Lu Qingyun laughed awkwardly. He did not say anything. He was curious to listen more especially when this old man did not seem to have recognized that he was the senior brother. He did not seem to be such a great fortunate-teller after all.

"You may have the good fortune to meet a most beautiful maiden and she is even, erm…quite a most outstanding maiden too."

Lu Qingyun thought, "Indeed. Qin Keqin is indeed a most outstanding maiden. She is a great saintess after all. Hmm, Keqin is beautiful in many ways…" He was not just thinking of her physical look but what Qin Keqin had done for him that was beautiful to him…

…when she had given him the golden roc flame…

…when she had made him her disciple…

…when they had first hold hands…

…and many more…

The old man began to grow solemn, "However, there seems to be a great misfortunate star around you that may bring misfortunate to your beloved. So it is better that you do not stay too close to her lest you will bring upon her a great calamity."

Lu Qingyun was startled as he thought with a dark frown, "I will bring upon a great calamity on Keqin?"

He was clearly disturbed as he began to walk away…

But he had suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to bid the old man goodbye and thought that it was rude so he quickly turned around.

But the old man was nowhere to be seen.

He was clearly astonished, "Is the old man an illusion? How did he disappear so fast?"

He did not know that the instant that he had turned around, this old man had taken the form of a young man and had quickly vanished from his sight.

As this young man disappeared, he was smiling almost incoherently. "I will not let you win the heart of my Yuqin. Yuqin, you shouldn't have given him your divine sword…"

When Lu Qingyun had returned to his abode, Qin Keqin was heard happily chirping to Lie Xingyuan and they were both chatting jovially.

The minute that he had entered the main hall, Qin Keqin said to him. "Qingyun, let me tell you a good news!"

"Oh?" He had never seen Qin Keqin so happy before. Even Lie Xingyuan was smiling as well.

Qin Keqin smiled, "I just received word that I've just been nominated as one of the top twenty beauties in New Empyrean City. Isn't this a most delightful news?"

Lu Qingyun was surprised too as he replied curiously, "Won't there be twenty-one instead of twenty now?"

Qin Keqin smiled, "Apparently, one of the beauties in the ranking was caught in a scandal for two-timing and she was removed from the ranking now. Therefore I am the new replacement."

The top twenty beauties of New Empyrean City may not necessary be the most beautiful but they all had one common thing and that was their influential background. After all, beauty was in the eyes of the beholder.

Qin Keqin smiled and looked happily at Lu Qingyun, "Aren't you glad for me? I am in the ranking now along with Ouyang Xue and Leng Qiuyue. And my ranking is higher than them too!"

Lie Xingyuan smiled, "Sister Keqin, she is in the first place actually."

No other beauties in the top 20 had a more powerful background than Qin Keqin. After all she was the acting sect leader of the Heavens Ridge Villa and the Heavens Ridge Villa had just recently defeated the Solitary Manor, causing a huge uproar in New Empyrean City.

Lu Qingyun nodded quietly. He was still deeply troubled by what the old man had said to him. Would he really bring upon a great calamity on Qin Keqin?

Qin Keqin added with a delightful expression, "There is a ceremony for that tomorrow. So I will bring you and some of the clan protégés to attend the ceremony. There will be many people tomorrow…"

She chuckled jovially as she looked excitingly at him, "Qingyun, I have one more good news for you. The Seven Hearts Hollow Pill is now completed. Aren't you glad?"

Lu Qingyun muttered as he looked at her, "Yes…" But he was actually not glad but was worried that he may bring misfortunate upon her as he thought, "This Seven Hearts Hollow Pill must have put her into a deep debt and yet she is so willing to give it to me? Keqin, what if I don't take the pill and you sell the pill instead?"

"Qingyun, come with me to the practice chamber first. I'm going to show you something else first that will shock you." Qin Keqin had already made a move to the chamber practice. Then she chuckled, "Something shocking."

Lie Xingyuan was startled as she muttered, "Something shocking?!"

Lu Qingyun was also curious by her remarks, "What is it that Keqin wants to show me?"