Zhao Pingsheng drove to a standalone villa located in an even more expensive district. The landscaped garden, complete with a fountain, was dazzling and left one in awe.

But as soon as he stepped inside the villa, Zhao Pingsheng froze in surprise.

The living room on the first floor was packed with people—some wearing monk’s robes, others in Taoist gowns, and even a few dressed in strange outfits, adorned with what looked like tattoos on their faces and strings of skulls around their necks.

Gu Xicao and Wang Laoshi entered and were also startled by the scene.

Wang Laoshi glanced at the group and whispered in astonishment to Gu Xicao, “What’s going on? Is it a ghost parade today?”

Gu Xicao couldn’t help but smile. Pressing her lips together, she replied, “Not quite. I think these people might be our peers.”

Peers?!

Wang Laoshi scrutinized the group again and realized it was true. However, they were certainly a diverse bunch, with a few who appeared to be black magicians from Thailand.

“Jack, you’re here too?”

A tall, blond man with blue eyes walked over, smiling with an expression that didn’t reach his eyes. Standing beside him was a white-haired butler in a British-style suit.

Zhao Pingsheng’s expression soured slightly when he saw the man. “John, when did you arrive in Hong Kong?”

“Yesterday,” John replied, his tone casual. “I heard that Cousin was looking for someone to investigate her situation, so I personally scoured the globe for masters. But what about you? I heard from Wilson that you also brought someone in for Cousin?”

John’s eyes shifted toward Gu Xicao and Wang Laoshi. Without much hesitation, his gaze landed on Wang Laoshi. “Is this the master? He looks… pretty ordinary.”

Wang Laoshi chuckled and pointed at Gu Xicao. “Sir, the master is actually my boss!”

“You?” John looked at Gu Xicao in surprise, raising an eyebrow.

Clicking his tongue, he turned to Wilson. “Wilson, I told you before that Zhao Pingsheng is unreliable. You should advise Cousin to avoid associating with him. For such an important matter, he introduced this little girl? Clearly, he’s trying to fool Cousin.”

Wilson placed a hand over his chest in a polite gesture and addressed Zhao Pingsheng, “Mr. Zhao, thank you for making the effort to bring the master here. Miss has been feeling unwell since this morning, so she has entrusted me with today’s matters. Regardless of who it is—man, woman, old, or young—anyone wishing to meet Miss must first pass my assessment.”

Hearing this, Zhao Pingsheng’s face showed worry. “Is Eliza okay? What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s fine, just experiencing some insomnia again,” Wilson replied. Seeing Zhao Pingsheng’s concern for Eliza, his expression softened noticeably.

Wilson nodded toward John before walking to the staircase. He clapped his hands lightly, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the interruption. I understand you have all come to help our Miss with her troubles. However, as there are many of you, Miss is unable to meet everyone personally. Thus, we’ve arranged a small test to assess your abilities.”

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

A Thai man spoke in broken Cantonese, “We don’t need our abilities tested! This is too disrespectful!”

His companion, with a scowl on his face, thumped his skull-topped cane against the ground. “If they don’t respect us, we’ll leave now!”

Others also showed signs of displeasure.

As John said, these individuals were renowned masters in their respective countries, accustomed to being revered by the elite. To now be tested before they could meet the client felt insulting.

Zhao Pingsheng appeared uneasy. He had been too preoccupied with worrying about Eliza to pay attention to what the butler said earlier. Turning to Gu Xicao, he said apologetically, “Miss Gu, I had no idea this would happen. How about this: I’ll give you a generous bonus privately. Could you do me a favor and cooperate for my sake?”

Gu Xicao, finding the situation quite amusing, raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “Mr. Zhao, isn’t it reasonable to test a master’s abilities? As the saying goes, compare goods before buying. I wouldn’t buy clothes without trying them on first, let alone hire someone for fortune-telling. Being cautious is no fault. Don’t worry—I don’t mind.”

Zhao Pingsheng let out a sigh of relief. “You’re young but so understanding. You’re sure to achieve great things!”

“Jack, don’t flatter her too much,” John interjected with a sneer after overhearing their conversation. Glancing at Gu Xicao, he remarked, “A master who doesn’t mind being tested only proves she lacks skill. Truly capable people have dignity and would take offense at such treatment.”

John’s voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. His words made the other masters present—whether monks, Taoists, Thai shamans, or Tibetan lamas—look at Gu Xicao with disdain or scorn.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Wilson said calmly, “Miss is aware this might upset you, so we’ve prepared a small token of apology.”

He clapped his hands, and a few servants pushed out carts filled with covered trays.

The crowd looked on in confusion until Wilson unveiled the trays, revealing layers of gleaming gold bars.

The room fell silent, and someone audibly swallowed.

“For those who fail the test, we’ll gift one gold bar as a token of appreciation. Those who pass will receive five,” Wilson explained matter-of-factly. “If anyone still feels offended, you’re free to leave now.”

No one moved, including the two Thai men who had earlier threatened to leave.

Wang Laoshi leaned over to Gu Xicao and whispered, “Turns out there’s nothing money can’t solve.”

Gu Xicao looked at him and asked, “Why don’t you give it a try too?”

Wang Laoshi blinked, pointing at himself. “Me? Would that even be allowed?”

Glancing around at the crowd, Gu Xicao withdrew her gaze and said, “If you trust me, go for it.”

Wang Laoshi had always trusted her abilities. Reassured by her confidence, he nodded.

Zhao Pingsheng personally registered Wang Laoshi’s name.

Wilson raised no objections, simply nodding in agreement.

Sweeping his gaze over the crowd, he announced, “Since no one is leaving, I assume everyone accepts the arrangement. Let’s not waste any more time.”

Wilson clapped his hands, and five or six individuals walked over from the dining area.

Among them were men and women, young and old, and even a few Caucasians.

Their attire varied greatly—some were dressed in luxurious, well-tailored clothing, while others wore ill-fitting outfits, looking rather uncomfortable and out of place.

John and Zhao Pingsheng seemed to notice something and exchanged surprised glances.

Wilson looked at them and said, “Gentlemen, please step aside.”

“Why?!” John protested, his tone displeased. “How can you handle all this alone? For something this important, as her cousin, I should be by her side to help!”

Wilson said nothing, merely shaking his head.

John, though dissatisfied, knew that Wilson was both loyal and stubborn. Biting his lip, he followed Zhao Pingsheng out of the room.

The six individuals stood in the center of the room, and Wilson introduced them. “Please feel free to choose one of them and provide information about this person—be it their past, present, or future.”

A glint of interest appeared in Gu Xicao’s eyes.

This test was quite intriguing.

She nudged Wang Laoshi. “You go ahead and give it a try. I’ll sit here and rest for a bit.”

“Alright, I’ll go then.” Wang Laoshi noticed Gu Xicao had already sat down, looking completely relaxed. He had a feeling that she had seen through everything and decided not to hesitate further, walking straight ahead.

Among the participants, the monk was named Zhikong, a renowned master from Korea, while the Taoist priest was called Qingmingzi and hailed from Hong Kong.

The two clearly knew each other, and their attention was fixed on a middle-aged man in a suit, puffing on a cigar, with a noticeable belly.

Zhikong pressed his hands together in a gesture of respect. “Taoist Priest, please go first.”

“Master, I insist you go ahead,” Qingmingzi declined politely.

Zhikong was about to accept the offer when a Thai practitioner, gripping a staff adorned with a human head, spoke in a cold tone, grinning maliciously. “If neither of you wants to, then I will!”

He sized up the middle-aged man, his gaze lingering on the man’s ring, and began. “You’ve been worrying a lot about your wife and children at home recently, haven’t you?”

Both Zhikong and Qingmingzi looked displeased.

This guy had stolen their target!

The middle-aged man exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes lowered as he addressed the Thai practitioner. “Go on.”

“You became successful at a young age and earned a lot of money, but you couldn’t resist indulging outside of marriage. Your wife often quarrels with you because of this. The marks on your face are from her scratching you, right?” The Thai practitioner pointed to faint fingernail marks visible on the man’s face.

The middle-aged man seemed thoughtful. “What else do you know?”

By now, the others had gathered around to watch.

Seeing this, the Thai practitioner grew more confident. He raised his chin proudly, his face showing a hint of arrogance. “I can also see that your child’s poor academic performance often worries you, and you’re troubled about who will inherit your wealth in the future.”

The middle-aged man fell silent for a moment.

Wilson walked over and asked the Thai practitioner, “Mr. Mucai, are you certain about the information you’ve provided?”

“Of course! I’m absolutely confident,” Mucai replied with unwavering conviction.

Wilson nodded slightly before turning to the man. “Mr. Chen, could you tell him if he’s correct?”

Chen removed his cigar and coughed several times. Taking a small bottle of perfume from his pocket, he sprayed it liberally and exclaimed, “Ah, this cigar smoke is suffocating! I really don’t understand why men are so obsessed with these things!”

Mucai and the others were stunned.

Their expressions were akin to seeing an elephant in stockings performing a provocative dance—utterly bewildered.

The person’s demeanor had completely changed!