In addition, there was a middle-aged man who exuded the aura of a successful person. He was tall and burly, full of vigor, his eyes sparkling with a simple light.
Yi Qinglian said with delight, "Dad, this is Chu Hao."
At first glance, the middle-aged man naturally sized up Chu Hao. After withdrawing his gaze, he smiled and said, "Little Chu, right? Welcome as our guest. Please sit down."
Is this Yi Qinglian’s father? When he said ’sit down,’ there was an irresistible pressure. This man was definitely a high-ranking figure in society.
Chu Hao smiled and said, "Uncle."
Yi Zhengjun smiled and asked, "Little Chu, I’ve heard from Qinglian and Uncle Tangguo. Do you have a way to solve Qinglian’s problem?"
Chu Hao replied, "Not at the moment, but I will soon."
Yi Zhengjun narrowed his eyes and said, "Oh! You should know that Qinglian’s problem is one that even the masters of Huaxia Country can’t solve. How will you do it?"
Chu Hao smiled and said, "Just because others can’t, doesn’t mean I can’t."
Yi Zhengjun still smiled faintly and said, "Heroes emerge from the young. If it were someone else saying this, I really wouldn’t believe it. However, the pattern on Qinglian’s back has disappeared."
Speaking of the pattern, Yi Qinglian’s face turned red again, thinking back to when she was dazed and Chu Hao had seen her completely.
Chu Hao waved his hand and said, "That’s just temporary. If it isn’t solved, it will still erupt in two years."
Yi Zhengjun became anxious. As a parent, nothing mattered more to him than his daughter. He quickly said, "Young Master Chu, if you can cure Qinglian, I, Yi Zhengjun, will agree to anything you ask."
Chu Hao asked in surprise, "You didn’t tell your father?"
Yi Qinglian hung her head low. How could she possibly bring up such a topic?
Chu Hao said, "Uncle, I won’t lie to you. Qinglian’s problem is very serious; an ordinary person can’t solve it. The only way I know is for her to extend her life by ten years. This method requires her to fall in love with someone and, ultimately, give her body within two years."
Yi Qinglian’s face turned even redder.
Yi Zhengjun was stunned. The thought of someone discussing his daughter giving up her body would infuriate any parent.
Yi Zhengjun’s face turned grim as he said, "Little Chu, are you serious?"
Chu Hao smiled. "Why would I lie to you?"
At this point, Yi Qinglian softly said, "Dad, I... I’d like to try dating Chu Hao."
Nice one. She actually said that, right in front of me and her dad.
Yi Zhengjun’s face turned stern. "No," he said seriously.
"But Dad, I..." Yi Qinglian wanted to say something else.
Yi Zhengjun took a deep breath and asked, "Little Chu, is there any other way?"
Chu Hao replied, "Not right now, but I might find a way in the future."
Yi Zhengjun’s expression grew even grimmer as he turned to his daughter and said, "Come back with me."
"I’m not going back. I still have a year and a half left. I want to try it," Yi Qinglian protested, sounding aggrieved.
Yi Zhengjun was truly angry. Normally, he was very calm. "Then you can’t be with him either," he said.
Damn it! I’m standing right here. How can you talk like that?
Chu Hao frowned and said, "Uncle, if you’re going to talk like that, I don’t like hearing it."
"Little Chu, I was out of line, but this matter is complicated and can’t be explained in a moment. It’s true that Qinglian cannot be with you," Yi Zhengjun replied.
Chu Hao looked seriously at him and said, "If your daughter’s life is at stake, would you still make the same decision?"
Yi Zhengjun was torn. After a long time, he said, "If what you speak is the truth, I will consider it."
Oh man! After all this, he still doesn’t believe me.
Chu Hao said, "So, you don’t believe me? In that case, I’ll have to be blunt."
With that, he attached a Little Paper Man to Yi Zhengjun’s arm.
"Emergency Wish-Granting Command."
Everyone looked confused, not understanding what was happening.
Chu Hao smiled and said, "Stand up."
As soon as he had spoken, Yi Zhengjun sprang to his feet, his face filled with disbelief.
"Squat down," Chu Hao commanded again.
Yi Zhengjun squatted once more, now beyond shocked, even feeling a sense of fear. Only he knew that his body uncontrollably obeyed Chu Hao’s command.
Yi Qinglian, Li Tangguo, and Guihu watched, their eyes wide and faces filled with shock.
"DING... Host has successfully been pretentious, earning 30 Pretentiousness Points."
Chu Hao, feeling mischievous, said, "Do a somersault."
Yi Zhengjun performed a beautiful somersault, just like a monkey.
Yi Qinglian and the other two’s jaws dropped to the floor, hardly believing they were witnessing Yi Zhengjun do a somersault.
Yi Zhengjun was internally devastated. He quickly roared, "Stop, stop now!"
Chu Hao knew he had gone too far and put away the Little Paper Man. Yi Zhengjun finally returned to normal.
With an awkward smile, Chu Hao said, "Sorry, I got a bit carried away just now."
Yi Zhengjun felt like vomiting blood, while Yi Qinglian glared at Chu Hao, her beautiful face flushed with anger.
Li Tangguo, still in shock, said, "What... What was that just now?"
Chu Hao waved his hand dismissively and said carelessly, "That was just a little trick."
A little trick? Does *he* even realize what he just did? Being able to control a living person like that... it’s practically an immortal’s power!
Chu Hao straightened his clothes a bit boastfully and announced, "I inherit Ancestral Taoism. I can read bones, perform palmistry, tell fortunes from characters, arrange marriages, predict fates and futures, ward off misfortune and evil spirits, and subdue demons and monsters—I’m proficient in all of these."
As a personage of the Capital City, Yi Zhengjun had seen many things, but he had never encountered someone like Chu Hao before.
Isn’t this just like those swindlers on the bridge?
After a while, Yi Zhengjun finally said, "Fine, I’ll believe you this once, Little Chu. As long as you can help my daughter, I’ll agree to whatever you ask."
For the sake of his daughter, even if the old members of his family opposed, he was willing to give it a try.
Out of curiosity, Li Tangguo asked, "Little Chu, can you really do all that?"
Chu Hao pretended to calculate with his fingers and then said with a smile, "You have four children, none of whom are with you. You’ve been married three times and divorced twice. The third marriage is probably on the brink as well. Do you want to know why?"
Li Tangguo was excited. His current demeanor was exactly like those people on the bridge. This was because what Chu Hao said was spot-on. Lately, his wife had been quarreling with him, and they were almost through.
Chu Hao held out his hand.
Li Tangguo looked at him, confused.
Chu Hao sighed. "Money. It’s my rule."
Everyone was speechless.
Li Tangguo almost choked but still took out a stack of money and quickly asked, "Little Chu, tell me why?"
Chu Hao said, "Isn’t it because of your first wife? She’s been lonely in the Yin Realm. She was fine for the first few years, but since you haven’t visited her grave in a long time, she cursed you."
Li Tangguo exclaimed in shock, "But... but I visit her grave every year!"
Chu Hao scoffed, "Did your children go?"
Yi Zhengjun, Yi Qinglian, and Guihu all looked expectantly at Li Tangguo. They had now turned into keen spectators.
"No... they didn’t. I’ll visit her grave right away," Li Tangguo said.
Chu Hao responded indifferently, "Visiting the grave now is useless."
"Ah!! What should I do then?"
Li Tangguo was truly desperate; his troubled marriages were a constant torment.
Chu Hao reached out his hand again.