"Three chapters late, and today's monthly passes are so dismal. Pity me, can you spare a few more? I beg for your support!" Feng Shui spiritual nexus? For a moment, Wang Guan hesitated: "Finding the dragon's vein is difficult; pinpointing the acupoint is even harder. Telling you hypothetically is fine, but actually operating on it? That's deliberately making things hard for me."

"No problem, just tell me casually," Lu Chongming chuckled. "I won't take it seriously."

Wang Guan was speechless. If he wasn't going to take it seriously, what was the point of asking him?

"It's just for fun, to hear something interesting," Lu Chongming stated as a matter of course. "To tell you the truth, our village really did have a high official among our ancestors. Now I want to see how accurate you are."

This argument held water; after all, a residence built upon a Feng Shui spiritual nexus would indeed be conducive to producing high-ranking officials. However, Wang Guan felt utterly helpless, shaking his head, "Pinpointing the acupoint is too profound; I truly don't know much about it. But I have picked up a few things about surveying a residence."

As he spoke, Wang Guan surveyed his surroundings meticulously, taking in the environment around every household in the mountain village. He immediately pointed to the house nearest the foot of the mountain and said, "See that? The house by the river at the base of the mountain has the best Feng Shui."

"Oh?"

Just then, Lu Chongming exclaimed in surprise, "I thought you would say my cousin's house had the best Feng Shui, as it’s right in the center of the village. Some people here say that his ability to become the branch secretary is largely due to good Feng Shui."

"The center of the village might have good Feng Shui, but in my opinion, the house by the river is the best."

At this point, Wang Guan explained, "Look, the river water encircles that residence—this is a classic Jade Belt Water formation. Embracing and harmonious, facing south while backed by the north—it’s truly an exceptional spot in terms of Feng Shui."

"Really?"

Only then did Lu Chongming seriously examine the spot Wang Guan indicated, his expression turning peculiar. "Wang Guan, did you misread it, or do you already know what that building is, which is why you intentionally pointed there?"

"What do you mean?" Wang Guan was slightly confused. Upon closer inspection, he realized the building was quite square, and a flagpole was inserted above the eaves—it seemed to be...

"That's the ancestral hall, the ancestral hall of our Lu family," Lu Chongming stated. "Did you recognize it right away, which is why you said the Feng Shui there was the best? That way, no one would dare contradict you."

"Not at all," Wang Guan quickly shook his head, both amused and exasperated, yet also thoughtful. "It seems that the architectural layout of your village, at least the placement of the ancestral hall, was definitely vetted by a Feng Shui master. Otherwise, it wouldn't be such a coincidence to build the hall beside the Jade Belt Water—this is meant to bring blessings to the entire village."

"Perhaps so."

Lu Chongming nodded, then suddenly remarked, "See that small bridge next to the ancestral hall? That’s where the stone tablet used to rest. We kids used to play there all the time when we were young."

Wang Guan quickly looked over. Indeed, the area near the ancestral hall, adjacent to the river, was relatively open. It was perfectly normal for children to play there. In fact, a few children were currently playing with sand nearby.

Simultaneously, Wang Guan suggested, "Let's go down and take a look."

"Okay."

Lu Chongming agreed, and the two of them lightly descended the mountain.

Not long after, they reached the riverbank. The small bridge had also been replaced. It used to be a small stone arch bridge, but now it was a flat bridge woven from bamboo and wood. It was stable, certainly, but it lacked the charm of the stone arch bridge.

Past the small bridge was a flat area, lush with vibrant green grass and dotted with wild flowers, butterflies fluttering everywhere. The environment was excellent—no wonder it attracted many children to play there.

"See, the stone tablet used to be placed right here," Lu Chongming gestured slightly after walking a few steps. "Did you notice? There’s still an impression there, not completely faded yet."

Wang Guan certainly noticed: amidst a patch of grass, there was a distinct mark where nothing grew, clearly visible to anyone with functioning eyes.

Wang Guan walked over and examined it closely, then looked at the surrounding environment. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He stroked his chin and began to ponder, as if deep in thought about something.

"What are you thinking about?" Lu Chongming asked casually. "It's been almost half an hour; let's head back. I told you, my uncle brewed a whole jar of glutinous rice wine; it’s not only nourishing but also tastes great. You can try some later."

"...Uh."

Wang Guan snapped back to reality, then scratched his head. "Brother Chongming, I think I’ve found the spiritual nexus of your village."

"What?"

Lu Chongming froze for a moment, unable to help but ask, "Where is it?"

"Here."

Wang Guan hesitated, then finally pointed at the indentation and explained, "You said your uncle’s house was the center of the village, but that’s a flawed assumption. You were using the village residences as a reference point, which doesn't align with the theories of Feng Shui."

"In reality, the center of the village should be here. Or rather, the gathering point for the qi of this entire valley lies within this flat ground. The village was built within the valley; the location of the spiritual nexus isn't related to the existing buildings, but rather the inherent condensation of the treasure spot itself."

As he spoke, Wang Guan gestured, "Think about it: isn't this the place with the most vigorous vitality? The vegetation is incredibly lush. Even though children play and trample here often, the grass doesn't seem damaged. Moreover, it's already late autumn, yet it still looks full of life..."

"That is true." Lu Chongming had grown accustomed to this patch of flat land and naturally hadn't thought much of it. Now that Wang Guan pointed it out, he felt a bit surprised, then chuckled, "There’s water flowing here, too. It’s normal for it to be more vibrant with the nourishment of the water."

"The other areas along the riverbank don't look this vibrant."

At this, Wang Guan rolled his eyes. "Why don't you just say the soil here is richer? I already said, we are discussing Feng Shui. At least the scientific principles underlying Feng Shui are outside the scope of our discussion right now."

"Alright, alright, whatever you say," Lu Chongming spread his hands. "The vitality here is indeed strong, but how can you be certain that this mark indicates the location of the spiritual nexus?"

"I didn't know originally, but seeing this mark suddenly gave me this idea." Wang Guan rubbed his nose, feeling a bit embarrassed. "It might just be intuition, but after reasoning backward, I found a justification."

"What justification?" Lu Chongming was curious, wanting to know what Feng Shui principles Wang Guan could conjure up.

"I once heard a Feng Shui master from Shandong Province say that any place with dense spiritual energy and relatively flat terrain must be 'suppressed' to prevent the sheng qi from dispersing." Wang Guan smiled. "Didn't you say the stone tablet rested here for hundreds of years without being moved? Then it must have been the object used for suppression..."

"That sounds... somewhat plausible."

For some reason, Lu Chongming felt half-convinced. "You actually believe that?"

Meanwhile, Wang Guan became slightly embarrassed himself. "Actually, I was just talking nonsense. Think about it—I just heard a few pointers from someone; I'm still muddled myself. How can I qualify to judge the merits of Feng Shui?"

"You can't put it like that," Lu Chongming shook his head. "There's a saying: 'True transmission needs but a single sentence; false teaching needs ten thousand scrolls.' It's like my carving. I read countless books and thought I understood, but I truly didn't. Only after apprenticing did my master give a brief pointer, and then I truly grasped it."

"Mhm, mhm," Wang Guan nodded repeatedly, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Why is the importance of mentorship always emphasized? It's because the teacher’s decades of summarized experience have grasped the key points. Once the secret is revealed, a single sentence points directly to the core, ensuring understanding. As for books, words alone are useless; they are too flat.

A teacher guides you hand-in-hand, making the learning vivid, intuitive, and three-dimensional—unforgettable.

A teacher transmits the Way, imparts knowledge, and resolves doubts, capable of helping you solve all difficult problems anytime, anywhere. Without a guide to light the way, you can only pore over books and contemplate slowly. Only after accumulating enough experience will clarity dawn. Of course, you might remain confused your entire life without finding the answer. That's the difference between having a lineage of teachers and being self-taught.

"Furthermore, I can be sure that person was a true Feng Shui master."

At this moment, Lu Chongming was convinced. "He only gave you a few casual pointers, and you managed to articulate it so smoothly. Whether it’s accurate or not, it at least sounds very reasonable and quite convincing."

"Is that so?" Wang Guan chuckled lightly. "Then when I can no longer survive in the antique circle, I'll immediately switch careers and become a Feng Shui master. I'll grow a goatee, carry a large banner proclaiming 'Iron Mouth Direct Verdict,' and shout at everyone, 'Your Yintang is dark; beware of a bloody disaster...'"

"Stop messing around," Lu Chongming laughed, breaking the mood. "Let's go eat."

"Okay."

At Lu Chongming's invitation, the two slowly returned to his cousin's house. At this moment, smoke drifted from the kitchen, and the rich aroma of meat was intensely tempting, making one’s mouth water.

"Wait a few more minutes; it should be ready soon." Lu Chongming’s cousin was in charge of the cooking, expertly tossing green onions, ginger, oil, salt, and vinegar—displaying the demeanor of a seasoned chef.

"No rush..."

Lu Chongming smiled and led Wang Guan into the main hall to sit and have some tea to whet his appetite. However, after pouring just one cup of tea, Lu Chongming was called away to clear the table and serve the dishes.

This is where the benefit of being a guest was evident. Wang Guan offered to help but was immediately sent back. He was happy to be lazy for a while, returning to the hall to wait for the meal. Sitting idle was boring, so Wang Guan naturally began looking around the hall's decor, even carefully studying the ancestral tablets on the offering table. His gaze then shifted to the stone tablet beneath the offering table.

In that instant, the feeling from the morning resurfaced, and Wang Guan felt a surge of investigative curiosity. He couldn't help but examine the engravings on the stone tablet again. The carvings were composed of many semi-circles, resembling overlapping dragon scales.

"What is the meaning behind this?"

Wang Guan pondered seriously. He certainly didn't believe legends like 'the finishing touch of painting the dragon’s eye' or the 'divine dragon taking flight.' Yet, he had a vague sense that these simple engravings concealed some profound meaning.

Just as Wang Guan was speculating, the wine and dishes were laid out on the table, awaiting his seat. (To be continued)