Chapter 42: Are You an Idiot?

Turning around, I saw Gabriel, still in his usual plain clothes, standing behind me with a surprised look. "What are you doing here?"

I grinned at him. "Just checking the place out. Heard a lot about Fortune Antiques and wanted to see it for myself."

As we chatted, an elderly man with white hair approached us. "Gabriel, who's this?"

"Grandpa," Gabriel said, giving the old man a slight bow. "This is Dennis Howard, the guy I told you about who cured Mr. Peterson."

So Gabriel called the old man grandpa, which meant he was Bruno Caldwell, the current owner of Fortune Antiques.

"Oh?" Bruno eyed me with interest. "You're something else. I heard you cured Mr. Peterson with just a Purification Pen. Impressive. Who taught you?"

Lorenzo had told me to keep my mentor's identity a secret until I was fully trained.

So I gave a slight bow and said, "Mr. Caldwell, you're too kind. I just picked up a few things from my dad back in the countryside. He's passed away now."

Gabriel jumped in. "Grandpa, Dennis works as a waiter at a café in the county."

"Oh?" Bruno stroked his beard, thinking for a moment, like he couldn't remember any skilled person named Howard.

"Still, you cured Ryan. Just for that, you're more impressive than Gabriel." Bruno smiled. "The younger generation is stepping up, and it's time for us to step back."

"Mr. Caldwell, you're too modest. We, the younger generation, still have a lot to learn..."

Before I could finish, another disciple came over. "Mr. Caldwell, there are some guests upstairs waiting for you!"

"Alright." Bruno nodded and looked at me. "Dennis, there are a couple of guests upstairs feeling under the weather. How about we go take a look together and see who can diagnose them more accurately?"

I was taken aback. Bruno wasn't being modest; he was trying to help his grandson save face!

To be honest, during our last visit to Ryan's house, even without my intervention, Gabriel would have identified the issue with a thorough examination. Bruno had a solid reputation and definitely wasn't lacking in skill. He was setting me up to embarrass myself in front of everyone.

"Mr. Caldwell, I'm just a novice compared to you. At Ryan's house, it was just luck. You should..."

Gabriel cut me off. "Dennis, are you being modest or mocking me? My grandpa is giving you a chance to exchange ideas because he respects you. How about this, to avoid any accusations of bullying, I'll compete with you instead. How about that?"

I knew Gabriel was holding a grudge, and refusing again would just seem unreasonable, so I nodded. "Alright, I'll seek some guidance from Mr. Caldwell."

Gabriel snorted and followed Bruno upstairs. I trailed behind with Lorenzo and Alicia.

People who came to astrologers for health issues usually had mysterious ailments—things like persistent low fevers, mental confusion, or unusual behavior that hospitals couldn't figure out, so they turned to a master for help.

We followed Bruno and Gabriel into a private room on the second floor, about 300 square feet, where eight or nine people were waiting. From their attire, they looked pretty wealthy or influential.

A few folks from downstairs, who'd heard about the competition between Gabriel and me, also followed us in.

In the room, some people who recognized Bruno quickly greeted him. Bruno nodded back and announced that Gabriel and I would be diagnosing their ailments today. Then he took a seat to the side.

People came forward in order. The first was a sturdy middle-aged man decked out in gold and silver jewelry. He sat in front of Gabriel and me, opened his mouth, and made a few incoherent sounds.

It seemed like he couldn't speak for some reason.

Gabriel nodded, straightened the man's left arm, and used his thumb and index finger to trace a seven-star pattern on it.

This was the "Astrological Pulse Mapping" technique, which involved connecting seven "heart star" points on the arm, where the pulse can be felt, to determine the general location of the Sinwaft.

This was a basic skill for astrologers but extremely difficult to master.

As everyone's seven-star points varied, pinpointing the correct ones impacted the success rate, thus putting the astrologer's skill and proficiency to the test.

Based on Gabriel's expertise, he was undoubtedly a proficient practitioner. If I were to employ the "Astrological Pulse Mapping" technique, I wouldn't match his level of proficiency.

Nevertheless, I possessed a unique gift—a pair of mystical eyes.

Therefore, I sat still, narrowed my eyes, and observed the man closely. Swiftly, I detected a subtle hint of Sinwaft emanating from the ring on his right ring finger.

I pointed to the man's right hand. "Sir, if you take off the ring on your ring finger, it should help."

Gabriel, still performing the Astrological Pulse Mapping, was stunned and then sneered, "Dennis, you're just guessing, right? You lucked out last time, but who knows if you'll strike gold again. Do you think you're a master?"

He had been mocking me several times, and I couldn't resist firing back, "Seriously? It's right in front of your face, and you still rely on that Astrological Pulse Mapping nonsense? Are you dense or what?"