Chapter 479 - 475: Feng Shui Treasure Land

Signs of civilization to the true north?

Doesn’t that mean...

Cecilia Sterling looked in the direction of the rising smoke—the direction of Lorcain. ’So that’s what "signs of civilization" means, huh?’

Jane Sterling understood the first half, but what about the second?

"What does ’a Jade Creek to your back in the south’ mean?" Jane asked.

"It means there’s a river to the south," Cecilia explained.

Jade Creek just means a river.

In the principles of Feng Shui, being nestled by a mountain and near water is ideal. Water is always a critical, unavoidable factor.

Tiger nodded. "That’s right. A river."

"So... is there one?" Jane Sterling asked, craning her neck.

But her view was limited. There was no way to see that far.

"There is," Master Ingram spoke up. "I’ve checked with my Compass. There’s a river behind this mountain."

"So does that mean it’ll work?" Jane Sterling asked, startled.

Cecilia Sterling, however, remained calm. She walked briskly to Master Ingram and asked respectfully, "Master, in your opinion, is it feasible to build a cemetery on this mountain?"

"It is," Master Ingram said directly. He turned and pointed to a patch of Salix Wood in the distance. "Those Salix Wood trees will have to be uprooted."

The term "Salix Wood" doesn’t refer to a single species, but a category of trees, including poplars, birches, shrubs, and elms.

Tiger followed up, "East of the Salix, negative energies will clash. If a cemetery is to be built, there can be no Salix Wood."

Cecilia Sterling nodded in understanding.

"There is one more thing," Master Ingram said, looking at Cecilia.

Cecilia quickly replied, "Please, go on."

"My Compass has located several burial mounds on this mountain. In other words, there are ’original residents’ here. If you want to clear the land and rebuild, you’ll have to notify them first."

"What?" Before Cecilia could speak, Jane Sterling cried out, "Someone buried people on this mountain? This mountain belongs to our family! It’s private property!"

Master Ingram smiled. "But this mountain has obviously been abandoned for a long time, and there’s no one watching over it. Who was to know it was private?"

"That’s still not right! Digging graves and burying people on someone else’s land without permission—that’s illegal, isn’t it?" Jane Sterling said.

"You can reason about the law with the living, but can you do the same with the dead? If you demolish their graves by force, be careful not to attract..."

"Master, please don’t say any more. She’s easily frightened," Cecilia Sterling quickly interrupted Master Ingram. She then asked cautiously, "Just tell us what to do. Is it troublesome?"

"Not at all. I’ll just perform a ritual. When the time comes, prepare plenty of fine offerings for them. The living and the dead... they’re all the same. As long as they get what they want, everything becomes negotiable."

Cecilia Sterling nodded, then turned to see Tiger already packing up their things.

"Master, is that it? Is the assessment finished?" Cecilia asked instinctively.

"Yes. It was never a complicated matter. It’s just that society is full of charlatans these days. Those without real skill have to make up all sorts of flashy nonsense to fool people."

Cecilia understood. She had to agree that Master Ingram made a good point.

On the way down, Master Ingram was once again carried on Tiger’s back. It was an easier trip for Cecilia and Jane, as descending a mountain is naturally much less tiring.

When they reached the bottom, the master and his apprentice didn’t say another word, simply getting in their car and driving away.

Cecilia blinked in surprise, then said, "But... I haven’t paid yet."

"Cecilia, are you really going to build a cemetery?" Jane Sterling was still hung up on the idea.

Cecilia typed a message to Mr. Sullivan as she replied, "Since the Feng Shui assessment came back positive, tell your grandfather I want this mountain. Whether it’s for the living or the dead, money is money, right?"

’Besides, in this day and age, burial plots can be even more expensive than houses. This business is a guaranteed moneymaker.’

"But aren’t you worried it’s bad luck?" Jane Sterling whispered, a sudden chill running down her spine.

Cecilia shot her a sidelong glance. "Bad luck? What do you mean?"

"You know... the dead."

Cecilia gently shook her head and said in a soft voice, "Every ghost you fear is just someone that another person is desperately longing to see one more time."

Those simple words instantly dispelled the chill Jane Sterling had felt.

She stared blankly at Cecilia, suddenly feeling as if she were glowing, filled with a divine aura.

"Cecilia, you... Oh, gosh..." Jane Sterling felt a pang of regret for her earlier words, completely humbled by what Cecilia had said.

Seeing her reaction, Cecilia couldn’t help but smile. "Don’t feel bad. It’s normal to be afraid of ghosts, just like being afraid of dogs or heights. And those fears should be respected, because they’re weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses."

"Then what’s your weakness?" Jane Sterling asked, following the thread of conversation.

Cecilia blurted out, "Probably being too pretty."

Jane Sterling rolled her eyes. Only then did Cecilia smile and say, "My family."

Jane Sterling nodded in understanding. She had met Cecilia’s family before; her mother, brother, and sister were all wonderful people.

Cecilia turned and looked up at Mount Lyra before her, saying from the heart, "I’m going to make this place beautiful. Give the departed a wonderful place to rest for eternity."

A message from Julian Summers arrived just then: "I forgot to explain this clearly before, but there’s a certain protocol when engaging Master Ingram. There’s no fixed price. You give what you feel is appropriate. Don’t think of it as a payment, but as an honorarium—a gift to show your respect for Master Ingram."

’That phrasing felt a bit jarring, but Julian’s next message immediately dispelled Cecilia’s discomfort and filled her with a profound respect for Master Ingram.’

"After all, Master Ingram is already one hundred years old this year."

"How old?" Jane Sterling’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.

Cecilia was shocked, too.

Although there were plenty of people in the world who lived to be a hundred, Master Ingram’s overall condition seemed quite good.

"No wonder he had to be carried up and down the mountain. I saw that he could walk on his own, so I was a little puzzled why someone was carrying him," Jane Sterling muttered.

Cecilia pursed her lips. Her faith in everything Master Ingram had said and done that day deepened.

Cecilia texted Julian, "So how much should I give?"

’With no set amount for giving too much or too little, she was afraid of offending the master unintentionally.’

Julian replied, "It’s up to you."

Cecilia blinked. She was stumped.

’If Mr. Sullivan says so, does that mean the master doesn’t care about money? He is so old, after all.’

After a moment’s hesitation, Cecilia used the account number Julian had provided and transferred 100 dollars to Master Ingram.

’She could have given more, of course, but Cecilia felt that overdoing it would be as bad as not doing enough. Master Ingram was a respected elder of one hundred years; she would inevitably need to consult him again in the future. If she set the honorarium too high the first time, she would be setting an unsustainable precedent for herself.’

’One hundred dollars was equivalent to one million of the old currency. It might not be much to the wealthy families of Lorcain, but it was by no means a small sum.’

’For a simple Feng Shui reading, it should be enough.’

"A hundred dollars? Cecilia, isn’t that a bit much...?"

Cecilia looked at her and asked with a smile, "Feeling the pinch for me?"

Jane Sterling pouted and nodded. "I think thirty or fifty would have been plenty."

"In that case, how about you help me negotiate the price down when you talk to your grandfather?"

"You don’t even have to ask! Of course!"