[Next Novel Coming] The Grandmaster of the Occult, a Grandmaster Through and Through

[The full manuscript is ready, or I'll start posting once I have 200,000 words banked! This fangirl is doing her best to keep typing, so please add it to your collection (drops to her knees with a thud)]

Ming Zhao was a mysterious pearl held in the hand of a deity statue enshrined at a Taoist temple. She cultivated herself into human form by absorbing the spiritual energy from offerings.

After the Taoist priest ascended, the temple gradually fell into decline, so she decided to go down the mountain and make her own way in the world.

She had just boarded a high-speed train when she spotted a Taoist priest livestreaming beside her.

Ming Zhao pointed at the metaphysics guru, who had tens of millions of followers across the internet, and said, "Hey, old man, you drew that talisman wrong."

Those words made the guru turn red with rage. He was just about to unleash a furious tirade when, in the next carriage, a passenger suddenly collapsed, muttering incoherently as if possessed. The guru's livestream was still playing automatically on the passenger's phone.

The guru was so frightened that he dropped to his knees on the spot. "Kid, teach me!"

-

By a twist of fate, Ming Zhao "inherited" the guru's livestream channel after he messed up and became the target of public ridicule.

On her first day streaming, she was bombarded with insults. At last, her first caller showed up, and seemed to be deliberately giving her a hard time.

[Streamer, I just started working at a new company. My boss asked me, "Why did the company's money tree die as soon as you got here?" What should I say?]

Ming Zhao: [Then tell them its mission is complete, because the real money tree has arrived.]

[??? What a shocking debut!]

[I'm dying. Who would say something this cringey in real life? People would make fun of them for a whole year.]

[Me trying to sound tactful like everyone else be like:]

The caller, cowering in a corner: Holy crap! How did she see what I really am at a glance?

A few days later, news broke of a heartless capitalist who worked employees to death.

At the same time, a tip effect flashed across Ming Zhao's livestream for hours: [Thank you, Master, for saving my tree's life!]

-

When Ming Zhao ran into a famous top-tier star rumored to be impeccably respectable, the first thing she said was:

"Your house is about to come crashing down."

The star scoffed. "I've never gambled, done drugs, evaded taxes, slept with fans, solicited prostitutes, secretly married and had a child, cheated, or used a surrogate. What could possibly bring me down?"

But three minutes later, the star came running after her, pale-faced. "My house really collapsed!"

A mansion worth tens of millions collapsed overnight, and the police cracked a case involving a body buried in a villa nearly forty years ago.

Along with a letter of thanks from the police came the star's very public declaration of love: [Mingming saved my life. If she ever needs me, I'm ready to give her everything.]

The richest man, nearly buried alive by his own unworthy descendants: Same here!

The villainous spirit's big boss, in its juvenile form: Same here!

The red-eyed CEO in a tragic romance, cursed by a sinister red spirit: ...Yeah, same.

The heroic dog-and-cat squad: Woof woof woof woof! Meow meow meow meow!

Ming Zhao: Thanks, but... your lives aren't even worth as much as mine. All you give me is worthless junk :)

-

Ming Zhao quickly became the fastest streamer on the platform to reach the top tier.

Feng shui and luck, fortune-telling and warding off evil, the Eight Gates and Five Elements... and even counseling.

[He deserves a slap. Let him get what he wants, and you'll be earning good karma.]

[Let it out and your heart will feel clean. Hold back your curses, and your heart will feel dirty.]

[The soul's desires are harbingers of fate. Everything you want is what you deserve.]

The viewers were moved to tears: [I knew as soon as I heard her that she was a master! No more words, turn on all the lights!]

*

Ming Zhao had a secret: as a mysterious pearl, she possessed a space that could hold anything.

So when she helped people, she never sucked up to the powerful or asked for money. She simply took one item from each person, as fate dictated.

Of all the things she took, the ones she liked best were Ji Sinan's... things. His collection of rare treasures and delicacies was practically endless.

Most importantly, he was incredibly generous, always smiling as he told her, "You can take anything in this house."

Until one day, Ming Zhao realized she'd almost emptied his house herself.

She dusted herself off and prepared to leave.

Ji Sinan let out a soft sigh, his tone helpless yet indulgent. "When will you remember to take me with you, too?"

Professor Ji at first: Superstition. Absolutely not.

Professor Ji later: Fate brought us together. I suppose it's not impossible.

"After meeting you, I began to believe in superstition. Every day, I hope to see my fate written in the lines of your palm."

[Blurb written on 2025.11.17]

Theme: If you don't want it, don't take it.