TGA Chapter 79

Qiu Qingkong had no memory of the lecture’s content. She scratched her head in frustration and muttered, “I just don’t remember it, which is why I suggested going together. It’s still new to me, and the price isn’t too bad.”

Tan Muxing asked, “Does this lecture require a fee?”

“Yes, but it’s only three figures.” Qiu Qingkong emphasized, “So it’s fine if I listen to it again!”

Chu Qianli nodded. “That makes sense. Some people spend more than three figures just trying to cure their insomnia.”

Qiu Qingkong: “?”

The three decided to attend the astrology lecture and had Qiu Qingkong book the tickets on the spot. After finishing their meal, they arrived just in time for the event.

Inside the venue, there weren’t many attendees. Chu Qianli and the others quietly took their seats, waiting for the lecture to begin.

Qiu Qingkong sat to Chu Qianli’s left, while Tan Muxing sat to her right. The moment Qiu Qingkong sat down, she instinctively yawned and said drowsily, “I can’t do this. I always get sleepy after eating, and the atmosphere here just makes me want to sleep…”

Tan Muxing hesitated. “…But we just sat down?”

Chu Qianli remarked, “Are you sure it’s the speaker that makes you sleepy? I doubt you even remember what the speaker looks like.”

Qiu Qingkong didn’t even last until the speaker appeared—she was already dozing off.

Moments later, a blond-haired, blue-eyed male lecturer took the stage, accompanied by a Chinese female translator. After introducing themselves and receiving a round of applause, they sat down and officially started the lecture.

The lecture content was fairly basic, covering introductory astrology knowledge and the certification process for astrologers, making it more suitable for beginners. For Chu Qianli, it was somewhat elementary.

After listening briefly, Chu Qianli quickly figured out what the rest of the lecture would cover. “So, it’s about the ISAR certification exam…”

Tan Muxing asked curiously, “What’s that?”

“It’s the International Society for Astrological Research certification exam—a globally recognized credential for astrologers. It’s considered a standard in Western astrology…” Chu Qianli explained. “Of course, not all astrologers take the exam, since you don’t actually need a license to practice in this field.”

The ISAR exam doesn’t just test astrology knowledge—it also covers professional ethics. It’s part of the industry’s effort to maintain healthy development and establish professional standards.

After the foreign lecturer finished explaining transits and progressions, he provided examples by analyzing several natal charts. Unfortunately, his rigid and monotonous delivery made the lecture drag on, and soon, most of the audience was struggling to stay awake.

Chu Qianli had initially been listening attentively, hoping to find the red crystal tarot pattern shown on the event’s poster. However, she suddenly felt a slight weight on her left shoulder. Turning her head, she saw that Qiu Qingkong had fallen asleep again.

With the sleepy astrology apprentice leaning against her, Chu Qianli gave an honest evaluation: “People like her, who feel drowsy as soon as they start listening yet still willingly spend money on astrology, are the ones keeping this industry alive. There’s no better kind of customer than this.”

Tan Muxing, who was still paying attention, suggested, “We can ask the lecturer about that tarot pattern after the session ends and see where it came from.”

Chu Qianli nodded.

By the middle of the lecture, the audience was yawning one after another—it seemed like drowsiness was contagious.

Not long after, Tan Muxing also felt a weight on his shoulder. He glanced back slightly and discovered that the person beside him had dozed off. The world’s number-one astrologer had actually fallen asleep leaning against him. The lecture was truly dull, and Chu Qianli had unknowingly drifted off, resting against his arm for a nap.

Qiu Qingkong was leaning on Chu Qianli, while Chu Qianli was leaning on Tan Muxing. They resembled fallen crops, showing no intention of waking up.

Tan Muxing, the only one uninterested in astrology yet still awake: “…”

Chu Qianli was sleeping soundly—perhaps she was genuinely exhausted. Her sleeping face appeared peaceful and well-behaved.

Tan Muxing sat stiffly, feeling somewhat uneasy. He dared not move at all, resigning himself to being a human pillow, carefully trying not to wake her.

Finally, the astrology lecture concluded, and the room erupted into enthusiastic applause.

Chu Qianli and Qiu Qingkong woke up with a start. They instinctively joined in the clapping, seamlessly blending in as if they hadn’t just been napping.

“What a great sle—” Chu Qianli clapped and quickly corrected herself, “No, I mean, what a great lecture.”

“My neck feels stiff.” Qiu Qingkong rubbed her neck, then noticed Tan Muxing subtly rolling his sore shoulders. She asked suspiciously, “Did you fall asleep in a bad position too?”

“…No.”

As the audience gradually left the venue, the trio hurried to approach the blond lecturer before he departed. The female translator initially intended to assist but, noticing that their English was decent, stood aside without intervening.

Facing the three of them, the blond lecturer blinked and asked in a warm tone, “How can I help you?”

Chu Qianli held up her phone, pointed at the tarot pattern on the event poster, and politely inquired in English, “I’d like to ask about this design. It looks beautiful.”

“Oh, I think so too…” The blond lecturer took a closer look at the pattern and smiled. “I like collecting old astrology materials. This is a manuscript from an astrologer—I found it unique, so I printed it on the poster.”

Chu Qianli was momentarily stunned. Thinking of the creator of the Red Crystal Tarot, she quickly asked, “May I ask which astrologer’s manuscript this is?”

Back when Chu Qianli had obtained the starry sky painting from Qi Yan, she had found the name Lyle Gadbury on it. When the painting was broken down, it had turned into the Red Crystal Tarot, though only the Major Arcana portion.

However, when the blond lecturer mentioned the astrologer’s name, Chu Qianli realized it was not Lyle Gadbury but someone else entirely—someone she had never heard of.

She had previously speculated that Lyle Gadbury was a pseudonym, so it wasn’t surprising that the author might have used more than one name.

“I’d love to see this manuscript. Would you be willing to share it with me?”

“Of course. Do you have an email address? I can send you the digital version,” the blond lecturer offered. “It also includes some natal chart materials and information about the ISAR exam.”

Since attendees frequently requested copies of materials, the lecturer was not surprised by the request. He also introduced his association’s courses and other instructors, hoping Chu Qianli and her companions would enroll in their programs.

Although Chu Qianli had no interest in taking courses or exams, she was eager to obtain the astrologer’s manuscript. She engaged in a lengthy discussion with the blond lecturer, chatting extensively about astrology to establish rapport.

“Your knowledge is already quite advanced. I think you could take the exam right away—perhaps even lecture here in the future,” the blond lecturer said with admiration. “I’ll send you the materials when I return. If you come up with any new insights, feel free to share them with me.”

Astrologers from different countries often exchanged materials, and some even published their findings for sale. However, astrology books were quite expensive, often containing vast collections of natal charts, with prices ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars per book.

Because Chu Qianli was well-versed in astrology, the blond lecturer did not charge her any fees. He was willing to share his collection of natal charts, only requesting that they meet again to discuss chart interpretation—essentially, forming a professional connection.

After the lecturer left, Qiu Qingkong exclaimed, “Teacher, so you’re at an international level! That means I could just learn from you and pass the exam!”

Qiu Qingkong wanted to obtain ISAR certification, which was why she had attended the lecture. She had always known Chu Qianli was skilled, but she hadn’t realized just how high her level truly was.

Chu Qianli quickly corrected her, “…No, no, no. The issue isn’t who you learn from—it’s that you actually need to study in the first place.”

After the lecture, the trio spent some time exploring the area before finally heading home before nightfall.

Back at the villa, Chu Qianli immediately checked her email and, as expected, found a message from the blond lecturer. She eagerly opened it. During her early astrology studies, she had often exchanged materials with others, though she had become less reliant on this practice as she advanced. Still, she was familiar with the process.

Chu Qianli compiled her own Western astrology notes and summarized some of her insights on chart interpretation before sending them to the foreign lecturer as a gesture of appreciation. It was through the accumulation of countless case studies that astrology had gradually developed its modern methodologies.

Without the experiences of past astrologers, the field would not exist today. Many practitioners specifically sought out natal chart records—from famous figures to ordinary individuals—to analyze their life trajectories. The more charts an astrologer studied, the more skilled they became.

Of course, astrologers’ own natal charts were also worth analyzing, as they often revealed distinct traits.

The file sent by the blond lecturer contained the manuscript of a classical astrologer, including the astrologer’s chart interpretations and even their own natal chart. While the name did not match Lyle Gadbury, as soon as Chu Qianli examined the chart in the manuscript, she became certain that this classical astrologer was indeed the creator of the Red Crystal Tarot.

Judging from the astrologer’s chart, they possessed remarkable talent in both astrology and art. Their cautious and meticulous personality also fit the profile of someone who might use a pseudonym when creating their works.

The Red Crystal Tarot was an 18th-century creation, and this astrologer had long since passed away. The manuscript had been preserved through photocopies, and in its margins, scattered sketches could be seen—the very same tarot illustrations featured on the event’s promotional poster.

These sketches were likely early drafts created before the Red Crystal Tarot was finalized, which explained why they appeared simpler and rougher compared to the finished deck. The foreign lecturer had found the doodles visually appealing and had casually incorporated them into the promotional poster as decorations—leading to their unexpected discovery by Chu Qianli and her friends.

Chu Qianli learned Lyle Gadbury’s real name and natal chart from the manuscript materials.

She took out the Red Crystal Tarot and compared it with the sketches in the manuscript, suddenly feeling that the manuscript contained more content.

When Chu Qianli dismantled the starry sky painting, she only obtained the Major Arcana. However, the manuscript contained sketches of the Minor Arcana as well.

Tarot cards are meant to be used as a combination of the Major and Minor Arcana. She had originally assumed that the Red Crystal Tarot only consisted of the Major Arcana, but now it seemed that this was only half of the deck—the rest of the Minor Arcana was not in the starry sky painting.

“No wonder I always felt like something was missing…” Chu Qianli suddenly understood. This deck was ancient and did not follow the commonly seen Tarot systems, so it naturally required individual exploration. In the past, she had mistakenly believed there was no Minor Arcana, but now it seemed that the full deck had been separated at some point.

Aside from the Red Crystal Tarot, the manuscript contained a great deal of Lyle Gadbury’s compiled knowledge.

After reviewing Lyle Gadbury’s natal chart, Chu Qianli discovered something astonishing—his chart, like hers, indicated a short lifespan. Yet, judging by historical timelines, he had survived his fatal crisis!

Lyle Gadbury created the Red Crystal Tarot after his supposed death. While most astrologers believe that natal charts cannot accurately predict lifespans, classical astrology does include methods for determining life expectancy, with particularly detailed records on early deaths.

Lyle Gadbury was originally fated for an early death, but for some unknown reason, he miraculously survived his destined demise and later went on to create the Red Crystal Tarot. Unfortunately, the manuscript did not document the details of his experience, leaving no guidance for future generations seeking to alter their own fates.

Chu Qianli gazed at the Red Crystal Tarot on the table. The cards shimmered with a faint light, their backs adorned with fine red specks that flickered like the flames of life, appearing both exquisite and mysterious.

She suddenly had an inexplicable premonition—although the manuscript did not record his experience, perhaps the astrologer had, centuries ago, forged his extraordinary encounter into this very deck, awaiting someone who could unravel its secrets.

Chu Qianli sent Lyle Gadbury’s real name to Tan Muxing, asking him to help with the search.

Tan Muxing did not disappoint—he actually managed to find some information.

“I looked up the name you sent me, and this astrologer did exist in history. Most of his manuscripts have been reproduced, and it seems that his original works and some of his belongings were even put up for auction,” Tan Muxing said as he looked at his computer screen. He then turned the monitor toward her. “But they all went unsold.”

Chu Qianli was shocked. “What does ‘went unsold’ mean? Does that mean we can never buy them?”

She had asked Tan Muxing to investigate because she wanted to recover the missing Minor Arcana and complete the Red Crystal Tarot.

Tan Muxing shook his head. “No, it just means that no one bought them, so the auction failed.”

Chu Qianli: “?”

Seeing her confused expression, Tan Muxing tactfully explained, “Um… How should I put this? While you, as an astrologer, consider this valuable, these kinds of artifacts generally don’t fetch high prices on the market. Most people don’t understand their worth—they fail to recognize true treasures…”

Chu Qianli nodded in understanding. “I get it. My astrology predecessor isn’t considered a famous figure, so his relics aren’t valuable enough—he’s no Van Gogh or Monet.”

Lyle Gadbury might have been a top-tier astrologer, but he still fell short compared to true masters. People were willing to reproduce his astrological works, but they had no interest in collecting his personal artifacts (?).

Tan Muxing said warmly, “But that just makes it easier for us to buy them. I found that there’s an upcoming auction in the country. We can go check it out in person.”

“I don’t know if your missing cards will be there, but we can fly over and take a look.”

The auction was in G City, so Chu Qianli needed to get a travel permit. In addition to searching for the missing Tarot cards, she could also take the opportunity to travel. Having just finished her college entrance exams, a short trip was reasonable, and her parents had no objections.

Of course, someone at home had their own thoughts about this plan—so much so that they even called Tan Muxing.

Tan Muxing was startled when he received a call from He Shichen. He quickly answered and politely greeted him, asking why he was calling so suddenly.

He Shichen said calmly, “I heard you two are planning to go to G City for an auction?”

Tan Muxing was taken aback. “Ah, yes, that’s the plan…”

“Tan Muxing, do you have some kind of grudge against me?” He Shichen asked coolly. “If there’s an issue, we can find a time to talk it out.”

Tan Muxing was completely confused. “Huh? I don’t have any grudge?”

“If you don’t, then why are you taking her to an auction? She’s already planning how to buy out the entire auction house.”

“……”

Chu Qianli had never been to an auction before, so naturally, she was thrilled. However, after hearing about her travel plans, He Shichen now felt that he might need to leave home after the college entrance exams.

I am just a novice translator and Chinese is not my native language. I try my best to translate the chapters as accurate as possible.
If there are any mistakes then kindly comment and remind me. Your support means a lot.