34: A hidden dragon lurks in the abyss; the remnant soul of the Medicine King!

Night fell, and the lanterns of Yuelai Inn lit up, casting a warm yellow glow across the main hall.

Chu Xuanjin and Ye Chenfeng sat opposite each other. They had barely touched the dishes on the table, but several pots of tea had been refilled.

Ye Chenfeng was meticulously wiping his sword.

Chu Xuanjin was watching people, his gaze relaxed.

The inn's door curtain was lifted, and two figures walked in.

Wang Duojin was in front, his face glowing with health, walking with a swagger, looking exactly like someone who had just closed a massive deal worth ten million Spirit Stones.

Su Linger followed behind, holding an oil paper package. Her small face looked complicated under the lamplight, showing both novelty and a hint of reluctance.

"Revered Master!"

Wang Duojin rushed to the table, covering the distance in a few quick steps, sat down heavily, and immediately took a large gulp from a teacup.

"Your Disciple has returned!"

Chu Xuanjin lifted his eyelids slightly.

"Speak."

"It's settled!" Wang Duojin thumped his chest loudly. "Your Disciple has thoroughly investigated all the details of Luoyun Town!"

He lowered his voice and spoke mysteriously.

"On the surface, this town is controlled by three major Families. The Xu Family, the Family of that female Prodigy, currently has the strongest momentum. The Chen Family, the Family of that unlucky fellow, is declining rapidly. And there is the Liu Family, which doesn't get involved with either side, choosing to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight."

He paused, taking a sip of tea to clear his throat.

"That Young Miss of the Xu Family, Xu Lingfang, will arrive in town tomorrow at noon. However, she won't go directly to break off the engagement; she plans to return to the Xu Family first to put on airs and rest for a day."

"The actual day for going to the Chen Family to break off the engagement is set for the morning after tomorrow."

Chu Xuanjin tapped his finger lightly on the tabletop.

"Coming early is not as good as coming at the right time."

"Exactly!" Wang Duojin slapped his thigh. "If we had arrived two days later, we would have missed the opening act!"

Su Linger placed the oil paper package she was holding on the table and softly said, "Revered Master, these are Osmanthus Cakes."

She added another sentence.

"Everyone in town is discussing the Chen Family. Some people pity him, but most... are watching him become a laughingstock."

Her voice was very soft, carrying a hint of coldness.

"That is how the world is." Ye Chenfeng finally spoke. His sword, having been wiped clean at some unknown point, was already back in its sheath.

"The strong possess everything, and the weak possess nothing."

Chu Xuanjin looked at his three Disciples and smiled.

"Alright, all of you go rest."

"The day after tomorrow, we'll go watch the show."

"Yes, Revered Master!"

Wang Duojin excitedly acknowledged the order, then pulled Su Linger, who was still slightly distracted, and went upstairs.

Quietness returned to the main hall.

Ye Chenfeng also rose, bowed toward Chu Xuanjin, and returned to his room.

Chu Xuanjin sat alone by the window, looking at the bright moon suspended in the night sky outside. A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.

The Old Man in the Ring, the Genius who became a Trash, the Sect Prodigy breaking off the engagement.

This trope was so classic it made him feel nostalgic.

In the deep quiet of the night, the entire Luoyun Town fell into slumber.

Inside the guest room, Chu Xuanjin sat cross-legged.

He could sense that the auras of his three Disciples were stable, and they had each entered a state of Cultivation.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Under the moonlight, his figure, like a wisp of smoke, silently dissipated from the spot... The Chen Family Manor was located on the east side of Luoyun Town.

Unlike the brightly lit, bustling scene at the Xu Family, this place appeared exceptionally desolate.

Large patches of vermillion lacquer had peeled off the manor gate, and the stone lions in front of the door were covered in moss. Only two dim yellow lanterns swayed in the night wind.

A figure silently appeared atop the crown of a century-old Ancient Locust tree across from the manor.

Chu Xuanjin stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his robes undisturbed by the night wind.

He did not choose to break in directly.

When a Great Master acts, they prioritize timing and style.

Appearing like a Divine Soldier Descending from Heaven in front of everyone during a crisis—that was the proper script.

As for now, it was better to be a mere spectator.

In the darkness, an almost imperceptible golden light flashed in his eyes.

Heavenly Dao Dharma Eye, activate!

High walls, courtyards, and Restrictions were all transparent in his eyes.

His gaze penetrated layer after layer of obstruction, finally locking onto the most remote and dilapidated small courtyard in the backyard.

Inside the courtyard, weeds grew everywhere.

Inside the room, the lamp was but a small bean of light.

A thin young man was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

His eyes were tightly closed, his face handsome, yet his brow held a stubbornness and resentment that belied his age.

The Spiritual Qi around him was thin, and his cultivation was indeed only a pitiful third layer of Qi Refining.

But Chu Xuanjin's gaze penetrated his skin, seeing something deeper.

Lines of golden text slowly appeared on the young man.

[Name: Chen Fan]

[Root Bone: ??? (Sealed by the Remnant Soul of the Ancient Medicine King)]

[Luck: Gray (Hidden Dragon in the Abyss, Sign of Ashes Rising)]

[Status: Cultivation absorbed by the Remnant Soul of the Medicine King within him; Soul is being slowly assimilated...]

[Recent Calamity: Two days later, he will be publicly rejected in marriage by Yanxia Sect Prodigy Xu Lingfang, suffering immense humiliation, nearly causing his Dao Heart to collapse.]

[Recent Opportunity: Stimulated by the broken engagement, his Divine Soul is agitated, unexpectedly awakening the Remnant Soul of the Medicine King within him, starting his Heaven-Defying path.]

[Hidden Talent: ??? (Innate Medicine Body! Body of Ten Thousand Flames!)]

[Hidden Identity: ??? (Future Flame Emperor!)]

Chu Xuanjin looked at the familiar lines of text, the smile in his eyes deepening.

"As expected."

He muttered to himself.

The Old Man in the Ring, the start of the Trash Genre.

This script was truly authentic, without being watered down at all.

His gaze then fell upon a simple, pitch-black ring worn on the young man's finger.

[Item: Medicine King Ring (Partial)]

[Grade: ??? (Far exceeds the understanding of this world)]

[Hidden Characteristic: Contains the Remnant Soul of the Ancient Medicine King, housing his life's Legacy, the Burning Heaven Medicine Canon, and the seed of the Supreme Divine Fire, 'Lihuo Xuanyan'.]

Chu Xuanjin's gaze moved away from the ring.

He had no intention of probing the Remnant Soul of the Medicine King.

He knew very well that these "old men" who parasitized protagonists were all Shrewd Characters.

If he exposed himself now, not only would it fail to achieve the effect of taking a Disciple, but it would also Alert the Enemy and make the other party wary.

"No rush."

He looked at the young man who was still Cultivating arduously, trying to break through that ridiculous Bottleneck, and shook his head.

"Unpolished Jade needs grinding."

"The Whetstone for this Unpolished Jade will arrive the day after tomorrow."

"When he is ground down to his most painful and despairing point, then I will make my move—that will be true Help in Time of Need."

Chu Xuanjin withdrew his gaze.

He had seen the entire plot of this play clearly.

The actors were in position, and the stage was set.

Now, he just needed to find the best spot and quietly wait for the curtain to rise.

Above the treetop, the night wind swept past.

That figure once again turned into a wisp of smoke, disappearing without a trace.

As if he had never appeared.