Wiping the corner of his mouth, Jiang Chen held the Ten-Turn Harmonious Spirit Pill and the Clearing Mind Awakening Spirit Pills in his hands. He mused to himself, 'Should I consume them? I'm unsure of how long the breakthrough will take, even with these pills.'
'Previously, breaking through a minor realm took days. These pills will surely shorten that duration...' he pondered, caught in a dilemma. His desire to enhance his strength for his own safety was strong. Yet, he remained wary of missing the perfect moment to confront Lin Feng.
After some contemplation, Jiang Chen made his decision. 'No matter what, dealing with Lin Feng is of utmost importance! Now, while he is at his weakest, maybe I can seize his 'Great Opportunity'!' he thought resolutely.
He glanced at the Wind Void Steps Manual and then at the Moondust Ring. Deciding, he wore the latter as a pendant, discreetly hiding it inside his lapel. Subsequently, he stored the Wind Void Steps Manual and other valuable items in the Moondust Ring.
Jiang Chen opted to keep the ordinary storage bracelet on his wrist, using it as a decoy to conceal the presence of the Moondust Ring.
Having completed his preparations, Jiang Chen swiftly rose and dashed towards the courtyard's exit. As he left the formation, an unexpected greeting met him. "Senior Brother Jiang Chen!" A figure clad in white approached, flying to meet him. It was the talkative female disciple he had encountered earlier at the sect's main gate.
"Junior Sister Yao, is that you? What's going on?" Jiang Chen asked, his expression detached.
He discreetly activated the Villain Eye, but there was no reaction. This indicated that Junior Sister Yao was merely a passerby in Lin Feng's life journey.
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen, I don't know why I blurted out those words earlier at the sect's main gate. I'm sorry, please forgive me!" Junior Sister Yao apologized, her expression filled with remorse. She avoided making direct eye contact with Jiang Chen.
Reflecting on the earlier incident, she realized she might have misjudged Jiang Chen and now sought to make amends, driven by a mix of respect and regret.
"Oh, it's fine, I forgive you. I have some errands at the Deacon Hall, so you should head back first," Jiang Chen responded with a slight nod, speaking casually as he prepared to depart.
But just then, as Jiang Chen was about to leave, Junior Sister Yao looked surprised. "Ah, what a coincidence! I'm also headed to the Deacon Hall. May I ask Senior Brother to accompany me?" she asked eagerly, her demeanor suggesting she found Jiang Chen quite amiable and was keen to strengthen their connection.
Jiang Chen was momentarily at a loss for words, then replied curtly, "No, I'm rather busy." He promptly continued on his way, leaving behind a somewhat disappointed Junior Sister Yao.
A few steps later, a system prompt echoed in his sea of consciousness:
[Ding! You have slightly altered the plot, gaining 100 points of Villain Value!]
Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed as a thought struck him, 'Hmm!? Changed the plot and earned 100 Villain Value points!'
'Could it be that, in the original plot, 'I' agreed to accompany Junior Sister Yao and didn't immediately pursue Lin Feng?' he speculated.
'That's plausible; after all, Junior Sister Yao is rather attractive,' he mused. 'And 'I' never saw Lin Feng as a significant threat, just a trivial nuisance that could be dealt with anytime.'
'So, due to Junior Sister Yao's presence, 'I' didn't chase Lin Feng, inadvertently giving him precious time to grow.'
'It's likely that Lin Feng, considered a mere nuisance, was simply overlooked. By the time his rise was noticed, it was already too late,' Jiang Chen reflected, a sense of realization dawning upon him.
This person, Junior Sister Yao, who didn't share a close relationship with Lin Feng, acted unintentionally. It seemed to be the workings of Heavenly Fate, subtly exerting its influence to benefit its chosen one.
When Junior Sister Yao had claimed her words under the sect's main gate were a slip of the tongue, she wasn't lying; she genuinely didn't dare to say otherwise. At that moment, she too was unknowingly influenced by Lin Feng's protagonist halo.
'Sigh, the power of this cheat ability is truly enviable,' Jiang Chen thought, his feelings a complex blend of awe and frustration.
'Fortunately, I'm now aware of this deadly, threatening aspect of his and won't overlook it any longer...' Jiang Chen contemplated, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He lightly tapped his feet and soared onward.
As for Junior Sister Yao, she was merely an unwitting passerby, imperceptibly impacted by Heavenly Fate. Even if she were removed, as long as Lin Feng's protagonist status persisted, others like her would inevitably continue to emerge.
...
As Jiang Chen made his way toward the sect's main gate, traversing an incredibly treacherous mountain path, a feeble figure stumbled forward – it was none other than Lin Feng.
"Jiang Chen actually didn't kill me!?" he murmured in disbelief. "Is he truly that kind-hearted?"
"No... Based on what I know of him, he's definitely the sinister type!"
"He didn't kill me today because he wanted to cultivate a positive image in front of the other disciples, right!"
"I also don't know if that hypocritical person, Jiang Chen, will secretly come after me to finish the job..." Lin Feng speculated, paranoia evident in his tone. He trudged onward, a bitter smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
The injuries he had sustained were severe, beyond the healing capacity of ordinary spiritual medicine.
The thought that Jiang Chen might catch up to him spelled certain death in his mind.
As he pondered this, a heavy sense of despair weighed on Lin Feng's heart.
Just then, with a sudden buzz and hum, fluctuations arose beside him, sending shivers down his spine.
Immediately after, a black lightning-like rift emerged.
From within the rift, a thin red line shot out, crashing straight into Lin Feng's body!
Bang!!!
It was as though Lin Feng's body had sustained a violent impact, and he was instantly propelled upward.
Lin Feng was launched like a cannonball, tracing a long arc across the sky, sweeping over a mountain before finally crashing down into a mountain river with a loud splash!
'What the...!!' Submerged in the water, Lin Feng's eyes widened in shock, his mind overwhelmed with confusion and fear. His first thought was that Jiang Chen had indeed come after him.
But he quickly realized something was amiss. If Jiang Chen had struck him, he would undoubtedly have been pulverized, reduced to a pile of mangled flesh.
How was it possible that he had been hurled such a distance and still be alive?
Suddenly, a warmth began emanating from Lin Feng's lower abdomen, rapidly spreading to all his limbs. The icy chill of the river water vanished in an instant.
Incredibly, wherever the warmth traveled through Lin Feng's body, his injuries began to heal. Even his previously shattered Dantian seemed to mend itself. A trace of Origin Power emerged from it, and a sense of long-lost strength gradually filled Lin Feng's body.
"This is unbelievable! I've been healed! My Dantian has been restored!" Lin Feng's heart swelled with boundless elation as he felt the staggering changes within himself.
Looking inward, he discovered a withered red lotus floating within his restored Dantian. The healing power emanating from this withered red lotus flower was nothing short of miraculous.
The red lotus seemed to possess a hint of spirituality. As soon as Lin Feng's thoughts connected with the withered flower, he was enlightened with information.
This lotus was the Burning World Red Lotus, a rare and heavenly treasure. Even in its withered state, the Burning World Red Lotus had attained the Inquiring Journey rank, surpassing the more common Heavenly Origin rank.
At this moment, the Burning World Red Lotus had completely fused with him, entwining their fates.
Though the current power of the Burning World Red Lotus had been depleted, Lin Feng realized that by consuming any spiritual plant, he could infuse the Burning World Red Lotus with the plant's medicinal essence and gradually restore its vitality.
Once rejuvenated, the Burning World Red Lotus would regain its extraordinary abilities.