"May I have a quieter and more secluded guest room?" Lin Feng asked politely as he approached the young woman. Then, with a friendly smile, he inquired, "Could you tell me your name?"
"Ning Xian," the young woman responded, her eyes showing a hint of surprise as she observed something unusual about Lin Feng. She noted that his body seemed to emit a faint medicinal spiritual aura. Although subtle, Ning Xian, who had devoted over ten years to studying alchemy under her master, trusted her perception.
Her interest in Lin Feng was immediately aroused.
"Miss Ning, I am Xiao Feng," Lin Feng introduced himself modestly, offering a respectful fist and palm salute, mindful not to disclose his full identity.
"Hmm," Ning Xian acknowledged, placing the key in front of Lin Feng. She then inquired, "Since our inn has only recently opened and is rather secluded, did someone recommend it to you?"
"No, I discovered it on my own!" Lin Feng replied with a smile, accepting the key. He felt a sense of comfort, reminiscent of times when he used to chat and laugh with female disciples, before his Dantian was shattered.
"You certainly have an eye for good places, haha," Ning Xian commented playfully before turning to leave.
"She's so attractive..." Lin Feng murmured to himself, watching Ning Xian's graceful exit before reluctantly diverting his gaze. He promptly took his keys and ascended the stairs, aware that his priority was to restore his cultivation base.
Upon entering his room in the inn, Lin Feng removed his cloak and the veiled conical bamboo hat, placing them on the table.
'At last, I've completely left the Thousand Star Mountain Range behind,' he reflected, feeling a wave of relief.
'Autumn Glory City is vast, and though the Jiang Clan is one of the dominant powers, the Zhou Clan and various other factions also hold sway.'
'Furthermore, Jiang Chen likely considers me a 'cripple' and has probably forgotten about me.'
Lin Feng resolved firmly, 'Now I can restore my strength in peace. Once I attain the Soul Refining realm, I'll go searching for spiritual plants!'
'With the Burning World Red Lotus, reaching the Heavenly Origin realm is within my reach.'
'Upon breaking through to the Heavenly Origin realm... all those who bear grudges against me will face retribution a hundredfold!' he pledged silently. Then, he sat on the bed, took a deep breath, and began to meditate, focusing on his primary cultivation technique.
His cultivation base had already attained the Soul Refining realm. This phase primarily involved refining the soul and condensing the divine sense. Although Lin Feng's Dantian was impaired, his soul was unscathed. As soon as his Origin Power rejuvenated, he would effortlessly regain his standing in the Soul Refining realm.
...
Meanwhile, at the Starry Abyss Sect, in the tranquility of his room, Jiang Chen slowly opened his eyes, feeling a surge of Origin Power flowing through his Dantian and meridians. With a sense of accomplishment, he thought, 'Excellent, my breakthrough was successful!'
'Is this the power of the Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm? The combination of the Ten-Turn Harmonious Spirit Pill and the Clearing Mind Awakening Spirit Pills is indeed extraordinary!' he mused, filled with pride.
After refining the Ten-Turn Harmonious Spirit Pill, he had consumed two Clearing Mind Awakening Spirit Pills consecutively. Following an entire night of cultivation, he had triumphantly advanced to the Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm.
'System, display my panel,' Jiang Chen mentally ordered, and his information panel materialized in front of him.
[Host: Jiang Chen
Aptitude: Upper Grade
Innate Talent: Eternal Boundless Body
Realm: Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening
True Combat Power: Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening+
Cultivation Methods: Starry Abyss Heavenly Scripture, Void Rainbow Sword Technique, Clear Sky Flash, Violent Tiger Power...
Villain Value: 100 points
Black Heavenly Fate: 0
Heaven-Defying Fate Changer: Villain Eye
System Mall: Level 1]
'Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening+?' Jiang Chen pondered, a trace of curiosity in his thoughts. 'Does this imply that my combat prowess exceeds that of a typical Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm cultivator, yet falls short of the Late-stage?'
'In other words, an average Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm expert stands no chance against me!' Jiang Chen mused, his face breaking into a pleased smile.
With more practice of his techniques, his true combat power would only increase further. If he could learn the Wind Void Steps Manual, even at the entry-level, his combat power might approach that of the Late-stage Spiritual Awakening realm.
Yet, mastering a martial skill in a brief span of time was unrealistic.
It was crucial for Jiang Chen to use his advanced cultivation base to neutralize the threat from Lin Feng first. The development of martial skills could be managed gradually, depending on the circumstances.
Just then, a disturbance in the formation outside indicated someone 'knocking' at the door.
"Enter," Jiang Chen said, gesturing to deactivate the courtyard's protective formation.
A short-bearded, grey-robed elderly man entered, his demeanor respectful as he offered a bundle. "Young Master, here are the items you requested!"
"Thank you for your efforts, Elder Ge." Jiang Chen gave a slight nod and accepted the bundle.
"It's not an effort; it's a duty of an old servant!" Elder Ge bowed modestly and then stood aside, silently keeping his head bowed.
"I bet you're curious about the purpose of these items. Observe." Jiang Chen's lips curled into a smile as he waved his hand, opening the bag and extracting a few strands of hair. These were unmistakably Lin Feng's.
Even cultivators aren't immune to the common issue of hair loss!
Under Elder Ge's bemused gaze, Jiang Chen took out the Aura Finder Smoke, placed the hair strands inside, and lit it. Instantly, a stream of black smoke rose and converged in a specific direction.
"Is this... a tracking method?" Elder Ge exclaimed, his tone a blend of astonishment and disbelief. "Young Master, are you pursuing Lin Feng?"
"That's right." Jiang Chen observed the black smoke and narrowed his eyes slightly. "That direction... it leads to Autumn Glory City..."
"Isn't Lin Feng crippled? Having been expelled from the sect just yesterday in such a condition, how could he have reached Autumn Glory City overnight?" Elder Ge inquired, his voice tinged with confusion.
He was no fool and quickly grasped why Jiang Chen was tracking Lin Feng; there must be something extraordinary about him.
"Lin Feng is no ordinary person," Jiang Chen stated in a chilling tone, rising to his feet. "He's become my enemy, and I must eradicate him."
"Yes! I will investigate the situation, and if the chance arises, I will certainly eliminate him," Elder Ge responded, his understanding of the situation deepened by his involvement in the flawed pill scheme against Lin Feng.
"You, going?" Jiang Chen arched an eyebrow and quickly interjected. "No, you mustn't!"
In his view, he was the villain, and Lin Feng was the protagonist. Sending his subordinates after the protagonist was akin to handing out easy victories, experience, and resources. Reflecting on the novels he had read, he couldn't count how many protagonists had incrementally grown stronger thanks to the villain's actions!
"Hmm? Are you planning to send someone from the clan to confront Lin Feng?" Elder Ge inquired, his voice tinged with bewilderment.
"No," Jiang Chen responded, shaking his head. He realized that in the original story, the Jiang Clan had likely been a significant advantage for Lin Feng.
Knowing Lin Feng was the protagonist, Jiang Chen was resolute in avoiding the mistake of inadvertently aiding his development.
"I understand," Elder Ge said, a look of sudden realization crossing his face. "Young Master, you intend to settle your dispute with Lin Feng personally! That's why you don't want the old servant or the clan to intervene!"
As these words were spoken, the corners of Jiang Chen's mouth twitched slightly, thinking wryly, 'Isn't this another classic plot scenario?'
However, he soon smiled subtly. While he wouldn't send Elder Ge or his clan members to unintentionally strengthen Lin Feng, he wouldn't leave such a formidable resource idle either.
Sending them to covertly observe and gather information about Lin Feng was acceptable, as long as they avoided direct engagement and retreated immediately upon discovery.
"Don't overthink it," Jiang Chen instructed, glancing briefly at Elder Ge. "Prepare yourself; I intend to leave the sect immediately."
"Now?" Elder Ge queried, a note of worry in his voice. "Young Master, the sect competition is just a few days away. If you abstain, you might lose your position as a core disciple..."
He continued tentatively, "That Lin Feng probably won't cause significant trouble. Wouldn't it be better to address him after the competition? We could deal with him then."