'Burning World Red Lotus!' Lin Feng thought in awe. 'What kind of treasure could this be? To achieve the Inquiring Journey rank even in its withered and dying state is remarkable. Merely based on this level, it is sufficient to overshadow everything in the Mysterious Truth Continent!'
'I never anticipated that I would obtain such a treasure after all that has transpired. The heavens truly have not abandoned me!' he contemplated, his heart swelling with excitement, causing his body to quiver slightly.
He examined his body carefully once more, discovering that his strength had returned to the Early-Stage Original Movement realm. Furthermore, he possessed an extraordinary affinity for spiritual Qi rich in the fire element.
In addition, he had developed a peculiar connection with the surrounding plants. With just a glance, he could vaguely discern a plant's age, medicinal properties, and other characteristics.
'My innate talent has been significantly enhanced, possessing unique traits akin to the legendary Medicinal Spirit Body!' A surge of astonishment welled up in Lin Feng's heart as he realized this, filled with disbelief.
'Now, I'm undoubtedly an unparalleled genius in the entire Starry Abyss Sect, the kind that emerges only once in a millennium,' he thought, his mind swelling with pride. But soon, his eyes clouded with melancholy.
The Starry Abyss Sect had been so callous. After he made a mistake in cultivation and his Dantian was shattered, they mercilessly expelled him!
He had been raised within the Starry Abyss Sect. His affection for the sect was once profound, yet now, his loathing for it ran just as deep.
'I should forget such a cold and heartless place,' Lin Feng thought bitterly. But then, his thoughts shifted with burning resolve, 'No! Wait! Now that my Dantian is healed, and my potential far surpasses what it was before, Starry Abyss Sect, I swear you'll rue the day!'
With renewed determination, Lin Feng clenched his fist. Riding the swift currents of the mountain river, he battled his way downstream.
...
In the rugged mountain path, Jiang Chen extended his divine sense as he traversed but struggled to find Lin Feng. He soon realized something was amiss. 'Huh, where is he? It's only been a short while, not even half an hour. Considering Lin Feng's condition, he couldn't have gone far!'
'Could it be that in the brief moment it took for me to access the System Mall and organize the rewards, he stumbled upon a great opportunity, somehow left the Starry Abyss Sect, and embarked on the path to greatness?' he mused. A slight twitch at the corners of his mouth betrayed his mounting frustration, threatening to overwhelm him.
Without delay, he reluctantly expanded his divine sense, persistently searching the areas where Lin Feng was most likely to be.
Yet, he still couldn't locate him!
Jiang Chen stood atop a centuries-old colossal tree, his face tinged with gloom as he reflected, 'I've squandered only a bit of time, and yet he's slipped away; being a protagonist is truly extraordinary!'
'Could it be...' he pondered, various conjectures sprouting in his mind. The most plausible was that a powerful individual had chanced upon Lin Feng and whisked him away.
Otherwise, could Lin Feng have ascended to the heavens or burrowed into the earth on his own?
'Who could it be?' Jiang Chen wondered, a hint of suspicion in his heart. 'If the most formidable members within the sect wanted to protect him, they would have done so already. It must be a powerhouse from outside the sect.'
'The Thousand Star Mountain Range is entirely under the Starry Abyss Sect's jurisdiction; the one who spirited Lin Feng away could only be a cultivator visiting the Starry Abyss Sect as a guest.' As this thought crossed Jiang Chen's mind, he promptly grasped a jade token at his waist, infused it with his Origin Power in the form of characters, and dispatched a message to Elder Ge.
Elder Ge, a seasoned true disciple and the most trustworthy guard in Jiang Chen's service, was an expert of the Spiritual Awakening realm. Offered up by the Jiang Clan, he was Jiang Chen's most trusted escort.
Upon receiving Jiang Chen's command, Elder Ge assured with unwavering loyalty, "Young Master, rest assured, I will attend to this matter immediately!" He promptly commenced an investigation into the cultivators who had recently visited the Starry Abyss Sect as guests.
With this task completed, Jiang Chen glanced towards the end of the mountain path and narrowed his eyes. With a sense of urgency, he commanded internally, 'System, open the System Mall!'
Having a current Villain Value balance of 400 points, he might be able to acquire something useful.
Upon opening the System Mall, Jiang Chen's gaze began to scour the Artifacts and Others sections.
Before long, his eyes gleaming with delight, he exclaimed to himself, 'Found it, a tracking-type treasure!' He fixated on a treasure named 'Aura Finder Smoke' in the Others section and immediately opted to exchange it.
[Ding! Deducting 300 Villain Value points, you have obtained Aura Finder Smoke*1!]
Following the system prompt, a black, incense-like object materialized in Jiang Chen's hand. This arm-length incense, hollow and resembling a wooden stick, was none other than the Aura Finder Smoke. As long as an item bearing the target's aura was inserted into the center of the Aura Finder Smoke and lit, the resulting smoke would guide the way to the target.
'Speaking of items carrying Lin Feng's aura, blood would be the best choice!' Jiang Chen thought, the corner of his mouth curving upward in a pleased smile as he swiftly made his way towards the sect's main gate.
However, upon arriving, he discovered that the area below the sect's main gate was spotless. The site where Lin Feng had earlier vomited blood had been meticulously cleaned.
'Damn it, this is infuriating!' Rolling his eyes, Jiang Chen found himself at a loss for words. Nevertheless, he understood that the sect's main gate was the sect's façade, where the cleaning disciples were most diligent. It made sense that the blood had been cleared away. Of course, Lin Feng's protagonist halo might also have played a role in this.
'So be it, if we can't find the blood, we'll use other items.' With a steely gaze, Jiang Chen once again retrieved his transmission jade token and contacted Elder Ge, instructing him to dispatch someone to search for Lin Feng's personal belongings.
Although Elder Ge wondered about Jiang Chen's request, as a loyal old servant, he refrained from asking too many questions and promptly set out on his errand.
Having delegated the matter to Elder Ge, Jiang Chen propelled himself into the air and flew towards his residence.
At this point, Lin Feng had mysteriously vanished and likely obtained the great opportunity meant for him. Moreover, since Lin Feng's personal belongings had not yet been retrieved, there was no use in fretting over the matter.
Hence, Jiang Chen resolved to enhance his strength first and wait until he acquired Lin Feng's personal item.
Returning to his abode and entering the quiet chamber, Jiang Chen immediately popped the Ten-Turn Harmonious Spirit Pill into his mouth. With some anticipation, he thought, 'Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm, here I come!'
Shortly after, a majestic Spiritual Qi surged into every part of his body, his Dantian, and his meridians, giving the impression that his entire body had swelled slightly.
'Starry Abyss Heavenly Scripture!' Jiang Chen focused his mind and steadied his breath as he executed his main cultivation technique to begin assimilating the medicinal power.
Time elapsed. In the blink of an eye, the sky darkened and dawn broke once more.
...
Autumn Glory City, a splendid city nestled in the mountains, was home to a large population. Cultivation was widespread here, with everyone practicing the discipline.
Of course, most were at the Physical Body realm, while fewer reached the Original Movement realm. Those at the Soul Refining realm were considered skilled experts.
As for the Spiritual Awakening realm, practitioners at this level were already considered first-class experts in Autumn Glory City. Only the patriarchs of the Jiang and Zhou Clans had surpassed this realm.
The city bustled with life and prosperity. Wide streets teemed with people coming and going, and the city overflowed with activity.
In a relatively secluded inn named Vast Spirit House, a man dressed in black robes and wearing a veiled conical bamboo hat entered. It was none other than Lin Feng!
"What kind of room does the guest require?" A delightful female voice, as clear as an oriole, resounded.
Upon hearing this, Lin Feng's expression shifted as he traced the source of the voice and found a smiling, stunning young woman dressed in a pale green and white gown.
Despite having encountered numerous beautiful female disciples within the Starry Abyss Sect, his heart still stirred at the sight of her.
The young woman's appearance was extremely striking; her features were delicately crafted, with high cheekbones and a softly defined chin. Her skin was smooth and fair, contrasting gently with her bright green eyes, which gleamed with youthful vigor. Her hair, a rich shade of brown, cascaded to her shoulders, graced by a single, whimsical streak of green that added to her unique allure.
Though she wore the traditional garb of an innkeeper, it didn't diminish her exceptionally clean and refreshing aura.
Furthermore, she was a cultivator who had just reached the Early-stage of the Original Movement realm.