The owner of the Vast Spirit House, Qiu Liaoxi, was a Soul Refining realm alchemist. Her disciple, Ning Xian, possessed quite impressive qualifications.
'Well, that's it?' Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, pondering inwardly. 'Ning Xian has a heroine template, so I suspect there's more to her origin than meets the eye. It could also be that Qiu Liaoxi has a hidden background.' With this thought, he continued reading the intelligence.
Not long ago, the Vast Spirit House operated as a pharmacy, selling a variety of pills and spiritual plants. However, when it refused a marriage proposal from the Di Clan, the supply of raw materials for these items was cut off, forcing the establishment to transform into an inn.
'Oh, this is suspicious...' Jiang Chen mused to himself. 'The Di Clan seems like the perfect adversary for Lin Feng to demonstrate his prowess. He's destined to defy the odds and emerge victorious against all expectations!'
'By defeating the Di Clan, Ning Xian will undoubtedly develop a favorable impression of Lin Feng!'
'Perhaps the Di Clan will soon send someone to aid him in gaining practical experience,' he speculated, piecing together the clues in his mind.
'Moreover, since the Vast Spirit House was once a pharmacy that sold pills and spiritual plants, it could be very useful to Lin Feng!'
'Could it be that he will regain his qualifications to cultivate with the help of the Vast Spirit House? Or perhaps it will play a crucial role in his cultivation journey?' Jiang Chen pondered, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
Soon after, he sent a message to Jiang Xingtai using his transmission jade token, instructing him to discreetly monitor the Di Clan.
Additionally, he arranged for numerous secret sentries around the Vast Spirit House to keep a watchful eye on everyone entering and leaving the establishment.
The Jiang Clan was known for its efficiency and vigor, and it didn't take long for them to complete the arrangements.
A large area surrounding the Vast Spirit House was now dotted with seemingly ordinary pedestrians, diners, and other secret sentries, all skillfully concealing their true identities.
They had been explicitly ordered to never act or reveal themselves, even at the risk of their own lives.
'Now everything is in place; all that's missing is the perfect plan,' Jiang Chen mused to himself. 'Ning Xian, this woman seems very astute. How should I approach her...'
...
Time passed slowly.
As evening fell, Lin Feng left his room and headed to the inn's dining hall for a meal.
The Vast Spirit House, sparsely populated with guests, had a cold and desolate lobby that mirrored the emptiness outside.
Unbeknownst to Lin Feng, his emergence had captured Jiang Chen's attention.
Practitioners in the Soul Refining realm, like Lin Feng, possessed a nascent divine sense. Although weak, it enabled them to perceive their surroundings within a range of a few to ten meters.
Thus, while Jiang Chen could observe Lin Feng, Lin Feng remained oblivious to Jiang Chen's presence.
'Original Movement realm!' Jiang Chen realized in amazement. 'His cultivation base has returned to the Original Movement realm overnight? And advanced to the Late-stage?'
'It appears that his Dantian must have healed. What kind of fortune could he have encountered?' he wondered, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
In a flash, spurred by a sudden thought, Jiang Chen activated his Villain Eye.
[Name: Lin Feng
Realm: Late-stage Original Movement (Middle-stage Soul Refining)
Status: Protagonist
Heavenly Fate Value: 5,380/5,380]
This concise information panel materialized before Jiang Chen's eyes, filling him with immense satisfaction.
'5,380 points of Heavenly Fate Value,' Jiang Chen mused internally. 'Considering the previous deductions, Lin Feng's total Heavenly Fate Value must be just under six thousand.'
'The figure on the right shows the current Heavenly Fate Value, while the left indicates the maximum limit. Injuring Lin Feng may temporarily reduce his Heavenly Fate Value, but it won't lower the maximum.'
'The decapitation line is tied to the upper limit of the Heavenly Fate Value,' Jiang Chen reflected, closely examining Lin Feng's data.
Soon after, he used his Villain Eye to observe Qiu Liaoxi.
[Name: Qiu Liaoxi
Realm: Peak-stage Soul Refining
Status: Supporting character
Fate Value: 323]
Jiang Chen's eyebrow arched in interest. 'Only 323 points of Fate Value? Qiu Liaoxi seems to be a minor supporting character.'
'In the original story, she must be destined to be one of those eliminated early on,' he concluded, contemplating the implications.
...
Inside the inn, Lin Feng looked for a quiet table to sit at. Just then, he heard a voice call out, "Young man, come here for a moment."
He turned towards the source of the voice and saw a gentle-faced, silver-haired old woman—Qiu Liaoxi.
"You're calling for me?" Lin Feng asked in surprise, pointing at himself.
"Who else could I be calling when there's no one else around?" Qiu Liaoxi replied with a smile, before turning to enter a room.
"That makes sense," Lin Feng acknowledged, following her into the room. "May I ask why you've called for me?"
As a former Soul Refining realm cultivator, Lin Feng could discern that the other party was also a cultivator of the Soul Refining realm, and at the Peak-stage no less!
"Please, have a seat," Qiu Liaoxi invited warmly, settling down at the table. "This is Ning Xian, my disciple. You've met her before."
Ning Xian, who was sitting at the table, looked up as she was introduced.
"Yes, we have met," Lin Feng said politely, taking a seat opposite her.
Ning Xian greeted Lin Feng with a warm smile, her demeanor lively and kind, in line with how she usually interacted with others.
"Give me your hand," Qiu Liaoxi said gently, extending her own hand towards Lin Feng.
Without hesitation, Lin Feng extended his hand towards Qiu Liaoxi, intuitively grasping her intention.
In ordinary circumstances, Lin Feng might have been more cautious, even contemplating escape. However, Ning Xian's presence, her face as clear as crystal and her eyes reminiscent of emerald pools, swayed his heart slightly.
With his status no longer that of a wretched outcast, having acquired the Burning World Red Lotus and altered his destiny, Lin Feng's newfound confidence was clearly visible.
In that moment, Qiu Liaoxi took Lin Feng's hand, her fingers lightly grazing his skin. Sensing his unique spiritual aura, she exclaimed, "What Ning Xian said is indeed true; you possess a Medicinal Spirit Body!"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement at the realization of the potential before her. "A diamond in the rough, a true gem has unexpectedly appeared before me. This is wonderful!" she expressed joyfully, her face alight with enthusiasm.
"What? I have the Medicinal Spirit Body!?" Lin Feng blurted out, skillfully feigning astonishment. at the revelation.
"Absolutely! I'm never mistaken about such auras," Qiu Liaoxi affirmed with confidence.
She looked at him, her expression a blend of curiosity and disbelief. "Young man, did you truly not know you're a Medicinal Spirit Body? Haven't you noticed anything unusual about your physique?"
She continued, her interest evident as she probed further, "And you... where did you find your master, and how did you manage to cultivate to the Original Movement realm?"
To Qiu Liaoxi, the Medicinal Spirit Body was like a rare gem. Typically, any sect or power that discovered one would nurture it in secrecy. The fact that Lin Feng, with such an extraordinary constitution, had reached the Original Movement realm without knowing about his unique trait, was indeed a perplexing mystery.
...
Meanwhile, in a nearby house, Jiang Chen was observing Lin Feng and the others through his divine sense. A thought struck him, 'Oh? Medicinal Spirit Body? Lin Feng is a holder of the Medicinal Spirit Body?'
'It seems my guess was right; this inn, once a pharmacy, is destined to play a crucial role in Lin Feng's development.'
Considering Qiu Liaoxi's profession, he speculated further, 'As an alchemist, she's likely to take him under her wing, impart her knowledge to him, and perhaps even arrange a union with her beautiful, sole disciple.'
'Hehe, such a predictable plotline!' he mused with a hint of amusement.
...
Inside the inn, Ning Xian, her eyes alight with a playful suspicion, questioned, "Oh? You really didn't know? You're not deceiving me and Master, are you?"
"I truly had no idea," Lin Feng responded earnestly, shaking his head. "In fact, I was an inner disciple of the Starry Abyss Sect..."
"What! A disciple of the Starry Abyss Sect?" Qiu Liaoxi and Ning Xian exclaimed in unison, their astonishment evident.
The Starry Abyss Sect was a dominant force on the Mysterious Truth Continent, and its inner disciples were highly esteemed and rarely seen in public.
Now, to their surprise, a former inner disciple of this esteemed sect stood before them.
"Was... do you mean?" Ning Xian's expression changed as she asked, "You've left the sect?"
This revelation brought a brighter gleam of delight to Qiu Liaoxi's aged face.
Had Lin Feng still been an inner disciple of the Starry Abyss Sect, convincing him to join their cause would have been nearly impossible.
However, with Lin Feng no longer part of the sect, the prospect of persuading him to align with them appeared much more achievable.