"At dawn, the soul returns to the body.
In the hospital, due to excessive blood loss, Father Yan is being treated urgently in the emergency room.
Mother Yan and Yan Xiaoxi lie on hospital beds, bodies covered in blood, still unconscious.
Yan Yuchen stands in the dimly lit corridor, watching his relatives in the ward. The anger within him is like a volcano about to erupt, tumultuous and roiling!
From the memories of the lead assassin, he learns that the mastermind behind this assassination plot is Yan Kuan from the Sunset Valley.
Ever since Yan Kuan and his men came to take the Blue Phoenix Jade last time, Yan Yuchen has been cautious every day, afraid that this news would be known by others in the Sunset Valley.
To keep this secret, he ruthlessly killed two followers who came out with him last time. Then, he sent assassins to eliminate Yan Yuchen's family.
He thought this assassination would be easy, but he never expected it to end like this.
Three renowned assassins from the Sunset Valley, all utterly defeated, not a single one spared.
In the hospital room, the knife wounds on his sister's cheeks are distressing, despite being bandaged. It still stings Yan Yuchen's heart, standing outside the window.
He clenches his fists, bloodshot veins in his eyes, murmuring, "I, Yan Yuchen, will doubly repay for all of this!"
Outside, the day quickly brightens, the morning sun rising, marking a new day.
With such an incident at home, he knows he can't go back to school for now.
Though the high school entrance exam is approaching, time is pressing. But for him, these things no longer matter.
He makes a call to his homeroom teacher, then takes leave for his sister. Outside the hospital room, he stands like a bird without a nest, lonely and watching his family inside.
In the evening after school, Yuan Xiaofen hurriedly arrives at the hospital.
Seeing the exhausted young man leaning against the wall in the corridor, her heart couldn't help but ache. She walks up softly and says, "Yan Yuchen, it'll be okay. Don't worry too much."
Yan Yuchen looks up at her, managing a faint smile. His voice is hoarse as he says, "I didn't expect you to be the first one here."
Yuan Xiaofen glances into the corridor, puzzled. "What about your other relatives? Haven't you informed them?"
Yan Yuchen shrugs, saying, "My only three relatives are all in the ward. There are no others."
His tone is indifferent, without any hint of gloom.
Yuan Xiaofen furrows her brows slightly, cautiously looking at him. She doesn't dare to ask further.
Walking to the window, she looks into the ward and murmurs, "What exactly happened? How did it turn out like this? I asked the teacher, but he just told me that there's an issue in your family, and you'll be hospitalized for a while. He didn't provide specific details."
Turning to him, she asks, "Yan Yuchen, why are you the only one unharmed? Can you tell me the truth?"
Yan Yuchen shook his head and said, "I'm sorry."
Yuan Xiaofen stared at him for a while, smiled slightly, and softly said, "It's okay, I was just asking. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. You probably haven't eaten all day, right? How about we have dinner together?"
Yan Yuchen glanced at the hospital room and nodded, saying, "Sure, but I don't have cash, only cards. You'll have to treat me."
Yuan Xiaofen chuckled and generously said, "No problem, but next time, you have to treat me, okay?"
Yan Yuchen smiled as well and replied, "Of course."
Although he felt uneasy, he didn't want to infect anyone with his emotions, especially not this kind-hearted girl.
She came to the hospital right after school, obviously considering him as a friend, not just a classmate. For a girl with thin skin like her, this was rare.
She didn't care about the teacher's gaze or the classmates' gossip.
She was being her true self.
There were plenty of places to eat near the hospital, and now it was around five or six in the evening, so many people were having dinner.
Both of them were students, not too particular about where they ate. As long as they could get full, it was fine. They randomly chose a restaurant and walked in.
Even though Yan Yuchen hadn't eaten all day, he didn't feel particularly hungry now.
The cultivation of his soul had strengthened his mental and endurance capabilities to a level that an ordinary person could never understand.
The events of last night made him wake up abruptly.
This seemingly calm city wasn't as safe as it appeared. If he had returned a bit later, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
So now, he silently swore that from this day forward, he would work even harder in his cultivation!
Only by becoming stronger could he ensure the safety of his family and seek revenge on the Sunset Valley.
When his three souls became one, he wouldn't have to worry about leaving his house unprotected when his soul went out to cultivate.
By then, he would have three souls that could merge or separate at will, just like his doppelgänger. Even during the day, he could send out his Yin spirit while chatting with others, possess and attack, driving people instantly insane!
With three versions of himself, who could harm his family?
"Bang!"
While the two were waiting for their food after placing their orders, a man at the adjacent table, with bandages on his head, suddenly slammed the table, stood up angrily, and began to berate the busy waiter, "Damn it! Look at what you guys cooked. Such a big fly! Are you intentionally trying to disgust me to death?"
Upon hearing the man's furious roar, the female waiter hurriedly approached and, upon checking the plate, indeed found a disgusting fly mixed with the food. However, upon closer inspection, the fly was still alive, fluttering its wings.
The restaurant owner and chef came out to inquire.
Pointing at the plate with the fly, the female waiter glanced at the man, pursed her lips, and whispered to the owner, "It's still alive, clearly just put in."
The owner remained calm, instructing the chef behind her, "Go and make a new dish for the customer, be more careful next time."
The chef nodded and was about to leave.
The man with bandages on his head slammed the table again, staring angrily and cursing, "Making another dish is useless! I've already eaten this fly-infested food. Who knows if there are two or three more inside? I'm not eating it! I want compensation!"
The owner still wore a faint smile and asked, "How much do you need?"
The man immediately raised five fingers arrogantly, declaring, "At least fifty thousand! A penny less, and I'll make sure you never do business here again!"
Despite the large sum, the owner remained composed. She glanced at the other customers, then turned to Yan Yuchen and Yuan Xiaofen, saying, "These two customers are not with you, right? Could you let them leave first?"
The man sneered, waved his hand, and suddenly everyone at the other tables stood up. Two of them swiftly walked to the door, closing it.
The man took out a shiny machete from his waist, grinning menacingly. "They are your customers. If something happens, it's your responsibility, Mrs. Owner, today, you have to pay this money, whether you like it or not. Think it through carefully."
Others also revealed weapons they had hidden beforehand. Besides machetes and steel pipes, someone even had a crossbow with arrows already nocked!
Seeing this horrifying scene, Yuan Xiaofen turned pale in fright. The girl never imagined that simply coming for a meal would lead to such a terrifying brawl. From the looks of these people, killing someone seemed like a casual affair.
The owner and two chefs squinted their eyes, their faces darkening. Unbeknownst to Yuan Xiaofen, they all had crescent-shaped short knives in their hands.
The two women washing dishes in the kitchen also held vegetable knives, their eyes filled with dark determination.
While the situation was tense, Yan Yuchen suddenly slapped the table and urged the chefs, "Serve the food first! After we finish eating and leave, you can settle the matter. I still need to go to the hospital; don't waste my time."
Yan Yuchen's unexpected request left both sides holding knives and batons momentarily stunned, their gazes filled with bewilderment. It seemed as if they were collectively thinking: Is this guy out of his mind? At such a critical moment, when lives are at stake, he's thinking about having a meal? Can't he see we're about to start a fight?
Beside him, Yuan Xiaofen's mouth hung open, staring at him in astonishment.
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