The room was brightly lit by candlelight.
Lin Fan’s face was deathly pale, his gaze vacant and heavy with extreme exhaustion.
"Born with useless Spiritual Roots, you have brought shame upon the Imperial Clan."
"Since you would rather die than serve as a 'human medicine' and prefer to marry into another family as a live-in son-in-law, then you shall be used as currency to trade for the Yun family’s beast, the 'Six-Tusked Divine Elephant'."
"This past year, you have provided ninety-nine drops of Imperial blood to my Yun family. That is enough. Sell Lin Fan to the Chu family."
"Lin Fan only provided thirty-six drops of Imperial blood after coming to my Chu family. It seems the Yun family already squeezed him dry."
"Kick him out of the Chu family. See if any other family has a use for him."
"Sell Lin Fan cheaply to the Su Family. The Chu family will not support a piece of trash for nothing."
Deep within his consciousness, these past experiences flickered repeatedly.
Lin Fan’s expression was one of agony, as if an invisible hand were dragging him into an abyss.
Until—
A beam of white light guided him into a chaotic world.
Lin Fan knew this place only as the depths of his own consciousness. Since childhood, he had drifted here periodically.
Especially whenever he was severely injured or unconscious, he would arrive in this space.
Sometimes, there were even 'mirages' that drifted in and out of view.
"It’s appearing again."
Sure enough, Lin Fan saw the familiar 'mirage'—a stone pagoda.
Its surface was rough and weathered, as if it were recounting the vicissitudes of time, and the towering spire seemed poised to pierce through the chaotic sky.
But this time was different from all others; he was actually able to walk into the pagoda.
Inside, there was nothing but a stone desk, and resting upon it was a green jade cauldron the size of a palm.
"This mirage is far too realistic."
Lin Fan, both excited and nervous, peered into the jade cauldron.
Inside, it felt like an unfathomable, ancient well of chaos, where a tiny golden figure floated like a fallen leaf on the surface of the water.
The little golden figure was translucent, covered in scriptures. Within its tiny body lay countless medicinal pills and various legendary divine artifacts.
"It is a 'human medicine'!"
Lin Fan had been well-versed in the classics since childhood and knew that a certain type of alchemist would refine themselves into 'human medicine' to attain immortality.
In the blink of an eye, the tiny golden medicinal figure hummed and vibrated, erupting with a colorful glow that enveloped Lin Fan.
"The Five-Evolution Yin-Yang Great Medicine uses the body’s meridians as a bridge to refine the Five Elements within the divine organs, merging earthly Yin and heavenly Yang to forge the self into a Yin-Yang Great Medicine capable of devouring immortals and demons..."
It seemed to be reviving, gaining life, and whispering.
Lin Fan’s mind went clear, leaving him with the illusion of having recovered from a grave illness, while a mysterious power continuously filled his limbs and bones.
His mind went blank; the mirage within his consciousness was actually real.
At that moment, above the Su Estate, the night sky was ablaze with shimmering stars, like brilliant diamonds in the cosmos.
Starlight wove through the sky in vast sweeps, and among them, nine stars blinked, as if building a magnificent and beautiful bridge across the night.
The nine-star alignment grew increasingly brilliant, pouring Celestial Light down from the nine heavens.
"A heavenly omen!"
"A peerless dragon is about to emerge in Lingyin City!"
People knelt to worship the Celestial Light, praying with sincerity.
...
In the room, Su Xiaoqing wiped away tears in secret and pushed the door open, carrying a bundle.
This was the wedding chamber she shared with Lin Fan.
Though called a wedding chamber, it was merely a servant's room that the Su family had once used.
Seeing Lin Fan sleeping peacefully, she let out a sigh of relief and quietly closed the door behind her.
"You gave up our engagement for my sake. You fool, you really are a fool."
"But once you leave the Su family, where in this world will there be a place for you?"
"Without me, who will take care of you?"
Su Xiaoqing looked at Lin Fan quietly, her eyes gradually misting over.
How could she not understand the deeper meaning behind Lin Fan’s divorce?
"Once I marry into the Yang Family, you must take good care of yourself."
Su Xiaoqing opened the bundle.
Inside was a lingzhi mushroom the size of an infant’s fist, shimmering with a milky white light.
She carefully sliced it into thin pieces and fed them into Lin Fan’s mouth; the precious medicine melted the moment it touched his tongue.
Lin Fan’s skin began to flush with color, and blood began to flow through his surface veins.
"Fool, I fear there will be no chance to take care of you in the future."
"From the moment Father promised you to me, I viewed you as my life-long partner. Perhaps this is what they mean when they say, 'Follow the chicken, follow the dog'."
"Silly husband."
A blush rose on Su Xiaoqing’s cheeks.
Outside, the night wind howled, and light and shadow flickered.
Su Xiaoqing leaned down and pressed her lips against Lin Fan’s.
"Open the door."
A harsh, grating voice came from outside.
Su Xiaoqing hurriedly composed herself and went to pull back the bolt.
As the cold wind rushed in, a group of servants appeared, led by an old man with a goat-like beard.
Xu Zhan, one of the Su family stewards.
He was a favorite of the First Madam, Zhao Yingrong.
The man strode into the room and pointed at the still-slumbering Lin Fan:
"The Master’s decree: Lin Fan is no longer a member of the Su family. He is to be sent to the courier station immediately to reside there."
"How can Father be so heartless?"
Su Xiaoqing could not hide her indignation.
"I must obey the Master’s words. Remove him."
Xu Zhan was decisive and moved to lay hands on Lin Fan.
Without thinking, Su Xiaoqing shielded the bedside: "I beg you, show mercy. Give me some time, and I will go beg my father."
"Servants are merely slaves."
Xu Zhan shook his head.
"Steward Xu, wait."
Su Xiaoqing’s eyes were bloodshot with anxiety as she scurried toward the wardrobe.
"Miss, everything was as you said."
Deep in the shadows, a pair of eyes watched the scene unfolding in the room through the veranda.
Su Xi stepped out from the darkness.
The maid beside her covered her mouth and giggled: "Miss, did you think Su Xiaoqing would really do that?"
"She will."
Su Xi’s cold eyes flickered: "She has the weakness of all weak people: she is a do-gooder."
"But if we push her too hard, will there be trouble?" the maid asked flatteringly.
Su Xi’s eyes were deep as she turned away:
"I told you, she is a do-gooder. Having accepted the hundred-year-old Tai Sui, she will certainly keep her word and marry into the Yang Family."
"As for the Imperial blood Father promised her, I must obtain it. When that day comes, my Spiritual Roots will advance once more."
"Accompany me to the City Lord’s mansion."
After she said this coldly, even the maid beside her couldn't help but gasp in a chill.
"I have jewelry here, I beg you, Steward, grant me a grace period."
Su Xiaoqing took her dowry out of the wardrobe and pleaded.
"I cannot violate the rules."
Xu Zhan remained unmoved.
"Steward Xu, this is all I have. I am begging you."
Seeing that money was useless, Su Xiaoqing felt deeply wronged, her tears flowing uncontrollably.
Xu Zhan glanced at the servants again.
"I will kneel to you."
A noble miss was actually willing to sacrifice her dignity for a servant.
"Is what the Miss says true?"
Xu Zhan slowly relented.
"If I break my word, let the heavens strike me down."
Su Xiaoqing swore to the heavens.
Xu Zhan slowly lowered his voice: "The Imperial blood your father gave you earlier... if the Miss is willing to part with it?"
"Imperial blood..."
Su Xiaoqing stepped back, as if struck by lightning.
"Forgive me for being meddlesome."
Xu Zhan coughed deliberately.
"I will give it to you."
Su Xiaoqing looked at Lin Fan and finally took an exquisite medicine bottle from her bosom.
Xu Zhan’s face lit up with joy, and he hurriedly reached out to grab the bottle.
"Silly girl."
A large hand suddenly grabbed Su Xiaoqing’s wrist.
"Young Master!"
The servants looked at Lin Fan, who had risen from the bed, and were caught in a dilemma.
"Attack!"
Xu Zhan’s sinister tone was chilling.
The men regained their senses and rushed toward Lin Fan, claws bared.
But in an instant, their expressions twisted to the extreme.
Xu Zhan was sent flying through the air, his features distorted as he let out a screeching wail.
Lin Fan’s eyes, like unfathomable stars, gripped Xu Zhan’s right shoulder with one hand; with a flick of his fingers, Xu Zhan was sent soaring through the air to land heavily on the ground.
"Steward Xu is at the 2nd Layer of Qi Refining!"
The henchmen were shaking like chaff in the wind.
Lin Fan took Su Xiaoqing’s hands in his.
"Silly girl, what was it you just called me?"