Chapter 147: A Debt of Gratitude! (Second Update)

Lu Family Manor

“Brother Feng, you’re here? Hey, sister-in-law, you came too?” Seeing Chen Feng arrive with Fang Yue, Lu Ran greeted them with unusual courtesy.

“Xiaoran!” Chen Feng smiled at Lu Ran as well. Although Lu Ran was considered one of the most formidable young masters in Jiangzhou, he was exceedingly polite toward Chen Feng, and by extension, friendly toward everyone around him.

After exchanging a few words, Chen Feng met Lu Rui. Lu Rui looked much as he always had. Upon seeing Chen Feng, he asked about matters concerning the East Sea. When he heard that Xiao Yu had actually taken over the Liu Corporation, he was secretly astonished and gained a much clearer understanding of Xiao Yu’s methods.

“Uncle Lu, there’s something I’d like to trouble you with.” After a few pleasantries, Chen Feng came straight to the point. “I was wondering whether you could use your connections to arrange for my girlfriend to attend university with me.”

“That won’t be a problem.” Lu Rui smiled faintly and spoke in an unhurried tone. “I still have quite a few connections at East Sea University. Arranging for your girlfriend to go there with you won’t be difficult.”

Lu Rui agreed readily, and Chen Feng was deeply moved. Then he looked at him and asked, “By the way, Uncle Lu, do you know the Ye family of the East Sea?”

“The Ye family of the East Sea?” Lu Rui’s pupils contracted slightly as he looked at Chen Feng. “How did you hear about them? Have you come into conflict with them?”

“Yes.” Chen Feng nodded. “On the flight back, I had a minor altercation with them. I don’t know what they came to Jiangzhou for.”

Lu Rui glanced at Chen Feng before speaking in a low voice. “The Ye family of the East Sea is a martial arts clan. Several centuries ago, they were renowned throughout the cultivation world. Now, however, they no longer possess the influence they once did. They still have some prestige in the East Sea, but outside it, they are nothing special. Even if you came into conflict with them, it is not a serious matter. With the Yanhuang Enforcement Team keeping watch here, they would not dare cause too much trouble.”

Chen Feng said nothing. He could sense that Lu Rui’s words carried a deeper meaning. The Ye family of the East Sea was certainly not as simple as it appeared. With a faint smile, he asked, “Uncle Lu, do you know about the Ninefold Mysterious Fire Pill?”

“What?” Lu Rui’s entire body shook. He seized Chen Feng by the hand and stared at him urgently. “What did you say? The Ninefold Mysterious Fire Pill? How do you know about it? The Ye family—of course! It must be the Ye family. That is a pill refined exclusively by them. It can completely transform a person, purge longstanding ailments, and allow one to be reborn through fire!”

Lu Rui spoke with great urgency, and his eyes revealed deep anticipation. After more than ten seconds, he finally let out a soft sigh and looked at Chen Feng.

“How did you learn about it?”

“That is a secret.” Chen Feng smiled. Naturally, he would never reveal the secret of the Great Extraction System.

Lu Rui sighed softly. “Chen Feng, it seems you already know something. In truth, you have long understood that this world is not as simple as it appears. But even if I know the Ye family possesses the Ninefold Mysterious Fire Pill, I have no way to seize it from them.”

There was a trace of regret in his voice.

Chen Feng smiled and looked at him seriously. “Uncle Lu, is it because you suffered extremely severe injuries, leaving you unable to accumulate internal force?”

Lu Rui was startled, then nodded. “That is correct. How did you figure it out?”

“I guessed.” Chen Feng smiled. “I have always been curious. How is it that Uncle Lu knows a powerhouse like Uncle Zhang, yet you yourself have not accumulated any internal force? Although cultivation depends on talent, with enough resources poured into it, surely you would not be unable to accumulate even a trace of internal force. Besides, your body is extraordinarily strong. You must have trained in external techniques. Which raises the question: where is your internal cultivation?”

Chen Feng was bluffing. He had already examined Lu Rui’s body with the Great Extraction System, and the system had revealed his condition. Lu Rui had suffered severe injuries when he was young. His meridians had been crippled, and the internal force throughout his body could no longer gather in his dantian, instead dispersing through his limbs and bones. Although his body was robust and he was free of illness, he could no longer continue cultivating.

Lu Rui fell silent for a moment before nodding. “You are right, Chen Feng. But why are you telling me this?”

Chen Feng looked at him and smiled. Then he said seriously, “Uncle Lu, I have something to give you.”

As he spoke, Chen Feng reached into his pocket and made a grabbing motion. A pitch-black pill appeared in his hand. Looking at Lu Rui, he smiled.

“I imagine this is not unfamiliar to you, Uncle Lu?”

Lu Rui’s pupils contracted violently. He stared in astonishment and exclaimed, “This… this is the Ninefold Mysterious Fire Pill! How could it be in your possession?”

Chen Feng merely smiled calmly, as though he were speaking of something trivial. “I came into conflict with the Ye family. Naturally, I was not going to let them leave so easily. Uncle Lu, would this Ninefold Mysterious Fire Pill be effective for your condition?”

“It would. Of course it would!” Excitement blazed in Lu Rui’s eyes. At that moment, he looked like a child. He eagerly took the pill from Chen Feng, then suddenly rose to his feet and bowed deeply to him.

“Uncle Lu, what are you doing?” Chen Feng hurriedly supported him and spoke politely. “I cannot accept such a grand gesture.”

Lu Rui straightened and looked at him. “Chen Feng, you must accept this bow. Thank you. I will not hide it from you: I truly did suffer severe injuries, and my meridians were crippled. Recovering will not be easy. I would need either a perfected innate master to regulate my body or a pill like this Ninefold Mysterious Fire Pill. It can cleanse and transform the meridians and help me reopen them.”

He looked at Chen Feng with utmost seriousness. “The enemy who grievously injured me spared my life for certain reasons. But I can predict that sooner or later, he will come after me again. Chen Feng, without you, I can almost foresee that I would eventually be killed by him. Even Xiaoran might not survive. To our Lu family, you have rendered us an immeasurable kindness.”

Chen Feng was somewhat surprised. He had not expected Lu Rui to have such a history. Still, he was not overly shocked. He had already vaguely guessed that something was amiss. He understood even more clearly that some matters could not simply be abandoned at will. His relationship with the Lu family had grown extremely close. After receiving so many benefits from Lu Rui, it was not something he could sever merely by declaring himself uninvolved.

Chen Feng was a man who repaid kindness. Lu Rui had helped him at the most critical moments and had dealt with so many matters on his behalf. He could not refuse to help Lu Rui in return.

Besides, deep within Chen Feng, a profound change had already taken place. He wanted to see the even broader world that lay beyond.

“Uncle Lu, now that you have obtained the Ninefold Mysterious Fire Pill, you will probably need to enter seclusion for several days, won’t you?” Chen Feng smiled at him. “Congratulations, Uncle Lu.”

Lu Rui shook his head slightly. “It is not that simple. Although I have obtained the Ninefold Mysterious Fire Pill, I still need someone who has cultivated a yang-aligned internal technique to assist me. My internal force is gone, so someone must stimulate the pill’s medicinal power.”

“Then wouldn’t I be the perfect person?” Chen Feng smiled.

Lu Rui glanced at him and shook his head. “You probably cannot do it yet. Although you cultivated the Profound Yang Formula with Zhang Mu, you have only been cultivating for a short time. Your yang force is probably still insufficient to assist me.”

“Is that so?” Chen Feng seized Lu Rui’s wrist. His internal force suddenly surged slightly.

Lu Rui let out a cry of surprise and stared at Chen Feng in shock. “How could your cultivation of the Profound Yang Formula have advanced so quickly?”

Chen Feng smiled at him. “Is it really that fast? I think it is fairly ordinary. Uncle Lu, can I assist you now?”

“Of course!” Lu Rui did not ask any further questions. He could sense that Chen Feng would not harm him. Besides, who could live without secrets? He himself still kept many of his own secrets.

“Uncle Lu, when do you plan to enter seclusion?” Chen Feng asked.

“I need to take care of a few matters first. How about beginning tonight?” Lu Rui smiled at Chen Feng.

“No problem.” Chen Feng merely smiled faintly.

While An Qiye was smugly assuming that he had become the leader of the East Sea’s upper society, Chen Feng had already begun helping Lu Rui restore his meridians with the Ninefold Mysterious Fire Pill. The process continued for more than nine days.

Every day, Chen Feng helped regulate Lu Rui’s condition, while Lu Ran frequently went to a place called Maple Leaf Hotel to eat.

It was worth mentioning that Maple Leaf Hotel was an industry owned by the Chen family, and its name had been taken from Chen Feng’s own name. Under the pretext of teaching his parents how to cook, Chen Feng had used the Great Extraction ability to grant them the skills of master chefs. His parents could now prepare an astonishing array of delicious dishes.

As soon as Maple Leaf Hotel opened, it attracted countless people. Many guests from Jiangzhou’s upper society often came there. Chen Feng’s parents, however, did not usually cook themselves. They only entered the kitchen when truly distinguished guests arrived. After all, they were the owners now.

Whenever Lu Ran came, Chen Feng’s parents naturally prepared the food personally.

“Xiaoran, what do you think Chen Feng is discussing with your father? He goes over there every day!” Fang Yue pouted, looking bored. She had thought that Chen Feng would spend more time with her after returning to Jiangzhou, but who could have expected that for nine days straight, he would barely pay her any attention?

“It seems he is discussing how to arrange for you to attend East Sea University directly,” Lu Ran said with a grin. “Sister-in-law, why take it to heart? It is not as if Brother Feng could possibly fall for my father!”

Pfft!

Fang Yue nearly spit out her drink. She no longer possessed the shy, inexperienced air she once had. Confidence had blossomed within her. Different people, different circumstances, and different social circles could bring about tremendous changes in a person’s words, actions, and state of mind.

“Where is everyone? Get Chen Ze out here! Damn it, distinguished guests have arrived—why hasn’t he come out to receive them?”

At that moment, a rough voice suddenly echoed through the private room.

To be continued.

Second update! Second update! Does everyone still have monthly votes? Keep sending them in with all your strength!