Chapter 31: Utterly Unfair!
The Old Turtle opened his ancient eyes, gazing across the land, tracing the invisible currents of vital energy. Something was amiss.
Why was the vital energy of the world flowing toward a single point, as though drawn by an unseen force?
Could it be that some unscrupulous cultivator was conducting a ritual, gathering vital energy in secret?
With a moment’s thought, the Old Turtle shifted his massive limbs and began trudging toward the source of this anomaly…
Meanwhile, Chen Yan lay submerged in his wooden bath, circulating his Vital Energy Circulation Method for the sixth cycle. His body had reached its limit, unable to absorb any more.
An idea surfaced in his mind—rather than halting the circulation, he channeled the excess vital energy into his jade thumb ring, allowing an effortless exchange: drawing in, then redirecting out.
Having idled for nearly an hour, his mind wandered to the affairs of Lu Si Si.
Stealing destiny, tampering with fate—these were not the actions of an ordinary foe. Whoever orchestrated this was undoubtedly skilled in the mystic arts.
If it were up to him, Chen Yan would have ignored such a matter altogether. Anyone capable of such nefarious techniques was bound to be formidable, both ruthless and cunning.
Why risk his own neck for someone unrelated to him?
Yet…
“A walking experience bag…” he muttered with a sigh.
Putting aside morality, the benefits were too tempting. Helping Lu Si Si even once would grant him a significant boost in cultivation.
If he assisted her on a grander scale…
Perhaps he could achieve a breakthrough in one fell swoop!
While he had no way of knowing the exact method used by his foe, the Old Granny’s Manual contained records of similar techniques. He could infer the general principles.
In essence, whether for righteousness or personal gain, Chen Yan felt inclined to aid Lu Si Si. However, he had no desire to invite unnecessary enemies.
Deep in thought, he recalled a peculiar spell from the manual—perhaps there was a way to achieve his goal without direct confrontation…
Just as he formulated a plan, the comforting warmth of vital energy around him suddenly vanished.
“Hm?”
Chen Yan sat up in the bath, water rippling around him.
“Power outage? …No, not power… vital energy outage?”
The once-concentrated vital energy had abruptly dispersed.
Throwing a bath towel loosely around his waist, he descended to inspect the Spirit-Gathering Formation.
As expected.
“Hah. A cheap imitation will always be a cheap imitation…”
The jade formation core had fractured, completely drained of its stored vital energy.
He did a quick mental calculation. A single jade plaque could only sustain the formation for about two hours.
At the banks of Chanting Dragon Lake, a faint imprint trailed from the water’s edge to the distant forests.
The Old Turtle pressed forward with slow, laborious steps.
Over the past hour, he had poured every ounce of effort into his journey… managing to traverse a mere fifty meters.
Turtles were never known for their speed, and the Old Turtle was in an even more precarious position—he was at the brink of a realm breakthrough, carefully suppressing his aura to avoid drawing the wrath of Heaven’s Tribulation.
At all costs, he could not risk using any of his cultivation powers.
Just as he heaved another mighty step forward, he suddenly froze.
The vital energy… had stopped flowing?
Perplexed, he lifted his gaze toward the distant mountains. The unseen force that had been siphoning energy had vanished without a trace.
Had the scoundrel responsible for this simply… left?
Should he still continue forward?
The Old Turtle turned his ancient neck, glancing back at the lake just fifty meters behind him. Then, he looked ahead at the looming mountains he would need to traverse.
Forget it.
The scoundrel must have departed. There was no need to venture further. With this decided, he turned back, ready to return to his slumber beneath the tranquil waters.
…Five minutes later, he had turned around completely.
…Another five minutes, he had crawled forward a few meters.
Back in his home, Chen Yan drained his bathwater and cleaned the tub—his prolonged soak had flushed many impurities from his body.
He refilled the bath, knowing it would take another half hour to fill.
With time to spare, he prepared a simple dinner: braised minced pork with eggplant, egg drop tomato soup, and a bowl of white rice.
Eating leisurely, he pored over the Old Granny’s Manual, searching for insights into techniques capable of reversing fate.
Before returning upstairs, he let out a resigned sigh.
He was in the midst of tempering his body—how could he halt cultivation midway?
Retrieving a fresh jade plaque, he placed it into the formation core, reactivating the Spirit-Gathering Formation. Soon, vital energy flowed back into the room. Satisfied, he nodded to himself.
By the time he returned upstairs, the bath was full. A quick check of the water temperature—perfect.
Sighing in contentment, he shed his robes and sank into the water once more.
At Chanting Dragon Lake, the Old Turtle had finally, after great struggle, reached the water’s edge.
His weathered claws extended forward—just a little more, and he would be back in his sanctuary…
Then, without warning, he sensed it.
The heavens trembled. The vital energy surged once more, spiraling toward the mountains.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me!!!”
As though mocked by fate itself, the once-replenished vital energy of the land was again being siphoned away, vanishing into the distance.
Around him, the air grew barren, the vital energy drained to the last whisper.
The Old Turtle turned his head ever so slowly, glancing back at the hundred-meter journey he had painstakingly crawled.
All that effort.
For nothing.
“…This is personal now.”
By nightfall, the second jade plaque had also depleted.
Without additional reserves, Chen Yan allowed the formation to deactivate. It no longer mattered—he had already bathed in vital energy for another two hours, thoroughly purifying his physique.
That tingling sensation, like countless ants crawling over his skin, had vanished.
The body-tempering process was complete.
Late into the night, he lay in bed, flipping through the Old Granny’s Manual until dawn, meticulously refining his plan.
When morning light seeped through his window, Chen Yan exhaled deeply, stretching his limbs.
His body felt weightless, brimming with power. His mind was sharper than ever, filled with vigor and clarity.
Refreshed beyond measure, he smirked to himself.
A new day had begun.
Chen Yan rose early, performing his morning ablutions before preparing a simple breakfast. Afterward, he sat in meditation, guiding his inner energy through the Vital Energy Circulation Method, refining his breath, and harmonizing his spirit.
A glance at the time—nine o’clock.
He picked up his phone and dialed Lu Si Si.
On the other end, Lu Si Si’s voice was laced with urgency, the sounds of hurried footsteps echoing in the background.
“Lu Si Si, are you free today?”
“I’m on my way to the classroom—I have an important exam today.”
“What about tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow I’m free. Once today’s exam is over, my semester’s exams are done.”
“Good.” Chen Yan nodded. “Then go take your exam. Let me know when you’re finished. I need to talk to you.”
Lu Si Si ended the call and looked up at the towering academic building before her. She inhaled deeply, exhaling with slow deliberation.
Was it merely psychological, or had yesterday’s misfortune truly dissipated? Or perhaps… the Talisman that Chen Yan had given her was indeed effective? Whatever the case, since she returned last night, no calamities had befallen her. In fact, things had gone surprisingly smoothly.
Just before leaving home this morning, she had hidden herself in the bathroom to burn another Talisman—a silent prayer that fortune would continue to favor her.
Seated in the examination hall, Lu Si Si received the test paper and froze.
She blinked, rubbed her eyes, and stared again.
Huh?
This question—she had practiced it just a few days ago!
And that one—she had reviewed it during her revision sessions!
Wait… she had memorized this section just last night!
Her grip tightened around her pen. The young woman sat there, wide-eyed, stunned into disbelief.
That morning, Chen Yan returned to the bustling University Town, weaving through the familiar streets until he arrived at a rental agency where Bootlicker Hu worked.
“You need to rent another place?” Hu Shang Ke looked at his classmate in curiosity. “Didn’t you just move into a luxurious villa?”
“What kind of businessman refuses business just because the deal seems unnecessary?” Chen Yan smirked.
“I’d be a fool to refuse! Come, sit!” Hu Shang Ke beamed, personally fetching a chair for Chen Yan and even pouring him a cup of tea.
Minutes later, Hu Shang Ke sat across from him, a perplexed look on his face.
“You want a short-term rental?”
“Mm. About a week, give or take.” Chen Yan smiled. “The semester’s about to end—shouldn’t there be plenty of short-term listings around University Town?”
Hu Shang Ke nodded. “True enough. You were a student here yourself, so you know how things work. Around this time, a lot of short-term rentals flood the market.”
It was a common practice—upper-year students, whether they were dating, running small businesses, or simply seeking independence, often rented apartments off-campus. However, when holidays arrived and they returned home, their rented spaces would sit empty for months. Since landlords rarely refunded rent for unused months, some enterprising students secretly sublet their units for the short term to recoup losses.
Of course, many landlords disapproved of such arrangements, so these short-term rentals were usually handled discreetly through trusted realtors.
“What’s your budget?” Hu Shang Ke asked.
“The cheaper, the better,” Chen Yan replied without hesitation.
“Brother… I still need a number. I can’t help you otherwise,” Hu Shang Ke sighed. “Cheap places tend to be farther from the main areas.”
“Distance isn’t a problem.”
“The buildings are older.”
“No problem.”
“The facilities are basic, at best.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
Hu Shang Ke sighed, his face a picture of exasperation. “Brother, do you just want me to find you a shack?”
Chen Yan actually considered it seriously. “A shack isn’t out of the question. As long as it has walls, a window, and a roof, it’ll do.”
Hu Shang Ke rolled his eyes. If not for the fact that this same man had recently shelled out real money to rent a luxurious villa from him, he would have assumed Chen Yan was playing some elaborate prank.
“You’re only renting for a week?” Hu Shang Ke scrolled through his phone, scanning listings. “I might have something. Got the keys just yesterday—belongs to a senior from our university.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Rent is six hundred. Doesn’t matter if you stay a week or a month, as long as you vacate before the new semester starts. It’s on the far outskirts of University Town, almost at the provincial highway. It’s a single-room flat, with a tiny attached bathroom. The toilet flushes, but there’s no shower. No kitchen either—just an induction cooker. The furnishings are simple—a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk. Oh, and there’s no internet.”
No internet?
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation