NOVEL WEB Chapter 13: Cousin Jiang Yuqian
'Did... Did I make a fool of myself?!'
Lin Feng gazed at Jiang Chen's retreating figure, his heart awash with complex emotions.
Above all, he felt a powerful sense of shame.
It was because he had been looked down upon!
His heart, already vulnerable and sensitive due to the words 'crippled' and 'shattered dantian', and slightly arrogant after acquiring the Burning World Red Lotus, made him particularly troubled by this!
Beyond the shame,
There was also disbelief and a hint of anticipation he couldn't bring himself to acknowledge.
If what Jiang Chen said was true, and he hadn't come to kill him, it would be akin to surviving a major catastrophe.
At the entrance of the inn,
A short while later,
A group of cultivators escorting a lavish sedan chair came into the crowd's view.
"Young Master!"
"We have brought the Ninth Young Lady."
"Alchemist Xie, who is accompanying her, is also present."
A cultivator at the front of the group addressed Jiang Chen with a respectful demeanor.
"Hm!"
Jiang Chen nodded slightly.
This was the 'motive' he had devised for himself to visit the Vast Spirit Residence.
Ning Xian was not a naive and innocent girl who could be swayed with a few sweet words, much less easily conquered!
Without a proper justification,
Ning Xian might easily assume that Jiang Chen's motives for coming here were impure, and thus become cautious and distrustful.
This would have significant consequences for Jiang Chen's future plans.
"The Ninth Young Lady?"
Ning Xian and Qiu Liaoxi exchanged glances, quickly deducing that Jiang Chen's arrival was connected to this Ninth Young Lady.
'Ninth Young Lady?'
'Could it be that Jiang Chen truly didn't come here to pursue me?!'
Lin Feng's eyes also narrowed slightly, filled with a blend of vigilance and suspicion, as well as a touch of relief.
"Ninth sister, come out."
Jiang Chen disregarded Ning Xian and the others, speaking to the interior of the opulent palanquin.
"Yes, big brother."
The delicate, weak voice of a young girl emerged from within.
The palanquin's curtain was promptly lifted, revealing a captivating woman supporting a young girl of 15 or 16 years old.
The young girl's appearance was not exceptionally striking, bearing a faint resemblance to Jiang Chen, with a hint of sickly pallor.
"Allow me to introduce her."
"This is my cousin, Jiang Yuqian."
Jiang Chen nodded towards Qiu Liaoxi and Ning Xian, "I have come to seek your assistance today for her illness."
Jiang Yuqian offered a modest salute to Qiu Liaoxi and Ning Xian before sitting down with Alchemist Xie's help.
"Healing?!"
"Your Jiang Clan is one of the two great families in Autumn Glory City, with countless alchemists at their disposal. Why would they come to the little-known Vast Spirit Residence for a cure?"
Lin Feng questioned, frowning.
His instincts compelled him to constantly scrutinize Jiang Chen's actions.
Upon hearing his statement,
Qiu Liaoxi and Ning Xian also grew slightly suspicious.
"My cousin suffers from a peculiar ailment."
"Numerous alchemists in Autumn Glory City were unable to provide assistance."
"As for Alchemist Qiu, it's evident to me that you possess skills beyond what's immediately apparent."
Jiang Chen gazed at Qiu Liaoxi with a faint smile, exuding confidence as if he were in control of the entire situation.
Upon hearing this,
Qiu Liaoxi and Ning Xian both turned pale!
Especially Qiu Liaoxi.
She was not originally from Autumn Glory City and had maintained a very low profile since arriving here for some unknown reason.
However, she had never done anything that might reveal her identity.
Unexpectedly,
Jiang Chen had still managed to uncover her background!
What she didn't know was that Jiang Chen had only recently deduced that her identity was far from ordinary.
"Alchemist Qiu, Miss Ning Xian, please rest assured."
"If I had intended to act against you, I would have done so already, wouldn't I? Why wait until now?"
"For all these years, I have never disturbed you, nor have I revealed your identities to anyone."
"Now that my cousin is gravely ill, I truly have no choice but to seek your help."
"Additionally, I've heard that the Di Clan has been causing trouble for you, so I'll assist in resolving some minor issues while I'm here."
Jiang Chen's smile was gentle, exuding warmth and sincerity.
'So that's how it is.'
'If it weren't for Jiang Chen's benevolent heart in keeping our secret, our enemies would have caught up with us long ago.'
After careful thought, Ning Xian accepted Jiang Chen's explanation, and a hint of realization and admiration surfaced in her eyes.
[Ding! Unpursued heroine Ning Xian's impression of you has changed once again, and protagonist Lin Feng's Heavenly Fate Value has decreased by 100 points!]
[Ding! You have gained 200 points of Villain Value!]
The system prompt sounded immediately, causing Jiang Chen's heart to swell with delight.
"Young Master Jiang truly deserves to be praised as a gentleman for his noble character and unwavering integrity!"
Qiu Liaoxi's face also revealed a hint of understanding and gratitude.
"Master... Ning Xian..."
Observing that Ning Xian and Qiu Liaoxi seemed to have developed a favorable impression of Jiang Chen, Lin Feng couldn't help but feel agitated in his heart.
"Lin Feng."
"From what I can see... is there some sort of misunderstanding between you and Young Master Jiang?"
Qiu Liaoxi inquired with a touch of curiosity.
She had covertly observed Lin Feng, and her many years of experience in discerning people's character led her to believe that he was not a bad person.
Similarly, Jiang Chen appeared to be kind and good-hearted.
How could there be any grievances between the two of them?
Could it have been caused by factional disputes within the Starry Abyss Sect?
She pondered this possibility.
"This..."
Lin Feng knew that he couldn't explain himself in just a few words, so he could only utter in a rigid tone, "Jiang Chen, I'll trust you this time."
Jiang Chen silently smiled and shook his head.
It was akin to a person of higher standing who didn't consider it worthwhile to argue with someone he perceived as beneath him.
Witnessing this, Lin Feng felt a surge of shame rising in his heart.
"I won't say much more."
"Please, Alchemist Qiu, do your best in aiding my ninth sister with her illness."
"After the matter is resolved, I'll ensure you're satisfied with the reward."
Jiang Chen stood up and slightly bowed to Qiu Liaoxi and Ning Xian.
Jiang Yuqian, his ninth sister, also rose with the help of Alchemist Xie and offered a modest bow.
"Young Master Jiang, please rest assured."
"I'll handle this matter."
"Please, Alchemist Xie and Ninth Young Lady, follow me."
Qiu Liaoxi immediately agreed. Even without Jiang Chen's promise of a reward, she would still have consented because he knew her true identity.
"Good."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly and nodded to Alchemist Xie and Jiang Yuqian.
The two of them immediately walked towards Qiu Liaoxi.
"Xian'er, you come too."
Qiu Liaoxi nodded towards Ning Xian, and the latter followed them.
Soon after,
The four women entered a room, activated the concealing formation, and began to diagnose the illness.
In the inn's lobby, only Jiang Chen, Lin Feng, and a team of Jiang Clan cultivators remained.
Suddenly,
[Ding! You have altered the plot, gaining 200 points of Villain Value!]
A system prompt appeared in Jiang Chen's mind once again.
'Another 200 points earned, this is fantastic!'
'The total amount of Villain Value has now reached 1,300 points!'
Jiang Chen cheered silently in his heart, but on the surface, he remained composed and instructed the guard to prepare tea.
Once the tea was brewed, he even had the guard serve a cup to Lin Feng.
However, Jiang Chen remained silent throughout the entire process, his gaze occasionally shifting towards the room, displaying his deep concern for the illness of his ninth sister, Jiang Yuqian.
As for Lin Feng, Jiang Chen paid him no attention, treating him as if he were a stranger.
Lin Feng himself was also baffled by this situation.
'Is this Jiang Chen... really here for his sister's illness?'
'Did he truly just happen to encounter me here?'
An inexplicable intuition told Lin Feng that something was off about Jiang Chen, but the reality left him uncertain.
After glancing at the tea brought by the Jiang Clan cultivator and then at Jiang Chen, Lin Feng decided to wait and see what would unfold.
Time passed slowly.
At a certain moment,