Chapter 50: The Strange Voice in My Heart

In the kitchen, two spirit fish swam leisurely in the tank.

Suddenly, a hand plunged into the water, startling them into frantic escape—but the tank was so small that one was quickly caught.

Its golden scales were coated in a slimy layer, slippery to the touch.

Yet Chi Jiuyu still firmly pulled it out.

The spirit fish struggled violently, its strength considerable; in the process, its tail accidentally slapped the tank, causing the nearly half-full container to slide outward.

"Good thing this tank is specially made."

Otherwise, that slap would've shattered it.

She held the writhing spirit fish in one hand and gently tapped its head with the other.

Paf! A wisp of magic power struck in, instantly dispersing the fish's life force; then, with practiced ease, she scaled it, opened its belly, removed its organs, severed its head, and placed the prepared body aside.

Chi Jiuyu took out her phone, opened the camera function, and used the Spirit Manipulation Technique to make it hover behind her.

After completing this, she walked to the fish and struck it sharply.

A surge of magic power sent the entire fish soaring into the air; Chi Jiuyu's gaze locked onto it as her cleaver slashed out!

Shhh! Dozens of fine sword qi crossed through the air, slicing the airborne fish body evenly; her other hand caught a porcelain plate, into which thin, translucent fish slices fell, perfectly aligned.

Chi Jiuyu set down the cleaver with delight, gazing at the neatly arranged fish slices on the plate.

I'm so damn awesome!

Actually, one slice had slipped slightly when it fell, but she quietly adjusted it.

After admiring it for a while, she waved her hand to summon the phone, trimmed away some unimportant parts of the video, and sent it to "My Most Revered Master."

Future Master of the Xiang Jianzong: "How's it look, Master? My cousin and I are preparing to eat fish today."

My Most Revered Master: "/hanging"

My Most Revered Master: "/whip little yellow duck"

Pfft—Chi Jiuyu tossed the phone into her Storage Ring, then carried the fish slices out of the kitchen.

"Cousin! Look at how beautifully I sliced these fish!"

Xu Xing sat on the sofa, one hand holding his phone, from which a familiar sweet voice still streamed.

"I've arrived at the hotel~ The environment here is great, and the surrounding area is lined with Spirit Gathering Arrays—plenty of spiritual energy. When you visit Xuanjian City, you should consider staying here."

You totally got paid to promote this.

No, that's not the important thing.

"Cousin, you're watching the Hehuan Sect's livestream!"

This time, it's definitely not about being curious about their cultivation methods.

Xu Xing looked up at her: "Yeah, so what?"

So what…

Chi Jiuyu fell silent; indeed, there was no rule saying her cousin couldn't watch Hehuan Sect's livestream.

Hmm…

She set down the fish slices and turned back toward the kitchen.

Xu Xing returned his gaze to the phone screen, where the Hehuan Sect's charm cultivator Jiang Yujiu now appeared—not in her previous palace gown, but in a white tight-fitting crop top and denim shorts, kneeling on the bed, her long, dazzlingly white thighs exposed, as a constant stream of comments scrolled past.

【Exploring Ancient Cultivators Awakened in Xuanjian City】

It seems disciples from other Xian Sects won't be far behind.

Xu Xing closed the livestream and put down his phone.

In the kitchen, Chi Jiuyu pulled out the phone she had just tossed into her Storage Ring.

Future Master of the Xiang Jianzong: "Master, Cousin is watching the Hehuan Sect's livestream!"

This time, the other side did not reply immediately, as before.

Huh? Network lag? After a long while…

My Most Revered Master: "Brother isn't that kind of person."

Chi Jiuyu raised an eyebrow.

I'm your disciple! How can you not believe me?!

…………

In the hospital, Xiao Fan entered a ward.

Lying by the window was a tall, powerfully built man, eyes tightly shut, his breath weak.

Beside him sat a middle-aged woman.

"Mom."

The middle-aged woman paused, turned, and upon seeing Xiao Fan, smiled faintly: "It's Xiao Fan."

"How's my brother doing?" Xiao Fan stepped forward, standing at the foot of the bed. "Has he improved?"

"Yes, I asked just now—he could wake up at any moment these days," Xiao Fan's mother said, but noticed her son standing motionless, as if lost in thought.

She grew concerned: "Are you alright, Xiao Fan? Should you get checked?"

Xiao Fan startled back to awareness, then forced a weak smile: "Don't worry, Mom, I'm fine."

"Why don't you go rest? Your brother's condition is stable now—you don't need to worry."

Xiao Fan didn't refuse; he nodded: "Alright, Mom. I'll head back then."

He turned and walked quickly out of the ward.

Xiao Fan's mother watched his retreating back, guilt deepening within her.

'Xiao Fan has sacrificed far too much this time.'

She didn't think much further, assuming her son was merely upset over his pseudo-Foundation Establishment.

After walking out of the hospital room, Xiao Fan kept his head lowered, a trace of panic in his eyes.

A terrifying voice—illusory, hazy, seeming both real and unreal, audible only to him—echoed in his ears.

No! It was more like it rose from the depths of his heart.

"Why sacrifice your own future to fulfill your big brother?"

"They really don't know you bought the Barrier-Breaking Spirit Liquid?"

"No, it's all lies!"

"They knew from beginning to end, but they wanted to save the more outstanding son, and you—you're nothing but the one who was abandoned."

"That's the ugly truth of human nature. Those spirit coins were deliberately let you see. Compared to you, they wanted to save your big brother even more."

"You were abandoned!"

"You were abandoned!"

"You were abandoned!"

As the voice grew faster, Xiao Fan's heart grew increasingly restless.

"Hey! Watch where you're walking! This is a hospital."

"Shut up!" Xiao Fan turned his head and roared.

The shout was so loud that everyone in the corridor looked over.

The one who had reminded Xiao Fan was a patient in a hospital gown, his face deathly pale and his frame gaunt and thin. Being yelled at like that, he couldn't quite save face.

But before he could flare up, Xiao Fan abruptly bowed.

"I'm really sorry, I'm in a bad mood, I didn't mean it just now, I'm truly sorry!"

His apology came so fast that even the patient was left a bit at a loss.

"N-no, it's fine, just be more careful next time."

After bowing once more, Xiao Fan turned and quickly walked out of the hospital.

The onlookers, seeing this, dispersed too—they had thought there'd be some entertainment to watch.

Once outside, Xiao Fan glanced back, a lingering fear in his heart.

Hoo, hoo…

Only after exhaling several breaths in a row did he feel a little better.

What on earth was wrong with him? He pressed one hand against his chest.

And what was that voice about?

After a long while, Xiao Fan looked up.

He saw an endless stream of people, and among the passing crowd, a figure standing quietly was especially eye-catching, yet the people around him acted as if they hadn't noticed him at all.

He was stunned: "Senior Huo?"

"Opportunity lies before you, yet you failed to grasp it."

Huo's voice was calm as he stepped toward him. With every step that fell, Xiao Fan felt the distance between himself and his surroundings stretching farther and farther.

By the time Huo arrived before him, there was nothing left around him—looking out, there was only a vast expanse of white.

A method utterly beyond comprehension.

Just how high is Senior Huo's realm? "Just this once."

Huo raised a hand and tapped, and a storage ring landed in Xiao Fan's hand.

Opportunity?

Xiao Fan quickly reacted.

Could what Senior Huo spoke of be the cup he had picked up earlier?

Could that really be a treasure? Huo looked at Xiao Fan and, for once, felt a trace of speechlessness.

He had once given many people great fortunes, but never once had there been someone like Xiao Fan, who gave up a great opportunity about to land in his lap over two spirit coins.

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