The Rich Man's Madness

Under the night sky, the city, resplendent with flowing lights, concealed countless surging desires and undercurrents. Lin Fan drove, ferrying three Sages, who had just reached a preliminary "agreement" with the authorities, back to their rented apartment. The atmosphere in the car was somewhat subtle. Yuanshi Tianzun closed his eyes to rest, as if the recent talks were merely trivial matters; Taishang Laojun still held his enamel mug, gazing at the endless stream of traffic outside the window with deep eyes, lost in thought; Goddess Nüwa, however, frowned slightly, seemingly sensing something.

Lin Fan's mood was even more complex and indescribable. On one hand, the initial contact with the authorities had gone relatively smoothly. At the very least, the worst conflict had been temporarily averted, and they had secured some room to maneuver. On the other hand, the news that the "Qingre Pill" could cure late-stage brain cancer was like dropping a nuclear bomb. The chain reaction it triggered had only just begun, and he could almost foresee countless troubles coming their way.

As expected, his premonition soon came true.

Just as their vehicle was about to enter the Residential Complex, Lin Fan's phone began to vibrate frantically, like a death knell. Numerous unfamiliar numbers flashed on the screen, while notifications from text messages and social media apps chimed incessantly. He glanced over them briefly; the content was largely the same—

"Mr. Lin? I am the secretary to the chairman of XX Group. I heard you are acquainted with Divine Doctor Li. Our chairman is gravely ill; we implore you for an introduction, and we will reward you handsomely!"

"Mr. Lin Fan, we are from the XX Foundation and hope to collaborate with Divine Doctor Li to develop the 'Qingre Pill.' Name your price!"

"Mr. Lin, save me! My father has late-stage liver cancer. Please give me a chance; I'll pay any amount!"

"Warning: Hand over the formula for the 'Qingre Pill,' or else..."

Calls, texts, and even private messages sent through special channels flooded in like snowflakes. The content ranged from pleas and bribes to blatant threats. Clearly, the news of Wang Jianguo's "resurrection" had spread with astonishing speed among the upper echelons and even in certain gray areas. And Lin Fan, being the person publicly known to be closest to "Divine Doctor Li," naturally became the target of everyone's pursuit and attempts to break through.

Lin Fan's scalp tingled. He quickly silenced his phone, but the constantly flashing lights on the screen still made him feel agitated.

"The tree may wish for calm, but the wind will not cease," Yuanshi Tianzun, in the passenger seat, slowly opened his eyes and said calmly, as if he was fully aware of the external situation.

Laojun chuckled and took a sip of his tea, "Wealth moves hearts, let alone life? This is only natural."

Nüwa sighed softly, "I fear this 'natural' occurrence will bring much trouble."

As the vehicle entered the Residential Complex, the sight before them made Lin Fan gasp. The once relatively quiet, old Residential Complex was now crammed with all sorts of luxury cars! Mercedes, BMWs, and Audis were common, but Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, and Lamborghinis were also seen everywhere. There were even a few black sedans with special license plates, clearly belonging to the authorities. Many well-dressed, distinguished-looking men and women were either waiting anxiously downstairs or surrounding some residents, inquiring about something. The scene was chaotic.

Lin Fan's car couldn't even get close to the entrance of their building.

"This... this is too much!" Lin Fan exclaimed.

"It seems this place is indeed not suitable for a long stay," Yuanshi said, glancing at the scene outside the car, his brow furrowed slightly.

Ultimately, Lin Fan had to park the car a considerable distance away from the Residential Complex and then walk with the three Sages through the "jungle" of luxury cars and people. Their appearance immediately caused a commotion.

"It's Lin Fan!"

"That must be Divine Doctor Li!"

"Divine Doctor Li! Save us!"

"Mr. Lin, please wait!"

The crowd surged forward like a tide. Bodyguards, assistants, family members... all sorts of people surrounded the four of them, babbling incoherently. Some handed out business cards, others stuffed envelopes (clearly containing checks or bank cards), some directly pleaded, and some even tried to kneel... The scene had completely spiraled out of control.

Lin Fan was jostled back and forth, feeling like he had fallen into a pot of boiling porridge. He desperately tried to protect the three Sages, only to find that Yuanshi, Laojun, and Nüwa were surrounded by an invisible barrier. No matter how hard the frantic crowd tried, they couldn't get within a meter of them, only able to reach out and shout from the outside.

Facing the chaotic scene, Laojun maintained his smiling demeanor, as if watching an unrelated spectacle. Yuanshi's expression was indifferent, with a hint of impatience in his eyes. Nüwa, on the other hand, shook her head slightly, her eyes revealing pity for the masses driven by desire.

"Silence."

Just as Lin Fan was about to collapse from the noise, Yuanshi Tianzun spoke calmly. His voice was not loud, but it seemed to carry an invisible command, piercing through all the clamor and resonating directly in the depths of everyone's souls!

In an instant, all sounds within a ten-meter radius centered on the four of them ceased abruptly! The people who were shouting, pleading, and even wailing seemed to have their throats instantly constricted. They opened their mouths but could not utter a sound, their eyes filled only with shock and confusion. Those further away were also awestruck by the strange silence and involuntarily stopped their commotion.

A zone of eerie silence appeared at the entrance of the entire Residential Complex.

Yuanshi's cold gaze swept over the silent crowd and slowly said, "Physician Li is not accepting patients today. Please return."

His words carried an undeniable will. Although the "silenced" people were extremely anxious, their bodies uncontrollably and stiffly began to retreat, as if being driven back by an invisible force. Soon, an open space was cleared in front of the building entrance.

Lin Fan seized the opportunity to quickly escort the three Sages into the building, temporarily shutting out the noise and madness outside.

Back in the increasingly crowded and precious rented apartment, Lin Fan finally let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if he had just fought a battle. He glanced at a corner and found that Gong Gong was still asleep (or rather, digesting the memories that had broken through the seal), while Master Tongtian sat cross-legged nearby, his sword intent contained, but his eyes sharply scanned them, lingering for a moment on Yuanshi, as if he had sensed what happened outside and Yuanshi's actions. However, he asked no further questions.

"This can't go on," Lin Fan rubbed his throbbing temples. "Those people outside won't give up easily. And although the authorities have tacitly allowed Senior Laojun to practice medicine, with this much commotion, they must be watching."

"It matters not," Laojun found his small stool and sat down, calm and composed. "It is as expected. This is a good opportunity to screen a few."

"Screen?" Lin Fan was confused.

"When seeking medical treatment, sincerity is key. However, those with ill intentions, driven solely by profit, their ailments often stem from greed, anger, and ignorance, which medicine cannot cure, nor do I wish to treat them," Laojun said slowly. "Moreover, since we have decided to relocate, we can use this 'heat' to find an ideal place."

Lin Fan's eyes lit up. "Senior Laojun means... to let those who need our help find us a place?"

"You could think of it that way," Laojun nodded with a smile. "The mortals in this world have their own convenient ways of finding residences and acquiring property. We only need to spread the word, and the 'fated ones' will handle it for us."

Lin Fan understood. This was about utilizing the energy and connections of those wealthy magnates to find and secure that abandoned sanatorium in the remote suburbs for them! This would be far more efficient than him running around like a headless chicken asking around and dealing with tedious procedures!

Indeed, old ginger is the spiciest!

Just as Lin Fan was pondering how to "spread the word," his phone vibrated again. It was an unknown number marked as "Real Estate Agent" but with a particularly lucky suffix. He hesitated, glanced at Laojun, and Laojun nodded slightly at him.

Lin Fan pressed the answer button and turned on the speakerphone.

"Is this Mr. Lin Fan?" a very respectful, almost fawning male voice came from the other end of the line.

"It is. Who is this?"

"Hello, Mr. Lin! Forgive the intrusion! I am Little Wang from Wansheng Real Estate, specially serving you at the request of our chairman, Mr. Wang Jianguo!" The other party's tone was exaggeratedly enthusiastic. "I heard Mr. Lin and Divine Doctor Li are looking for a quiet residence? Our Chairman Wang took this very seriously upon hearing about it and immediately instructed us to mobilize all our resources to screen several properties that absolutely meet your requirements! Especially the 'Jingxin Garden' on the west side of the city. It used to be a cadre sanatorium, with mountains behind and water in front, excellent environment, independent courtyards, and complete facilities, with clear ownership! As long as Mr. Lin and Divine Doctor Li agree, our Wansheng Group will handle all procedures, and the transfer can be completed within three days at the fastest!"

Jingxin Garden! It was the abandoned sanatorium that Yuanshi had his eye on!

Lin Fan was secretly surprised. Wang Jianguo's actions were too fast! And his influence was so great that he could easily handle properties with such special backgrounds?

He covered the mouthpiece and looked at the Sages with a questioning gaze.

Yuanshi nodded slightly. Laojun smiled, neither confirming nor denying. Nüwa also nodded gently.

Lin Fan understood and said into the phone, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Wang. We are indeed interested in 'Jingxin Garden.' However, whether it's suitable will depend on Divine Doctor Li's personal assessment of the environment."

"No problem! Absolutely no problem!" Little Wang on the other end exclaimed, his voice raising by eight octaves. "Anytime! You and Divine Doctor Li set the time, and we'll send a car to pick you up! No, I'll drive myself! I guarantee top-notch service!"

Hanging up the phone, Lin Fan felt a sense of unreality. The funding and property issues that had plagued him for so long were being resolved so easily, all because of a Qingre Pill? Was this the resourcefulness and efficiency of top-tier tycoons?

However, Wang Jianguo's "repayment of kindness" was just the beginning.

Over the next half-day, Lin Fan's phone practically exploded, and the messages were too numerous to count. "Good intentions" came from all sorts of channels—

The CEO of XX Pharmaceutical Group directly offered a billion to buy out the formula and patent rights for the Qingre Pill.

An overseas tycoon from XX expressed willingness to donate a small Pacific island, solely requesting Divine Doctor Li become their family's private health consultant.

The patriarch of a family with a profound background sent someone with a black card offering an unlimited credit line and a key to a top-tier mountain resort, all in exchange for a single Qingre Pill for emergencies.

There were even some secretive, blood-soaked factions that sent vague threats alongside tempting cooperation offers, hinting they could help "resolve" any official or secular troubles.

Lin Fan looked at these bizarre messages, filled with the scent of money and power, feeling dizzy and a chill running down his spine. He deeply realized that the Qingre Pill represented not just the hope of curing terminal illnesses, but a terrifying force capable of overturning existing interests and sparking endless bloodshed!

And the "madness" of these tycoons, elites, and even dark forces had only just begun to reveal the tip of the iceberg.

"How is it?" Old Lord Lao asked, watching Lin Fan's overwhelmed and exhausted state, a smile on his face. "Have you experienced the power of 'wealth' and 'influence' in this world?"

Lin Fan smiled bitterly and nodded. "I have... It's too crazy."

"This is one aspect of sentient beings," Old Lord Lao said calmly. "It can be used well, but indulging in it is dangerous. We transcend the mundane, borrowing their power to achieve our own goals without being ensnared by it."

Lin Fan took a deep breath and nodded. He knew he had to adapt to this situation quickly, learning to navigate the spaces between various factions, utilize these resources to serve the Sages, and yet remain clear-headed, not to be blinded by the overwhelming wealth and power.

He sifted through the messages, noting down the intentions that were relatively "clean," had clear backgrounds, and could indeed provide help. He specifically focused on the details regarding the transfer and subsequent renovation of Jingxin Garden, initiating preliminary communication with the professional team sent by Wang Jianguo.

Just as Lin Fan was swamped with work, Gong Gong, who had been dormant, began to tremble violently again, emitting suppressed, beast-like growls from his throat. The three broken artifacts in his arms flickered, and an aura of chaotic, violent, yet infinitely sorrowful Ancestral Witchness permeated the air once more.

Master Tongtian's eyes snapped open, his sword intent locking onto Gong Gong to prevent another loss of control.

Yuanshi, Old Lord Lao, and Nüwa also turned their gaze towards him.

Gong Gong's memories seemed to be further awakening. The truth concerning the shattering of the Primordial Era, the fall of Mount Buzhou, and the mysterious "them" was being unveiled bit by bit.

Meanwhile, outside, the frenzy of the tycoons triggered by the Qingre Pill continued to escalate, beginning to evolve in a more dangerous and uncontrollable direction.

Lin Fan put down his phone, rubbing his temples. He looked out the window at the crowds and traffic still lingering outside, then glanced at Gong Gong, whose aura was unstable, and the Sages who were on high alert within the room.

He knew that peaceful days were a thing of the past. Their small "Primordial Era Liaison Office in the Mortal Realm" was about to be swept into a massive vortex woven from money, power, desire, and ancient grievances.

And all of this was merely the beginning.