The Trouble with Growing Famous

In the faint light of dawn, a few hazy beams cut through the dusty air where they slipped past the curtains. Lin Fan awoke from his deep cultivation when his body clock stirred him, and slowly opened his eyes. The slight tension from last night's threatening phone call had mostly dissipated under the influence of the Supreme Clarity Heart-Cleansing Mantra. His mind was clear, and he even felt that his spirit had grown a little more solid than it had been yesterday. He took a deep breath. The faint Dao rhythm in the air, emanating from Goddess Nüwa's statue and paintings, lifted his spirits.

He got up and began his usual morning routine. Quietly, he made breakfast: soft, sticky millet porridge, golden fried eggs, and a few crisp side dishes. The aroma of food mingled with the room's tranquil, peaceful atmosphere, creating a strangely harmonious feeling.

Tong Tian was still seated cross-legged in the corner, like a divine statue that had remained unmoved since time immemorial. Only the increasingly restrained yet faintly perceptible sharpness around him showed that he wasn't asleep, but engaged in a silent, enduring struggle against the rules of the world. Nüwa was already seated by the window, gazing thoughtfully at a sheet of rice paper. Her fingers traced mysterious patterns across the tabletop without her realizing it, as though she were deducing some new principle of creation. Taishang Laojun was the most relaxed of them all. Cradling a cup of freshly brewed tea from Lin Fan, he sipped at it with narrowed eyes, looking every bit like an old neighbor enjoying his retirement. Only the occasional flash of worldly wisdom in his eyes revealed that he was no ordinary man.

Looking at these three "roommates," each with his own demeanor yet equally detached from the world, Lin Fan felt the last trace of gloom from the gangsters' threat fade away. With these powerful figures here, what did he have to fear? His most pressing task was to deal with the trouble at hand and make good use of the "opportunities" that came with his growing fame.

After breakfast, Lin Fan finished getting ready and checked the time. It was exactly nine in the morning. He had an hour before his scheduled meeting with the unknown gang at the teahouse.

He walked to the center of the living room and respectfully addressed the three sages, directing his question mainly to Taishang Laojun, who had come up with the idea. "Senior Laojun, regarding today's meeting, how do you think... we should handle it? And the 'budget version' of the pills..."

Taishang Laojun set down his teacup and chuckled. Then, from within his seemingly empty, spacious sleeve—though in truth, probably from some kind of storage space—he produced two small jade bottles. They looked like jade, but were actually made from the warm, lustrous scraps of a kind of spirit stone. They contained a trace of spiritual energy and were already considered rare in this world. The bottles were plain, with few decorations, but had a clear, serene aura about them.

"These two bottles contain the Qingre Pill and the Yangyuan Pill." The old sage handed them to Lin Fan. "The Qingre Pill can mildly calm the mind and soothe the nerves. It offers some slight relief for ordinary people who suffer from insomnia, vivid dreams, anxiety, or irritability. The Yangyuan Pill can modestly replenish one's qi and blood and improve one's energy. It may help those who are weak, tired, or lacking in vitality. Their effects are gentle, only a tenth as potent as the Qingre Pill you gave out last time, and they must be taken over a long period to produce even a slight effect. Their advantage, however, is that they have virtually no side effects, and are safe for people of ordinary constitution."

Lin Fan carefully accepted the jade bottles. They felt warm in his hands. He opened one of them, and an exceedingly faint, elegant medicinal fragrance wafted out, invigorating him as soon as he smelled it. It was nowhere near as potent as the Qingre Pill from before, but it seemed purer and more enduring. Just one sniff was enough to banish the last traces of fatigue left over from last night's cultivation.

"Brilliant!" Lin Fan couldn't help praising it. The effects were perfectly calibrated: useful, but not miraculous; requiring long-term use, which made it a steady, long-term business; and harmless, avoiding potential medical disputes down the line. It was a perfect fit for the "budget version," the "youth edition"!

"Senior, what about the price...?" Lin Fan asked tentatively. He had no idea what to charge for an "immortal pill" like this.

Laojun stroked his beard, a sly glint flashing in his eyes—or so Lin Fan suspected. "If they regard it as a treasure, then charge them... the very most they can afford. Gold, silver, and wealth are as dirt to us, but they will prove useful as you go about this world. You can exchange them for 'takeout' and 'property fees.'"

Lin Fan's mouth twitched. Charge them the most they could afford? That was... right up his alley! Just think of what Li Fugui had been willing to pay to save his life. What sort of price would these gangster bigwigs, chasing "health" and "strength," offer for a "supplement" that wasn't exactly world-shattering, but far surpassed what modern medicine could explain? Lin Fan could almost see countless banknotes waving at him.

"I understand, Senior!" Lin Fan solemnly put the two jade bottles away in an ordinary backpack. He knew that those little bottles could be his "bodyguards" and "cash machine" today.

"Remember," Tong Tian said in his indifferent voice, still keeping his eyes closed. "If they refuse to show respect and dare to draw their weapons, my sword intent can sever their souls from a distance."

His tone was calm, but it sent a chill down Lin Fan's neck. Lin Fan hurriedly replied, "Yes, Senior! I'll do my best to convince them with reason!" In his heart, he added that he meant "physical" persuasion, primarily—but it would be best to win them over with "profits."

Nüwa also offered a gentle reminder. "Lin Fan, be careful. If the situation becomes impossible, just come back safely."

Touched by Goddess Nüwa's sincere concern, Lin Fan nodded warmly. "Thank you for caring, Goddess. I'll see how things go."

Once he was ready, Lin Fan slung his backpack over his shoulders, took a deep breath, and walked out of the rental apartment. He knew that beyond the door lay not only the morning sunlight, but countless eyes, some visible and some hidden, watching him. Still, he walked steadily, with a plan already in mind.

Not long after Lin Fan left, Chen Jing received a report from a subordinate at the surveillance post in the building across from his apartment.

"Team leader, target Lin Fan has left. He seems to be heading for the Jingxin Teahouse downtown. He's carrying an ordinary backpack. Based on our analysis of last night's intercepted communications, he has a meeting scheduled for ten o'clock today in the Zhuyun private room at the teahouse. The other party is likely Wang Meng, alias Scar, the second-in-command of a local underground group called the Black Tiger Gang. The meeting may be related to the 'special-effect medicine' Lin Fan has been distributing."

Chen Jing watched footage of Lin Fan leaving the Residential Complex on the screen and knitted her brows. "Black Tiger Gang... Wang Meng..." she repeated quietly, tapping her fingers on the desk. "The medicine's influence has spread faster than we expected. Even these local toughs can't resist getting involved."

"Team leader, should we intervene? What if there's a clash...?" her subordinate asked.

Chen Jing pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "Not yet. This is a good opportunity to observe how target Lin Fan handles a crisis and assess the reactions of those two 'special beings.' Have our people set up a perimeter and closely monitor the teahouse, inside and out. Record any unusual energy fluctuations and the movements of everyone there. No one is to act without my orders."

"Yes!"

Chen Jing stared sharply at the screen. Lin Fan, how would you handle threats and inducements from the underworld? And what kind of methods would the two behind you reveal? She had a feeling that this seemingly ordinary meeting at a teahouse might uncover more truths hidden beneath the fog.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, at the mansion of the top collector Zhou Wenyuan.

In his study, Zhou Wenyuan had barely slept all night. His eyes were bloodshot, but he was unusually excited. His enormous desk was covered with various documents, magnifying glasses, and high-resolution printouts of details from the Orchid Grass Painting.

The more he studied the painting, the more shocked he became. Its brushwork and artistic conception lay entirely beyond the bounds of everything he had ever understood about art. He had used every connection and resource at his disposal to track down its origins, but his search had only led him to an obscure secondhand market in the city. A vagrant-looking man had sold it there for next to nothing, and the trail had gone cold.

"Impossible! It absolutely couldn't have been made by an ordinary person!" Zhou Wenyuan muttered. He jumped to his feet and paced around the study. "It must be the work of some hidden master! Maybe... maybe it wasn't even made by a 'human'..." An absurd yet overpowering thought began to take shape in his mind.

He remembered some vague rumors circulating in their circles lately. Certain small, anonymous works of art had suddenly appeared, boasting unique styles and an unusual charm. Some were lifelike little clay sculptures that seemed to possess a spirit of their own... Before, he had dismissed them as gossip or a new marketing ploy. Now, though, he couldn't help connecting the two.

"Investigate! Keep investigating! Focus on the clay sculptures and paintings that have appeared recently, with unknown origins and distinctive styles!" Zhou Wenyuan instructed his assistant urgently. "I don't care what it takes. I want to find this 'master'!"

He had a feeling that finding this "master" might be the greatest opportunity of his artistic career, perhaps even of his life. He had no idea that the "master" he was desperately searching for was at that very moment sitting quietly in an ordinary rental apartment, continuing her game of "creation" with ordinary clay and ink. The stir caused by her "works" had only just begun to ripple outward.

Lin Fan arrived at the Jingxin Teahouse right on time. It was a tranquil place, decorated in an old-fashioned style, and completely different from the Blue Note bar mentioned in the phone call last night. He gave the staff the name of the Zhuyun private room, and they respectfully showed him upstairs.

Two people were already seated inside. In the seat of honor sat a lean, muscular middle-aged man in a tight black T-shirt and a casual blazer, with a little-finger-thick gold chain around his neck. A vicious scar ran from his brow to the corner of his mouth. This was Wang Meng, known by the nickname Scar. His eyes were fierce, and a violent air surrounded him as he sized Lin Fan up like prey. A much bulkier man stood behind him. He wore a sleeveless shirt and had corded muscles. His expressionless face suggested he was a bodyguard.

"Mr. Lin? Right on time." Wang Meng grinned, making the scar twist and look even more menacing. He didn't bother to stand, only pointing at the seat opposite him. "Sit."

Lin Fan remained calm as he walked over and sat down, placing his backpack beside him. He could feel the pressure coming from Wang Meng and the bodyguard's undisguised hostility. But he silently recited the Supreme Clarity Heart-Cleansing Mantra, keeping his mind clear and refusing to show fear.

"Mr. Wang?" Lin Fan asked to confirm.

"That's me." Wang Meng picked up the purple clay teapot on the table and poured himself a cup of tea, making no move to pour one for Lin Fan. His manner was arrogant. "You're a smart man, Mr. Lin, so let's get straight to the point. You saved Fatty Li's life, didn't you? Hand over the medicine you used. We can talk about the price."

He spoke bluntly, with the usual domineering air of a gangster. It sounded less like a negotiation than an order.

Lin Fan laughed inwardly. Just as he'd expected. But he put on an appropriately troubled and wary expression. "Mr. Wang, I think you've misunderstood. What happened to Boss Li might have been a coincidence, or perhaps the hospital's treatment worked. I don't have any special medicine."

"Bang!" Wang Meng slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups jump and sending tea splashing everywhere. His eyes turned ferocious in an instant. "Kid! Don't push your luck! I don't have time to play games with you! Li Fugui admitted it himself. You gave him a pill! Be smart and hand it over. Take the money, and we'll leave each other alone. Otherwise..." His bodyguard took half a step forward in tandem and cracked his knuckles.

If the old Lin Fan had been frightened like this, he would probably have panicked on the spot. But now, Tong Tian's indifferent gaze and his words—"Then just wipe them out"—came to mind, and Lin Fan felt a lot more confident. Wang Meng's act even seemed a little... ridiculous.

Lin Fan didn't get angry. Instead, he picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup of tea, gently blew on the steam, and took a sip before speaking in an unhurried voice. "Mr. Wang, don't lose your temper. This is a nice place, and it's suitable for a quiet conversation."

His completely unconcerned attitude left Wang Meng and his bodyguard momentarily stunned. What was with this kid? He wasn't playing by the usual rules. They were threatening him, and he still had the nerve to sit there and enjoy his tea?

Wang Meng narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Lin Fan again. The young man looked ordinary enough, and his clothes were nothing special, but his composure didn't seem feigned. Could he have some kind of backing?

"Kid, what do you mean by that?" Wang Meng asked coldly, forcing down his temper.

Lin Fan set down his teacup and met Wang Meng's gaze calmly. "Mr. Wang, let's be frank. I do have a few recipes passed down through my family. I've used them to prepare some things that nourish the body and promote good health. But they're extremely difficult to make, and the ingredients are rare. Every dose I use is one dose gone. I only helped Boss Li that time because the situation was urgent and I had no choice. They aren't some kind of medicine that can be mass-produced."

What he said was half true and half false. He admitted he had something, while emphasizing its rarity and value, laying the groundwork for a high price and a "budget version" later on.

Greed flashed in Wang Meng's eyes. So Lin Fan really had it! A family secret recipe! That made sense. His tone softened somewhat, though he still sounded coercive. "Since you have it, name your price. If it really works like the rumors say, money isn't a problem."

Lin Fan shook his head with a sigh. "Mr. Wang, it isn't about the money. These things are priceless to me. If it weren't for... ah, forget it." He deliberately let the sentence trail off, making it seem as though he would only part with them because he had no choice.

"Cut the crap!" Wang Meng interrupted impatiently. "Just tell me how much for one pill. Or sell me the recipe!"

Lin Fan looked at Wang Meng and held up one finger.

"A million?" Wang Meng raised his eyebrows. It was a steep price, but if it could save a life or had some extraordinary effect, it wasn't impossible to accept.

Lin Fan slowly shook his head.

"Ten million?!" Wang Meng sat up straight, his expression shifting. That was getting outrageous—unless it was some kind of immortal pill that could bring the dead back to life.

Lin Fan shook his head again. Just before Wang Meng lost his temper, he finally spoke, his voice calm and matter-of-fact. "One hundred million. Cash, bills with nonconsecutive serial numbers. And there's only one pill."

"What?! One hundred million?! Are you robbing a bank?" Wang Meng shot to his feet. His bodyguard instantly filled the room with murderous intent, as if they were about to attack.

Lin Fan acted as if he hadn't noticed their reaction. He calmly poured himself another cup of tea and spoke at a leisurely pace. "Mr. Wang, please don't get agitated. As I said, this item is priceless. One hundred million for a safeguard when it matters most, or... a chance to climb higher. Do you think that's expensive?"

He gave Wang Meng a meaningful look. Men like Wang Meng, who worked in the underworld, valued their lives above all else, while also yearning for strength and opportunity. A miraculous pill that could "bring someone back from the dead," or greatly improve one's constitution and fighting ability, would be beyond measure at a critical moment.

Wang Meng stared at Lin Fan, his chest heaving. The price had clearly shocked him, and Lin Fan's words had struck a nerve. He did need something like this, whether to keep himself alive, curry favor with the higher-ups, or train top-tier muscle. But one hundred million... that was nearly all the liquid capital he could get his hands on!

"Kid, are you messing with me?" Wang Meng's eyes turned sinister, and his hand slowly moved toward his lower back.

Lin Fan sensed his murderous intent and felt a slight pang of tension, but kept his expression unchanged. He picked up the backpack by his feet, opened it, and took out the jade bottle Taishang Laojun had given him, the one labeled "Yangyuan."

"Whether I'm messing with you or not, you can examine the goods first." Lin Fan set the jade bottle on the table and pushed it over. "There's a Yangyuan Pill inside. Of course, it's not as effective as the one that saved Boss Li. But it can still strengthen the body, improve your energy, and give you a little more strength. You can have someone try it. If you find it effective, we can discuss the 'life-saving pill.' As for the price... one hundred million. Not a cent less."

He was taking an indirect approach. First, he would use the less potent Yangyuan Pill, which was still miraculous, to stir the other man's desire and trust. Then he would bring up the astronomical price of the "life-saving pill"—actually the Qingre Pill from before, though he deliberately exaggerated its effects—to give Wang Meng a chance to adjust. He was also leaving the choice in the other man's hands.

Wang Meng stared at the plain jade bottle, his eyes shifting uncertainly. After hesitating, he gave his bodyguard a look. The bodyguard stepped forward and cautiously picked up the bottle. He opened it, and a medicinal fragrance several times stronger than the one Lin Fan had smelled earlier instantly filled the room!

Wang Meng and the bodyguard both felt their spirits rise as the fragrance reached them, their fatigue seeming to fade away. If the aroma alone had an effect like this, what would the pill itself be like...?

A look of surprise crossed the bodyguard's eyes. He nodded to Wang Meng and said quietly, "Brother Meng, this medicine... it's extraordinary."

Wang Meng took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement and greed. He sat back down and looked at Lin Fan, his expression complicated. The kid really did have good stuff—and he seemed completely unafraid!

After a moment's thought, he snatched up the bottle of Yangyuan Pills and stuffed it into his pocket. "Fine! I'll take this bottle of Yangyuan Pills for now! I'll find someone to test them. If they work the way you say... we can talk about one hundred million! But if you dare play games with me..." He made a slitting motion across his throat.

Lin Fan felt a wave of relief. The first step had worked. He smiled faintly and stood up. "In that case, I'll await your good news, Mr. Wang. As I said, there's only one 'life-saving pill,' so buy it while you can. Goodbye."

Without waiting for Wang Meng to answer, he slung his backpack over his shoulders and walked calmly out of the private room.

Watching Lin Fan's retreating figure, Wang Meng's expression darkened. He felt the jade bottle in his pocket and gave his bodyguard an order. "Find a trustworthy brother and have him test the pill! Also, investigate that kid's background. I want to know everything about him!"

Lin Fan walked out of the teahouse, the sunlight warm on his skin. He glanced back at its sign and smiled.

"Looks like asking for more really does work..."

He knew his troubles were far from over, but this "trouble of growing famous" seemed to have taken a solid first step toward "growing rich." What he didn't know was that another storm, sparked by a casual creation of Goddess Nüwa's, was quietly drawing closer. The investigators Zhou Wenyuan had sent out were following clues from the clay sculptures that had entered the market, sculptures imbued with a faint Dao rhythm. They had gradually narrowed their search to the old Residential Complex where he lived.