Expert Comes to Debunk

The ripples from the tea house meeting hadn't fully subsided, and Lin Fan's life felt like a lake disturbed by a thrown stone, with continuous waves. Wang Meng hadn't sent any new messages for now; he was likely looking for someone to verify the effects of the Yangyuan Pill. Lin Fan welcomed the peace, spending his days cultivating the Supreme Clarity Heart-Cleansing Mantra, taking care of the daily needs of the three Sages, and occasionally studying the superficial theories Taishang Laojun had casually jotted down about the roles of herbs, the balance of yin and yang. He felt his days were full and filled with hope. The substantial profits from Tong Tian's "guidance" last time meant he didn't have to worry about finances for the moment. The quality of ingredients and supplies he purchased had also quietly improved. Although the three Sages still considered them "heavy with turbid energy," at least they were the best conditions Lin Fan could provide within his capabilities.

However, the tree wished for calm, but the wind would not cease. Goddess Nüwa's casual creations, imbued with the Dao rhythm of creation, were like brilliant pearls in the darkness. Their unique "radiance" wasn't just perceived by art connoisseurs like Zhou Wenyuan; it had also attracted the attention of some... individuals who held different beliefs.

That afternoon, the sky was somewhat gloomy, with low-hanging dark clouds, as if brewing a summer thunderstorm. Lin Fan had just brought in the laundry he had hung out to dry. He was about to try a simple "calming" recipe suggested by Taishang Laojun, planning to get some ordinary medicinal herbs from the pharmacy to study himself, when a commotion, jarringly out of place with the surroundings, faintly drifted up from downstairs.

It started with a few sharp car horn honks, seemingly from more than one vehicle stopped in the already narrow passage of the old Residential Complex. Then came the clamor of human voices, and... the sound of camera equipment being set up?

A sense of foreboding rose in Lin Fan's heart. He walked to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked down.

He saw two news vans parked downstairs, their sides emblazoned with microphones bearing the logos of "Jiangcheng Focus" and "Truth Seeker." Seven or eight people were gathered there, some carrying cameras, with lights already on, surrounding a middle-aged man in a white coat, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and with meticulously combed hair, and a female reporter in a professional suit, holding a microphone, her makeup exquisite. Beside them stood a few people in property management uniforms, smiling obsequiously and pointing in the direction of Lin Fan's unit!

"Dear viewers, we are currently in an ordinary residential complex in the old district of Jiangcheng," the female reporter said into the camera, speaking rapidly with a serious expression. "Recently, our Truth Seeker program team has received numerous complaints from citizens and doubts from some industry experts, alleging that in a certain household within this complex, there are circulating so-called 'spiritual artworks' that claim to have effects such as 'calming the mind,' 'purifying the environment,' and even 'enlightening wisdom'! These items are priced exorbitantly, costing thousands upon thousands, sparking widespread concern and controversy. Today, we have specially invited our city's renowned psychologist and anti-pseudoscience crusader, Professor Sun Zhengyi! Professor Sun will lead us in uncovering the truth behind these 'spiritual artworks'!"

Professor Sun Zhengyi, in his white coat, pushed his glasses up his nose, a condescending, all-knowing smile on his face as he spoke to the camera. "The spirit of science lies in doubt and empirical evidence. We must maintain a cautious and critical attitude towards any behavior that claims supernatural effects without rigorous scientific verification. So-called 'spiritual artworks' largely exploit people's psychological suggestion and their mystical imagination towards the unknown. They are a new form of beautifully packaged superstition and commercial scam! Today, we will use the sword of science to pierce this bubble!"

More and more residents from the Residential Complex gathered downstairs, chattering amongst themselves. Some were curious, some disdainful, and some neighbors who had heard about or even secretly envied Lin Fan's family for "getting their hands on good stuff" now had complex expressions.

Lin Fan watched the scene, his mind buzzing. Experts showing up to debunk? And bringing a TV crew?! This was far more troublesome than Wang Meng's underworld threats! The underworld could be dealt with through profit or force, but this kind of public opinion offensive, cloaked in the guise of "science" and "the public's right to know," could lead to endless trouble if not handled properly, shattering the peaceful life he had worked so hard to maintain!

He instantly understood. This must be because Zhou Wenyuan's investigation into the source of Goddess Nüwa's clay figurines and paintings had caused too much of a stir, attracting the attention of these "debunkers." Or perhaps, some so-called experts whose interests were harmed (like feeling Zhou Wenyuan stole their thunder) or who simply wanted to ride the wave of popularity had proactively stepped forward.

"This is bad..." Lin Fan's face turned a little pale, and he subconsciously looked back into the room.

Tong Tian was still seated, but he seemed to sense the commotion downstairs, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, his aura growing a bit colder, as if ready to unleash thunderous wrath at any moment. To him, these noisy mortals were like the chirping of cicadas in summer, irritating.

Goddess Nüwa also stopped writing. She looked out the window, a hint of confusion and... faint pity in her clear eyes. She didn't quite understand what "debunking" was, but she could feel the doubt and aggression in the words of the people downstairs, and an emotion called "obsession." She shook her head gently and whispered, "You cannot speak of the sea to a frog in a well, nor of ice to a summer insect. They are pitiable, trapped within the cage of their own cognition."

Taishang Laojun was the most composed. He even walked to the window with interest, looked down with Lin Fan, stroked his beard, and chuckled, "Interesting. The people of this world, when faced with the unknown, do not revere or explore it, but are eager to deny and criticize. It is indeed a unique 'Dao'."

Lin Fan didn't have Laojun's equanimity. He anxiously said, "Seniors, what do we do now? They look like they're about to come up! If this gets exposed, we..." He shuddered at the thought of being targeted by countless cameras, ridiculed and questioned by the entire internet, and receiving even more focused attention from relevant authorities.

"When soldiers come, block them; when water comes, dam it," Tong Tian's indifferent voice came. "If they dare to break down the door and disturb my peace, I will let them know what it means to be a 'god not to be looked upon directly'." The chill in his words made Lin Fan have no doubt that this gentleman could indeed make the group downstairs collectively faint or even suffer mental breakdowns with just a look.

"Brother, please calm yourself," Goddess Nüwa gently advised. "This is not the Primordial Era. Slaughter and intimidation are not the way to solve problems. Since they come in the name of seeking knowledge (albeit a twisted one), perhaps they can be persuaded with 'reason'."

"Goddess Nüwa is right!" Lin Fan quickly agreed. He didn't want the social news headlines tomorrow to be "Experts and Reporters Suffer Mass Hysteria, Suspected Attack by Unknown Force Field." "We can't use force. We need to find a way to 'talk' them away, or... make them retreat on their own."

But how to "talk"? How to explain the profound principles of the Primordial Era and creation to experts and reporters who firmly believed in scientism and came with preconceived notions to "debunk"? That would be like playing the lute to a cow, and they might even be considered crazy, strengthening the suspicion against them.

Just then, there was a rapid and loud knocking on the door, accompanied by the property management staff's slightly awkward shout, "Lin Fan? Lin Fan, are you home? Open the door, we have something to ask you about."

What was bound to come, had finally arrived.

Lin Fan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He glanced at the three Sages. Tong Tian closed his eyes again, but his divine sense was clearly focused on the door; Goddess Nüwa returned to her seat at the table, her posture still elegant and composed, as if facing not a storm, but a farce; Taishang Laojun, from who knows where, produced another teacup and poured himself some tea, looking like he was watching a good show.

With these three backing him, Lin Fan felt considerably more at ease. He tidied his clothes, walked to the door, adjusted his expression, and opened it.

The moment the door opened, blinding spotlights instantly shone through, and camera lenses fixed on him. The female reporter almost shoved the microphone into Lin Fan's face, asking rapidly, "Are you Mr. Lin Fan? We are from the Truth Seeker program! Regarding the matter of selling so-called 'spiritual artworks' from your home, do you have anything to explain? Do you admit that this is a marketing scam that exploits public psychology?"

A barrage of questions, filled with strong insinuation and aggression.

Professor Sun Zhengyi also stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back, scrutinizing Lin Fan with the gaze one might use on an experimental subject, a hint of mockery on his lips. "Mr. Lin Fan, is it? Very young. I heard you have some extraordinary things here? Capable of calming the mind, purifying the air, and even enlightening wisdom? Would it be convenient for us to come in and use scientific instruments to test them, to see what astonishing 'energy' these 'divine objects' truly contain?"

He deliberately emphasized "divine objects" and "energy," full of sarcasm and disdain.

Behind them, the property manager smiled obsequiously and whispered, "Little Lin, just cooperate with the experts, clarify any misunderstandings. It's for everyone's benefit..."

Lin Fan looked at the scene before him, anger simmering in his heart, but he forced a look of confusion and innocence onto his face. "Everyone... have you come to the wrong person? What spiritual artworks? I don't know about that. I'm just a regular tenant, I work and earn a living. How would I understand these things?"

He decided to play dumb for now, to test their bottom line and the information they possessed.

"Playing ignorant?" The female reporter was clearly prepared. She took a printed, somewhat blurry photograph from her assistant. It was an image of the clay rabbit Goddess Nüwa had sculpted, which had previously appeared on the second-hand market and was obtained by Zhou Wenyuan! "This! And clay figurines and paintings in a similar style! After our extensive investigation, the source all points to this residence! Someone personally saw you handling similar items! Do you still dare to say you don't know?"

Sun Zhengyi also sneered, "Mr. Lin Fan, in the face of science, sophistry is useless. We have brought the latest environmental energy detector and material analyzer! As long as you allow us to come in and test, the truth will be revealed! If these things are truly as magical as the legends say, aren't you afraid to accept scientific scrutiny?"

His words, though sounding righteous, directly cornered Lin Fan. Refusing to let them test would make him look guilty; allowing them to test, and if the instruments detected something beyond the norm (which was inevitable), it would be like stepping in it – even if it wasn't feces, it would look like it!

Lin Fan's mind raced. He knew a complete refusal was impossible; it would only make him look more suspicious. He had to let them "test" within controllable limits and guide the results to be favorable to him, or at least to confuse the issue.

He showed a perfectly timed hesitation and a hint of indignation at being wrongly accused. He stepped aside, opening the door wider. "I have no idea what you're talking about! I don't have any artworks here! They're just some ordinary personal belongings! If you want to check, then check, but please don't damage my things! After the inspection, if there are no problems, please leave immediately and issue a public clarification!"

His demeanor made him appear like an ordinary young man being unreasonably harassed.

The female reporter and Sun Zhengyi exchanged a glance, a flash of triumph in their eyes. They clearly believed Lin Fan was bluffing, and his true colors would be revealed once the tests were done.

"Don't worry, we will only conduct non-destructive testing!" Sun Zhengyi waved his hand, and his assistants behind him immediately squeezed in with several silver boxes. The property manager also followed. The cameraman tried to enter, but Lin Fan stopped him.

"Private residence, no filming without permission!" Lin Fan's attitude was firm. This was a joke; there were three Sages inside. Although ordinary people couldn't see anything unusual, their demeanor and appearance would cause immense trouble if photographed.

The female reporter still wanted to argue, but Sun Zhengyi waved her off, saying confidently, "No filming, no filming! Scientific data will speak for itself! Xiao Wang, Xiao Li, begin the tests! Focus on detecting air ion concentration, abnormal electromagnetic fluctuations, and any possible unknown energy radiation!"

Two assistants immediately opened the instrument cases skillfully, took out various probes, and began scanning the room. The piercing hum of the instruments filled the air, and indicator lights flashed continuously.

Lin Fan's heart leaped into his throat as he nervously watched the instruments, then secretly glanced at the three Sages.

Tong Tian remained seated with his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the probes moving around him, as if they were just annoying flies. Goddess Nüwa frowned slightly, appearing uncomfortable with the noise from the instruments, but she didn't stop them, merely watching quietly. Taishang Laojun was the most amused. He held his teacup, curiously examining the instruments flashing red and green lights, as if watching some novel toy.

The testing assistants first pointed the probes at various corners of the room, especially towards the windowsill – where the Breathing Soil statue and several small clay beasts were placed.

"Professor Sun! We have a finding!" one assistant suddenly exclaimed, pointing at the screen of an instrument resembling a Geiger counter. "The 'Environmental Harmony Index' in this area is abnormally high! Far exceeding normal levels! And the concentration of negative oxygen ions in the air has reached forest-level standards! This... this is incredible! In this sealed urban room!"

Another assistant also shouted, "Professor! The electromagnetic spectrum scan is normal, no abnormal radiation detected. However... the preliminary scan of those clay figurines on the windowsill by the material analyzer shows that their material is ordinary children's clay, but their internal structure... exhibits an extremely rare, highly ordered... 'pseudocrystalline state'? And it seems there is a stable information field attached to them that we cannot decipher!"

The confident smile on Sun Zhengyi's face froze. He quickly walked over to personally examine the instrument screen. Looking at the data that far exceeded common sense, his brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

"Impossible! It must be instrument interference or an error!" He couldn't accept this result; it was completely contrary to his preconceived notion of a "scam"! "Test again! Calibrate the instruments! Focus on analyzing those clay figurines!"

He snatched a probe and personally aimed it at the most lifelike clay deer on the windowsill, its eyes sparkling with spirit.

Just as the probe was about to touch the little deer, Nüwa, who had been quiet, gently raised her eyes.

There was no light, no sound.

But in the eyes of the clay deer, a fleeting, imperceptible spark of spirituality seemed to flash.

At the same time, the instrument in Sun Zhengyi's hand suddenly let out a piercing alarm! The data on the screen jumped wildly, then with a "snap," it went black! A faint smell of burning came from inside the instrument.

"What's going on?!" Sun Zhengyi was startled, almost dropping the probe.

"Professor! The instrument... it seems to have overloaded and burned out!" the assistant checked in a panic.

"This..." Sun Zhengyi looked at the smoking probe in his hand, then at the quiet and cute clay figurine of the little deer on the windowsill, a look of uncertainty and surprise appearing on his face for the first time. This coincidence was too bizarre!

He refused to believe it and pointed the probe at a painting of Nüwa's early work hanging on the wall, which contained a tranquil Dao rhythm, the Secluded Orchid Painting (Lin Fan thought it looked good, so he had it simply framed and hung it up): "Scan that painting!"

Another assistant quickly aimed the probe at the painting. This time, the instrument didn't burn out, but the data on the screen once again made everyone gasp—the "Environmental Harmony Index" around the painting was also outrageously high. Furthermore, the analyzer showed that on the ordinary ink and Xuan paper, an extremely complex "energy" pattern, resembling some kind of mathematical rule, had been detected, similar to... the highest level of encrypted information?!

"What... what is this thing?" Sun Zhengyi muttered to himself, his scientific worldview severely shaken. This could no longer be explained by "psychological suggestion" or "coincidence"!

The female reporter also sensed something was wrong. She leaned closer to Sun Zhengyi and asked in a low voice, "Professor Sun, this... situation seems a bit beyond expectations? This data..."

Sun Zhengyi's face turned from pale to flushed. He suddenly turned to Lin Fan, who had been standing by the side with a "watching the show" expression (Lin Fan actually felt like laughing at that moment), and asked sternly, "Lin Fan! What did you do to these things?! What kind of technology did you use that we don't know about?!"

Lin Fan spread his hands, his expression even more innocent, even a little wronged: "Professor Sun, I don't understand what you're saying. I'm just an ordinary employee, what technology could I possibly have? This data... could it be that your instrument... well, is a bit sensitive, or maybe the weather today is bad and it got damp?" He began to talk nonsense with a straight face.

"You!" Sun Zhengyi was so choked he couldn't speak. The instrument was damaged, the data was abnormal, yet it couldn't be explained by current science, putting him in an extremely awkward position. To insist it was a scam? There wasn't enough evidence, and it would make him look like a clown who pretended to know things. To admit that these things were indeed extraordinary? That would be slapping himself in the face; what about his reputation as a "fighter against pseudoscience"?

Just then, Taishang Laojun, who had been quietly drinking tea and watching the show, suddenly spoke slowly. He looked at Sun Zhengyi, his tone peaceful, as if discussing the nice weather:

"This... doctor? The instrument in your hand, though ingenious, can only glimpse the superficial appearance of things and cannot fathom their spirit. It's like blind men touching an elephant, each grasping a part, never seeing the whole. These things here are merely clay figures and ink on paper, but the sculptor had intent, the painter imbued feeling. Where the heart and spirit reside, there naturally be a different kind of resonance. You are fixated on 'instrumental measurement' and ignore 'feeling with the heart,' isn't that abandoning the root for the branch?"

Laojun's words, though spoken in the simplest language, struck at the core. He pointed out that these instruments could only detect the material level and could not perceive the "heart and spirit" and "Dao rhythm" contained within, and that the latter was the source of the magic in Nüwa's works.

Sun Zhengyi was stunned. The words seemed reasonable, but they completely contradicted scientific logic! The dwelling of heart and spirit? Different resonance? This was pure idealism! It was metaphysics!

"Absurd! You're splitting hairs!" Sun Zhengyi was somewhat exasperated. "Science only acknowledges facts that are repeatable and verifiable! Your vague claims cannot be proven!"

Laojun chuckled, not arguing. He merely pointed to the overcast sky outside the window, then to the burnt-out instrument in Sun Zhengyi's hand, and said meaningfully: "When the sky is about to rain, ants know first. It's not that ants can measure the sky, but that they sense the change in the sky. Your instrument is not even as good as an 'ant's' sensing, how can it measure the mysteries of creation?"

This statement struck Sun Zhengyi like a thunderclap in his mind! Yes, the instrument couldn't measure it, and even burned out, didn't this indicate the existence of some force that current technology couldn't understand? Was the boundary of "science" that he had always adhered to inherently a limitation?

He looked at the elder before him, who had an immortal demeanor and spoke profound words, then at the clay figurines on the windowsill that seemed ordinary yet caused his instrument to malfunction and data to go haywire. Recalling the previous rumors about these items "calming the spirit and purifying the qi"... a chilling thought uncontrollably surfaced—could it be that in this world, there truly were realms that science couldn't explain? Was his lifelong adherence to science actually... looking at the sky from the bottom of a well?

His face instantly turned deathly pale, cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word. His scientific faith, upon which his fame and standing were built, seemed to have developed a huge crack at that moment.

The female reporter also noticed that Sun Zhengyi was not well. Today's "debunking" operation was on the verge of becoming a "self-destruct" scene. She quickly tried to smooth things over: "Well... Professor Sun, perhaps the instrument was indeed unstable today, and the data has some errors. Let's go back, recalibrate the equipment, and come back another time..."

As she spoke, she signaled the cameraman (even though he wasn't filming) and the assistants to pack up and leave.

Sun Zhengyi, dispirited, was helped by his assistants and almost fled Lin Fan's rental apartment. He had arrived with great fanfare and left in a sorry state.

The property manager also sheepishly followed them out, repeatedly apologizing to Lin Fan.

The door closed, shutting out the noise of the outside world.

Lin Fan let out a long sigh, feeling his back drenched. He looked at Taishang Laojun and sincerely praised, "Senior Laojun, you are truly amazing! A few words had that expert questioning his entire life!"

Laojun smiled calmly: "It's not that my words were sharp, but that his heart already had cracks. Clinging to what one knows is the greatest obstacle. Break that attachment, and the thought will collapse on its own."

Nüwa also sighed softly: "The pursuit of knowledge is inherently a good intention, but if one remains closed-minded and measures the heavens by oneself, it becomes a demonic obsession. I hope this person can gain some insight from this experience."

Tong Tian, however, snorted coldly: "A mere ant, wasting time." For him, verbal sparring like this was far less satisfying than a sword fight.

Lin Fan knew, however, that Laojun's "persuasion through reason" was far more effective than Tong Tian taking action. At least, in the short term, these so-called "debunking experts" shouldn't dare to bother them again. Moreover, after this commotion, the authorities would likely re-evaluate their situation—after all, even the most advanced instruments couldn't figure things out and were damaged, which in itself was of great research value.

However, Lin Fan still underestimated the speed of information dissemination and the complexity of public opinion.

That evening, although the "Truth Seeker" program did not air today's interview content (it was clearly suppressed), some scattered, vague news still began to ferment online on a small scale through word-of-mouth from the property staff present, neighboring onlookers, and certain "well-informed sources."

[Explosive! 'Supernatural Artworks' Appear in Jiangcheng Residential Complex, Expert's Instrument Smokes on the Spot!]

[Pseudoscience Crusader Professor Sun Zhengyi Meets Waterloo, Allegedly Rattled by Mysterious Aura!]

[Genuine High-Dimensional Energy or New Scam? An Exposé of the Mysterious Tenant Behind the 'Clay Figurine Incident'!]

Various eye-catching headlines began to appear on some forums and social media groups. Although there was a lack of conclusive evidence and official reports, keywords like "instrument smoking" and "expert losing his mind" were enough to ignite the immense curiosity and imagination of netizens.

For a time, the old residential complex where Lin Fan lived, and his name "Lin Fan," attracted greater attention and discussion in a specific circle in a way he absolutely did not want. The notoriety brought not only covetousness and trouble but also more probing gazes from the shadows, with various intentions.

Lin Fan looked at the related push notifications popping up on his phone and sighed helplessly.

The trouble of "growing notoriety" seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. And he didn't know that the storm stirred up by Goddess Nüwa's clay figurine had only just begun. After Wang Meng verified some of the effects of the "Yangyuan Pill," the deeper darkness behind it was quietly turning its attention towards this seemingly ordinary residential building. Meanwhile, on the desk of Chen Jing, the head of the official special department, a detailed report on today's "debunking" operation, along with the inexplicably abnormal detection data, lay quietly, awaiting her review and decision.

The storm was brewing, and this small rental room had become the center of the tempest.