"Dong Yong could also use this spirit medium to learn some secrets about qi refiners and fully enter their world. He could also get a huge sum of money and connections from the Ji family, use those connections to make a name for himself, and then, if some rich guy ran afoul of something, he could step in, investigate and resolve it for them, and earn a fortune.
"He could live a better life. He might even win the favor of both sisters because he saved Ji Yanshuang."
"After all, qi refiners had a fatal allure for ordinary people. They weren't even on the same tier of life anymore."
"That bastard deserves to die. A pair of sisters!!!"
After hearing him out, Lu Ding gave him a strange look.
You know what? You really couldn't deny it. That did sound about right.
Yan Feifan instinctively scratched his head. Part of it was embarrassment, and part of it was his long-standing inferiority complex. He had developed a habit of using little gestures to distract other people.
"I... that's how all those urban supernatural novels from a few years ago went. This was just so similar that I had to say it. Brother Lu, do you think there's something wrong with me?"
Lu Ding shook his head slightly. "I think you're a fucking genius. You actually thought of all that."
At the praise, Yan Feifan's eyes narrowed into a smile. "No, no, it's just such a stale plot that it came to me right away. And it doesn't even make sense. This guy probably read too many novels himself and just followed the steps in them."
"If things really do play out like that, even if you didn't take this mission, Brother Lu, Bureau 749 would notice him, and he wouldn't get away. Simply put, he's let it go to his head. He didn't even stop to think: if these things exist among ordinary people, how could the government not have countermeasures and departments to handle them?"
"In that case, let's go watch some real-life showing off and face-slapping. Once he's at his most pleased with himself, I'll step in and take him down in one go!"
Lu Ding's mischievous streak had surfaced too.
Plenty of unrealistic fantasies needed a brutal beating from reality.
Dong Yong was a perfect example.
He had committed a crime, yet he still dared to swagger around instead of even trying to flee. That was far too brazen.
And there might actually be a sister-pair storyline involved. Lu Ding found that extremely unreasonable.
Yan Feifan floored the accelerator, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
"Hehehe, Brother Lu, you're so bad."
Suddenly realizing that he seemed to have said the wrong thing, he hurried to correct himself. "No, no, Brother Lu, I meant you're cool. Really charismatic. Like one of those major villains with their badass aura maxed out, devising strategies from behind the scenes and crushing brain-dead protagonists."
"Then wouldn't that make you the quack strategist at the villain's side, cooking up schemes?"
Yan Feifan froze. Not only was Lu Ding not angry, he was even joking with him.
The smile he had suppressed surfaced again. "Then I should laugh like this."
"Kekekeke..."
"Hahahahaha, what the fuck kind of noise is that? Cut it out. It's giving me goose bumps."
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Inside the Ji family villa, a man and a woman stood facing each other.
The man wore white and had delicate features. He was none other than Lu Ding's target this time, Dong Yong.
Originally, Dong Yong had only been an ordinary person. But after Old Lady Black formed a connection with him, the spiritual qi of heaven and earth had entered and cleansed his body. No matter how ugly someone was, they couldn't look all that bad after that.
Besides, once he became a qi refiner, his status and standing were no longer the same as an ordinary person's.
That surge of confidence improved his bearing and spirit, and he naturally became handsome.
Standing opposite him was Bai Xiaoxiao, the spirit medium invited by Ji Group's chairman, Ji Hong.
They were both here to do a job, which made them competitors.
Those in the same trade were natural enemies. How could the atmosphere between them possibly be pleasant?
Bai Xiaoxiao spoke irritably. "Chairman Ji, what is the meaning of this? Hiring me wasn't enough, so you needed insurance too? Do you not trust the Bai family's methods?"
Fox, Yellow, Bai, Willow, Gray-the Five Immortals of the North.
Among spirit-medium halls, the Fox family held the highest standing, with deep roots and a complicated background. If a hall had a Fox family immortal presiding over it, that meant it had backing. Almost anywhere its members went, people would show them some respect. They were all-rounders who knew a little of everything.
The Yellow family was renowned for illusions and usually occupied the marshal's position within a hall.
The Bai family treated illnesses and saved lives.
The Willow family commanded troops and was the strongest in combat.
The Gray family sought good fortune and avoided calamity.
These were all their signature specialties.
Ji Hong looked somewhat troubled. "Miss Bai, it's not that I don't trust you. My daughter didn't know I was inviting you, so she invited this young man. I'm truly sorry."
He looked apologetically at Dong Yong. "Young Mr. Dong, I'm terribly sorry about this today. There's five hundred thousand in here. Would you...?"
Dong Yong didn't accept the five hundred thousand. He said indifferently, "I won't take money for work I haven't done. I can leave, but if you ask me to come back later, this won't be the price anymore."
"Are you saying I can't cure the Ji family's second daughter?!"
Bai Xiaoxiao questioned him with a frown.
Dong Yong sneered. "You? A little girl with the milk still wet on her lips? Go back and cultivate for a few more years first. The immortal backing you can't cure the Ji family's young lady's illness."
Inside the jeep not far outside the villa.
Yan Feifan held a bronze mirror that showed what was happening inside the villa.
Watching Dong Yong show off like that, Yan Feifan couldn't resist complaining. "Look, Brother Lu, this guy's really putting on a show. 'Milk still wet on her lips'-he's really learned to use idioms, huh? He might not even be older than her, but he acts like some old fossil and sneers at the drop of a hat. Who knows which novel he learned that from? He really looks like he needs a beating!"
"If you really have the ability and she dares to provoke you, then take her down. If you don't, then stop showing off. Now he's setting up a low point so he can rise up afterward."
Watching him, Lu Ding also felt that this man was showing off a bit. Even more than he did. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was incredibly powerful.
But that wasn't what Lu Ding was focused on.
"Where did you get that mirror? It's pretty amazing."
"This is a minor magical artifact I exchanged contribution points for. It doesn't do much, just monitors the surroundings. If someone's much stronger than me, they'll notice it too. I mainly use it to keep myself safe on missions. If anything goes wrong, I'll go through a wall and run."
He really was afraid of dying.
Once he heard how limited its uses were, Lu Ding immediately lost interest.
He continued watching the scene inside it.
The conflict between the two had reached its final stage.
In the image, Bai Xiaoxiao said, "Fine!"
"Since you say I'm not qualified, let's compete and see who can cure the second young lady. If I cure her, you'll crawl out of here. If I can't, you can demand anything you want."
Just then, the sound of approaching high heels rang out beyond the front door.
A woman in a long, figure-hugging dress entered the image. Her curvaceous figure, paired with that outfit and rimless glasses, gained an added touch of allure.
The moment she appeared, she drew everyone's attention.
It was also then that Dong Yong slipped both hands into his pockets. "All right. I agree to your proposal. Ladies first. I'll let you go first."
"Aaagh!!!!! Brother Lu!!!! Can we just go in right now and punch him to death? That line gave me goose bumps. It's so damn awkward. 'Ladies first,' my ass. He's like a peacock spreading its tail, desperate to show off his asshole. I can't fucking take it!"
"Fuck, I can't stand it anymore either!"
Lu Ding had originally planned to watch the show, but who knew Dong Yong would pull something like this? His toes curled tight.
The two pulled open the doors on either side, got straight out, and charged into the villa.