Chen Fan bought a large assortment of food all at once. As Wang Mei took in the feast before her—meat, seafood, sushi, noodles, and many other dishes—her eyes lit up with excitement. The rich aroma filled the air, making her hunger intensify.
However, just as she was about to reach for the food, Wang Yue's voice stopped her in her tracks.
"It's not ours. You shouldn't eat it." Wang Yue looked at the dishes with a troubled expression.
Hearing this, Wang Mei's excitement visibly faded. She reluctantly turned to her bowl of noodles and began eating, but her eyes kept flickering toward the other dishes. It was as if her usual favorite had suddenly lost its appeal.
Chen Fan, noticing the way she kept glancing at a particular dish, reached out and cut a portion of it. He saw Wang Mei's gaze following his every movement, her anticipation clear. Then, without a word, he extended his fork toward her. Wang Mei hesitated only for a moment before leaning forward and taking a bite. As the flavors exploded on her tongue, her eyes fluttered shut in delight.
"Is it good?" Chen Fan asked with a smile, gently ruffling her hair.
"Mm." She nodded, still chewing, completely absorbed in savoring the taste.
"I'll pay for it," Wang Yue suddenly said, looking at Chen Fan.
"It's fine," Chen Fan replied casually. "I originally planned to eat all of this myself, but now I realize I'm not as hungry as I thought. I won't be able to finish everything, and it'd be a waste to throw it away."
Wang Yue wanted to argue, but when she saw Wang Mei happily eating, she chose to stay silent and simply continued her meal.
Meanwhile, Chen Fan kept feeding Wang Mei different kinds of food, making sure her mouth was constantly full. As he did so, his gaze drifted toward Wang Yue. He tried to make sense of her sudden change in attitude, but he was completely puzzled. Earlier, he had overheard Wang Mei saying something about a girlfriend, which only added to his confusion.
At that moment, he felt a faint warmth from the tattoo on his hand, followed by a subtle glow—a sign that there was an incoming call or message on his phone. Thanks to his modifications, he no longer needed to physically use his phone to send messages or make calls; a simple command with his Qi was enough. Likewise, he could read messages and answer calls through telepathic means alone.
Still, he instinctively glanced downward, an action that did not go unnoticed.
"Brother, is that your girlfriend?" Wang Mei asked casually, but her words made Wang Yue pause slightly before resuming her meal, though her movements seemed a little stiff.
"I don't have a girlfriend. It's probably just a friend," Chen Fan replied absentmindedly as he picked up his phone.
The moment he looked at the screen, he froze. A long list of missed calls and unread messages filled the display. It was the first time he had checked his phone since leaving the Jade Pure Sect. It seemed that all outside communication had been blocked while he was inside.
His gaze landed on the name at the top of the missed call list—Wang Yue. In that instant, he understood why her mood had shifted.
The most recent message was from Bai Mulan, stating that she had forgotten about something and adding that as long as he didn't touch her belongings, she had no issue with him entering. Amused, Chen Fan chuckled. The thought of needing someone else's permission to enter his own house was oddly funny to him.
But his amusement quickly faded. A chilling sensation ran down his spine.
When he looked up, he saw Wang Yue deliberately avoiding his gaze. Chen Fan swallowed hard.
He had immediately checked new message but ignored all her calls. She must be deeply upset. And yet, he had no idea how to explain himself. He certainly couldn't just say, I'm a cultivator, and I was in a sect where outside contact was impossible, could he?
"Um… You see, I just now—" He fumbled for a reason but ultimately found none.
"It's fine," Wang Yue cut him off, her voice flat and emotionless. "It's normal for you to be busy. We only met recently, after all. It must be annoying to receive constant calls from an acquaintance. I won't do it again."
Her calm tone should have reassured him, but instead, it made him feel even more uneasy.
"No, that's not it," Chen Fan blurted out, suddenly anxious. "I—I can't explain it right now, but I honestly didn't know you had been calling me these past few days."
At that moment, a familiar voice echoed in Wang Yue's mind—the very same voice she had heard when she first met Chen Fan.
[Oh? What's this? A lover's quarrel?]
The voice carried a tone of amusement, but Wang Yue's expression remained unreadable.
[Did she catch Chen Fan cheating?]
[Well, she wouldn't be wrong. After all, for the past few weeks, Chen Fan must've shared some intimate moments with Bai Mulan. They even slept together, didn't they?]
[Tch, tch, tch… What a sinful man.]
Hearing another woman's name spoken in Chen Fan's voice, Wang Yue's heart clenched. So it was true. Chen Fan had been spending his time with another woman—one of the so-called heroines of his harem.
For some unknown reason, her chest ached. Recalling the moments she had shared with Chen Fan, the warmth and joy she had felt around him, she had started to believe… maybe their relationship could become something special. But in the end, she was just another name on his list—just another woman to be discarded once he had successfully entered her life.
Spending time with someone else after securing her trust. Forgetting about her completely.
She had hoped that Chen Fan would at least offer her a reasonable explanation, but instead, he fumbled for words, dodging the situation entirely. That only meant one thing—he didn't trust her enough to tell her the truth.
Well, we just met, so it's normal, right? Wang Yue kept telling herself.
If he's only after my body, then isn't it better that I learn his true nature sooner rather than later? She repeated the thought over and over in her mind, trying to suppress the emotions surging within her.
Thud.
"Let's go home." Wang Yue's voice was strained, her tone unnaturally firm. She clenched her fists, struggling to keep the tears from spilling.
"But… there's still—" Wang Mei glanced at the food in front of her.
"I said, let's go home."
Her raised voice made Wang Mei flinch. It was the first time her sister had ever spoken to her like this. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears, but before she could protest, Wang Yue picked her up and carried her away, leaving her no room to resist.
[Isn't her reaction a little too extreme?] the voice in her head mused, but Wang Yue ignored it. She had no patience for it right now.
Chen Fan was momentarily stunned. He remained rooted in place as Wang Yue walked away, only snapping out of his daze when she had already taken several steps.
"Wait—" He stood up and called out to her, but before he could follow, several men in suits suddenly stepped forward, blocking his path.
"Sir, you haven't paid yet."
The steward's voice was steady, his face impassive. This wasn't the first time he had encountered a situation like this. Fraud cases had happened in the past, and from his perspective, Chen Fan and Wang Yue had just had a heated argument. His instincts told him to intervene before things escalated.
Chen Fan's brows furrowed in irritation. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone. "Hurry up."
"Yes, sir." The steward immediately processed the payment, now fully convinced that Chen Fan's situation was genuine.
As soon as the transaction was complete, Chen Fan bolted out of the restaurant. His eyes swept across the area, searching frantically. In the distance, he spotted Wang Yue carrying a tearful Wang Mei into a taxi.
If he used his power, reaching them would be effortless. But with so many people around, he had no choice but to rely on his natural speed. He sprinted, moving with the swiftness of a martial artist, but the taxi had already pulled away.
Traffic soon brought him to a halt. Standing at the crossroads, he clenched his fists.
Maybe it's better to let Wang Yue cool her head first before talking to her.
But before he could take another step, a solemn voice rang in his mind.
"Boy, look at this."
Chen Fan's eyes sharpened as he activated Ao Xue's special ability, the one that allowed him to perceive Qi. His gaze locked onto the taxi carrying Wang Yue and Wang Mei—and his heart plummeted.
A sinister red aura coiled around the vehicle like a poisonous mist.
"Devil Sect?"
His mind spiraled into chaos.
Are they monitoring me?
Or worse… are they targeting Wang Yue because of her connection to me?
There was no time to think. No time to weigh his options.
Without hesitation, Chen Fan leaped forward, the force of his takeoff cracking the pavement beneath him. The onlookers gasped in shock, but he ignored them. Every second wasted meant greater danger.
The taxi driver seemed to realize that Chen Fan was in pursuit. Without warning, the vehicle accelerated to its maximum speed, swerving recklessly through the streets, sending pedestrians scrambling in panic.
Soon, the taxi reached the outskirts of the city.
By then, Chen Fan had caught up.
With one swift motion, he slammed his hand against the taxi's frame, bringing it to a dead stop. The sheer force of his grip dented the metal, the vehicle screeching against the pavement as momentum was violently ripped away.
Without hesitation, he tore the door open.
"Are you alri—"
His words froze in his throat.
Empty.
There was no trace of Wang Yue or Wang Mei.
Teleportation Talisman.
Realizing the enemy's plan, Chen Fan's face turned ashen. His heart pounded furiously against his ribs. His breath came in uneven bursts.
They were taken.
Slowly, he turned his head toward the driver's seat.
The man sitting there—the one who had lured them away—was grinning at him.
"I already told you… It won't be long before I wipe that arrogant look off your face."
Chen Fan's pupils shrank.
"You—"
For the first time since descending the mountain, his emotions spiraled out of control. His expression twisted into raw fury.
"Chen Fan! Be careful—it's a clone!" Ao Xue's urgent voice rang in his mind, but the warning came too late.
Before Chen Fan could react, the driver's body began to swell unnaturally. His Qi fluctuated violently, spiraling into pure chaos.
BOOM.