Chapter 18 – What Kind of Trash Protagonist Is This?
Chen Chang'an's clone tiptoed along the narrow path at the mouth of the valley, glancing over his shoulder every three steps.
Morning mist drifted through the forest, and every shadow seemed to take the shape of that coiled black serpent.
"Hiss—"
A leaf brushed the back of his neck, making him freeze as if struck by lightning. Slowly, inch by inch, he turned his head. Only after confirming it was just a leaf did he exhale, his breath dispersing in the crisp morning air.
It wasn't without reason he was so cautious—he still vividly remembered the scene of his crushing defeat here seventy years ago.
"Well, at this season, that snake should be hibernating…" he muttered under his breath.
After another hundred steps, sunlight from the valley's exit came clearly into view. Chen Chang'an's steps grew lighter, and in the last few strides, he broke into a small run. When his feet touched the solid main road outside, he couldn't help but spread his arms and spin around.
"Hahaha! Finally out!"
Like a schoolboy sneaking out of class, he hopped twice, then casually picked a direction and strode away, completely unaware that thirty paces behind, under an old pine tree, a flutter of white skirts brushed past the moss.
The woman in white leaned against the trunk, slender fingers tapping her chin. The morning breeze lifted her loose hair, revealing eyes filled with curiosity.
This human who so often drew the attention of her true body… had left the valley? Should she follow and see where he went?
As she pondered the thought, the oblivious figure ahead had already become a tiny black dot at the end of the road, bobbing lightly as he vanished around the bend.
She came back to her senses, shook her head at the thought, and walked away in the opposite direction.
Several days passed in a flash.
The third floor of Drunken Immortal Pavilion caught the sunset in its glazed windows, scattering golden light over the plate of so-called "Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow" before Chen Chang'an—though in truth it was merely low-grade flood-dragon liver paired with spirit-bird eggs.
"Honored guest, this is our signature 'Eight-Treasure Spirit Stew'…" the waiter announced warmly.
"Mhm." Without lifting his head, Chen Chang'an stuffed a jade-green pastry into his mouth. Since leaving the valley, this clone had randomly picked a direction, flown nearly a thousand li, and finally found a city to settle in.
Upon entering the city, he had gone straight to this restaurant, drawn by the smell.
"Waiter, the bill!"
"Honored guest, that will be twenty taels of silver."
Just as he was about to pay, Chen Chang'an's hand went to his waist—and froze.
Damn!
After so many years in seclusion, he had forgotten this world ran on money.
Still, the waiter's smile didn't falter. "By the way, honored guest, we also accept spirit stones. One low-grade spirit stone equals one hundred taels of silver."
Ah, the perks of a world where mortals and cultivators mixed—even spirit stones could be used as currency.
Chen Chang'an nodded with feigned composure, but didn't move.
Because whether silver or spirit stones… he had neither.
After all, though his system-gifted stones were piled high in his system space, this clone couldn't access them.
The air grew steadily more awkward…
The waiter's smile stiffened further…
Then—
"I'll pay for this gentleman."
A cool voice came from the corner. A young man in a bamboo hat sat at a table with only a pot of wine and two small dishes. His blue cloth robes were washed almost white, and his right hand stayed hidden in his sleeve.
A good man!
Chen Chang'an instantly shot him a grateful look.
But the next moment—
"Xiao Chen! You…" a mocking voice said, "You can barely keep yourself afloat in the Xiao family, and you're here playing the generous hero?"
Chen Chang'an's face darkened. Who were these people to insult his benefactor…?
"I have money." Xiao Chen's voice was quiet but firm.
He took out an old coin pouch embroidered with green bamboo and placed a faintly glowing low-grade spirit stone on the table.
Laughter erupted in response.
"Xiao Chen… I hear your family got you a new teacher for this useless self of yours?" another oily voice cut in. "Where's he from this time—some wandering con artist?"
"You wouldn't know, Brother Wang." A sharp voice chimed in. "They say he's a gu master from the southern border—but the gu worm died the moment it entered Xiao Chen's meridians! Hahaha…"
"I'll tell you what—" the curtain of a private room lifted to reveal a richly dressed, jade-belted fat man, "that brat's cursed from birth! If not for little Xiao Ling'er protecting him years ago, I would've…"
"Master Zhang, mind your words!" someone at the table quickly cut him off. "That young lady's affairs are not to be spoken of recklessly…"
"What's there to be afraid of?" The fat man surnamed Zhang took a swig of wine. "That girl left two years ago anyway. Now, who doesn't know that Xiao Chen is a living joke? Five years ago, he had already reached the peak of the Artifact Controlling Realm and thought his name on the Human Ranking meant something, yet last year at the City Lord's banquet, he couldn't even display the most basic artifact control technique!"
Xiao Chen did not respond, but his clenched fists showed that he was far from calm inside.
Chen Chang'an couldn't help but prick up his ears.
Oh? A once-talented young master fallen to a family disgrace?
That was a familiar flavor to him!
But now wasn't the time to focus on that. These people were insulting his current God of Wealth—
Although this avatar of his had dropped to the mid-stage of the Profound Communication Realm due to distance, in the eyes of the other party, he was nothing more than a small fry at the Artifact Controlling Realm.
The great figures of the Xuan Ying Continent were not ones he could provoke, but these small fry? Why should he be afraid?
Bang!
Chen Chang'an deliberately bumped the wine flask, sending the metal container crashing heavily to the ground, instantly drawing the attention of several people.
"This friend…" Fatty Zhang narrowed his eyes. "You look unfamiliar."
The entire third floor fell silent.
"Sorry, I just feel…" Chen Chang'an leisurely wiped his mouth, "that the faces you all make when discussing others are disgusting to me…"
"You're looking for death!" At another table, seven or eight young men in luxurious robes stood up at once.
Thunder light faintly flickered in Fatty Zhang's palm. "Do you know who we are?"
"I know." Chen Chang'an counted on his fingers. "Extras A, B, C, D…"
"Good kid, in your next life, remember to be born with a brain."
A bolt of lightning struck, but three feet before Chen Chang'an, it strangely bent away, blasting a nearby wooden ornament into charcoal.
Chen Chang'an let out a whistle—confirmed, they really were complete rookies.
Just now, he hadn't even used spiritual power, merely adding a little angular momentum to the other party's technique.
His back immediately straightened.
When it came to bullying the weak and fearing the strong, Chen had never been afraid of anyone in his life.
"A cultivator?" Fatty Zhang's face changed. "Who are you? Why are you helping that waste?"
"No, no… first of all, this young brother is helping me…" Chen Chang'an shook his head.
Then, the scene before him brought to mind a classic saying, which he spoke without thinking: "And don't keep calling someone a waste. Since he's still young, haven't you heard the saying, 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west, never bully the poor youth'?"
"Never bully the poor youth? Hahahaha…"
After a burst of laughter, Fatty Zhang waved his hands, and the young men in luxurious robes began to close in. "Forget it. No matter who you are, today you're destined to die."
Chen Chang'an only sneered.
A small-scale brawl was about to break out—
"Everyone, wait a moment."
"Xiao Chen?!" Fatty Zhang's expression looked as if he had seen a ghost, but his eyes gleamed with a triumphant light. "You actually dare to show yourself…"
"Drunken Immortal Pavilion is property of the City Lord's Mansion." Xiao Chen slightly raised his head, the brim of his bamboo hat revealing a pale chin. "Aren't you afraid of breaking the rules by fighting here?"
Chen Chang'an noticed the youth's left foot subtly turning inward as he stood—a habitual posture caused by long-term meridian pain, according to the knowledge his system had imparted.
With his current cultivation in the Profound Communication Realm, he could naturally see the meridian damage in this young man's body—caused by long-term forced extraction of energy from his meridians by external means.
"Rules?" sneered a youth at Fatty Zhang's table. "A waste who hasn't broken through in five years is worthy to speak of rules?"
Xiao Chen's sleeve suddenly fluttered without wind.
Chen Chang'an's pupils contracted—he clearly saw a wisp of black mist seep from the youth's sleeve, letting out a silent scream upon contact with sunlight.
Mm, this young man had secrets!
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