Heavenly Spring City, Shengxian Building.
Yun Suxin, the young mistress of Spirit Intuition Valley, slowly regained consciousness from her daze.
Around her lay various sect cultivators and city guards in disarray.
She pinched her throbbing temples and instinctively reached for her waist.
“Where’s my storage bag?”
Not only was her storage bag gone, but her magic tools were missing as well, and all her jewelry had vanished!
Many of the cultivators around her were still groggy. They had been waiting here for their respective sects’ flying boats, but instead of finding the boats, they had all been drugged and lost everything on them.
“This must be… Soul-Dispersing Incense!?” Yun Suxin found an incense burner with ashes in a corner.
A non-toxic, odorless drug commonly used to calm demonic beasts.
One could say that whoever did this didn’t intend to kill them; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
But this place was known only to prominent sects, and everyone’s identities had been rigorously screened.
That could only mean there was a traitor!
Who could it be?
“It’s the Bluecloud Sect!”
Someone shouted, pointing angrily at the huge blue characters and a mocking ghost face on the wall of the hall.
“Fine, we have no grudge against the Bluecloud Sect, yet they come all the way here to rob us?”
“The Bluecloud Sect is so wealthy, they must be doing this just to mock us!”
“We’ll make sure the Bluecloud Sect’s cultivators suffer in the Central Continent Secret Realm!”
Listening to the commotion in the hall.
Yun Suxin rolled her eyes as she held the incense ashes.
If it were the Bluecloud Sect, she would eat the ashes.
Looking around, she noticed the absence of people from the Sword Pavilion, and considering their dire situation.
She had a pretty good idea of what happened.
Hmph, you Sword Pavilion dare rob Spirit Intuition Valley?
We’ll see about that!
…
…
“Brother, you’re really impressive!”
Chen Huaian’s lips twitched. Since getting off the plane, he had boarded the program group’s dedicated car.
This was the third time the driver had said this.
The first time was when they met.
The second time was when they got in the car.
And now, the third time.
“To be honest, brother, I’m a professional driver, and I’ve seen hundreds of celebrities. But none as impressive and handsome as you,” the driver said sincerely, one hand on the steering wheel and the other giving Chen Huaian a thumbs-up. “Even if you’re bald, you’re still amazing. It’s hard to imagine how good-looking you’d be with hair! Many male and female celebrities have had work done, like that Cai Yifan from this season. You’re naturally more handsome than him!”
“I think I’m just average,” Chen Huaian felt a bit embarrassed being praised.
“Not average at all!” the driver sighed. “It’s your aura, you know? Even without looking at your face, your aura can outshine all the male stars. There’s something about you… like a pure and holy enlightened monk! You should play Tang Sanzang in ‘Journey to the West,’ covered in fire!”
Chen Huaian took it as a joke and laughed, “So according to you, by participating in this show, I might overshadow those stars?”
The driver’s expression changed. He patted the steering wheel, “You’re not wrong! That Cai Yifan has a big reputation, so this show is meant to boost him. When you meet him, keep a low profile and avoid conflict. We’re just ordinary folks, no need to clash with these stars.”
Chen Huaian took note of this, but he thought he was just a cancer patient—what conflict could he have with a star?
On the other hand, would that star dare provoke him?
After being listed as a top-tier answer alongside the bizarre Lao Deng and Little Fairy, he was considered a hidden super version answer.
If this star dared to cause trouble,
He would teach them what it means to say, “I truly deserve to die.”
…
“Oh my god! Cai Yifan finally arrived!”
“Good evening, Brother Fan!”
“Brother Yifan, you look even more handsome now, and your career is going smoothly!”
At the foot of Heavenly Gate Mountain, the Ka Da Xian Da adventure program team.
A handsome man dressed in custom-made clothing and wearing an expensive brooch walked in amidst a crowd.
Cai Yifan, a rising star.
Though not quite a major celebrity, he had limitless potential in his future.
He joined the program not because he loved it, but because his company told him it would help build his image and attract more fans, which would promote his upcoming leading role in a movie.
Given that he had no acting skills and needed dubbing, he needed some public support.
Without it, once the movie was done, he’d be ridiculed.
From his own perspective, he wasn’t interested in the show and even felt repulsed.
First, he disliked hiking, which made him sweaty and dirty. Second, the entire program was live-streamed, meaning he had to endure many unsavory actions from other artists, such as swearing, smoking, or picking his nose.
Since the program started filming at nine, he had to be there by seven to prepare. He barely made it by 8:40. Besides him, another ex-star and three minor actors were already there, having arrived early and filmed some behind-the-scenes footage.
…
To avoid the program group being swarmed by tourists.
The filming location wasn’t on the usual tourist path but an old mountain route replaced by cable cars. Few people chose to hike, and filming at night added to the secrecy.
Now, Chen Huaian’s car was stuck on this route.
They were still a distance from the meeting point.
“Sorry, little brother, the electric vehicle isn’t as stable as a gas car, especially at night when the cold drains the battery too quickly.”
The driver and Chen Huaian stood in front of the car, puzzled.
Chen Huaian glanced at his watch.
The program started at nine, and he was punctual.
Although they weren’t far in terms of straight-line distance, the height difference made the journey complicated. He reached out to touch the steep rock wall beside him, testing its firmness by stepping on it twice. He thought climbing directly might be faster.
“Why don’t I climb up myself?” he suddenly turned to the driver and said.
“What?” The driver was stunned. “Little brother, don’t joke. Wait for the program group to pick you up. This slope is so steep; even if you run, it will take ten minutes.”
The driver didn’t know Chen Huaian’s exact identity.
He knew only that Chen Huaian had difficulty walking, limping slightly.
In this state, he would probably miss most of the filming.
He finished a cigarette, hearing no movement beside him, thinking Chen Huaian might be upset. Reluctantly, he pulled out his last cigarette, “Come on, kid, smoke one. Let’s stay calm…”
Turning around, he found Chen Huaian was already gone.
“Damn it, where did that big guy go?!”
…
The wind at Heavenly Gate Mountain was fierce, and the night was dark.
On the steep cliff, Chen Huaian walked briskly with a cane.
“I hear the echo of cancer cells and life’s potential!”
Chen Huaian gazed at the moon, feeling unusually strong in his right leg tonight. He didn’t notice the bead on his wrist gradually dimming, only laughing maniacally:
“Hehe, my true self…
Indeed, I am a superhero!”
