Chapter 122

Lin Tian was the only one who gave her a certain special feeling.

First, she could hear Lin Tian’s inner thoughts.

Second, Lin Tian seemed to know a lot.

His calm and composed attitude when talking about Lei Ming, Jiang Han, Jiang Yifeng, Xuan Yuan Qingya, and the others led Ji Xin to conclude without hesitation that Lin Tian was definitely not an ordinary person.

Finally, there was their embrace.

Contrary to the carefree, indifferent demeanor he displayed, Ji Xin was, of course, shy.

As the eldest daughter of the Ji family, she controlled an intelligence network operating in the shadows, yet she had never personally dealt with the filth and chaos of the underworld. In a sense, Ji Xin’s ability to remain softhearted and kind was precisely because she had never gotten her hands dirty.

Knowing a lot about someone was one thing, but having such intimate contact with a complete stranger was something else entirely.

From the moment Ji Xin heard Lin Tian’s inner voice, she felt an inexplicable sense of closeness, just like him.

It was as if she and Lin Tian had known each other for a long time, like old friends.

Because of this strange, baseless feeling, Ji Xin didn’t resist when she leaned into Lin Tian’s arms.

Later, during their conversation, she unconsciously lowered her guard even further.

She spoke of Jiang Han, the Ji family’s schemes, and more, all with an utterly calm tone.

In truth, even without revealing the details, merely mentioning these matters was highly classified information!

“Lin Tian…”

Ji Xin silently mouthed the name, a faint smile curling her lips in a way she didn’t even notice.

She turned and opened the car door, sliding inside.

From the driver’s seat came a calm, steady female voice.

“Should we deploy firepower against the Xuan Yuan family’s castle next, Miss?”

Ji Xin shook her head and replied indifferently. “”No, have my father make the arrangements. In three days, I’ll visit the castle as a guest.”

“Understood!”

The woman driving didn’t question her orders. The engine roared to life, and the car sped away, carrying Ji Xin into the night.

This time, Ji Xin had entered under the name Ye Lingling. However, what she had just declared would be under her true identity: the eldest daughter of the Ji family.

Meanwhile, Lin Tian stepped out of the small grove. His gaze fell on the brightly lit banquet hall ahead, and a thoughtful expression flickered in his eyes.

Ji Xin, Jiang Han, the Dragon Lord, Shang Yan, and Lei Ming.

In the original story, these characters didn’t appear until much later. Yet now, they were all gathered in this castle.

Nearly half of the major characters from the original novel were present in the Xuan Yuan family’s castle.

Was this normal?

Obviously not.

But why was this happening?

Was it because the world intended to bring so many important people together to create opportunities for Jiang Yifeng?

Or was it the butterfly effect—changes in earlier events leading to this so-called coincidence?

Lin Tian couldn’t tell. He simply didn’t have enough information yet.

However, Ji Xin’s words earlier had reminded him:

Right now, the one they needed to be most cautious of, whether it was the Xuan Yuan family or himself, was indeed Jiang Han!

In the original story, Jiang Han traveled to the mountain at age three to study under the master of Heavenly Medical Sacred Body for fourteen years. When she was seventeen, the master of Heavenly Medical Sacred Body passed away. From then on, Jiang Han remained on the mountain, caring for the young Jiang Yifeng and raising her younger brother in her master’s stead.

Nine years later, Jiang Yifeng completed his training and descended the mountain. Only then did Jiang Han return to the Jiang family.

Despite being away from the Jiang family for twenty-three years, it took Jiang Han only a few months to seize complete control of the entire clan after her return.

Taking over such a colossal family—one that had endured for countless generations—in such a short time was nothing short of extraordinary.

It was hard to believe that such a woman would suddenly come to the Xuan Yuan family’s castle, claiming that she was simply there to resolve matters between Jiang Yifeng and the Xuan Yuan family.

That was hard to believe.

Jiang Han might have another agenda…

Lin Tian pondered silently.

…

Just as he stepped out of the small grove, Zhong Fei was quietly watching him from not far away.

Right in front of Zhong Fei stood the Xuan Yuan family’s old butler, Uncle Zhong.

“Uncle, I didn’t get a clear look at who was with Mr. Lin a moment ago.”

Uncle Zhong paused for a few seconds, then asked in a deep voice, “Are you sure that you heard Mr. Lin say that he was his girlfriend?”

Zhong Fei nodded immediately, his tone firm and resolute.

“I’m sure. Mr. Lin and that lady were probably in each other’s arms.”

Uncle Zhong nodded slightly, then waved his hand.

“Go on with your duties. Don’t tell anyone else about this.”

“Understood, Uncle Zhong!”

Lin Tian, of course, had no idea. He thought Zhong Fei had left carefree, even flashing him that knowing smile that only men understand.

But the moment Zhong Fei turned away, Lin Tian reported everything to Uncle Zhong.

Zhong Fei wasn’t being two-faced; Uncle Zhong had long instructed the Star Group members to keep a close eye on Lin Tian.

Uncle Zhong’s reason for doing so wasn’t to spy on Lin Tian.

He had noticed something unusual between Xuan Yuan Qingya and Lin Tian.

As the Xuan Yuan family’s longtime butler, he had watched Xuan Yuan Qingya grow up. Naturally, he felt responsible for keeping an eye on matters like this.

…

After leaving the small grove, Lin Tian stared at the brightly lit banquet hall for a moment before deciding to go inside.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know how dangerous the people inside were.

Rather, Lin Tian increasingly felt that he needed a clear understanding of how the plot was unfolding.

In this massive whirlpool, if he remained ignorant of his surroundings, he might not even know how he died.

Take Jiang Han’s arrival in a few days, for example.

Lin Tian had only obtained that information by quietly observing the plot’s progression.

Just how important was that information? Needless to say.

Let’s hope these women don’t cause me any trouble…

Lin Tian sighed faintly and stepped back into the banquet hall.

Everyone had finished their meal by now.

At Xuan Yuan Xing’s invitation, the guests moved to the other side of the hall, to a grand ballroom designed specifically for hosting dances.

Lin Tian entered cautiously. The soft lighting and soothing music instantly enveloped him.

The ballroom was even larger than the banquet hall. Everyone was searching for dance partners at that moment. Those who hadn’t been permitted to dine in the banquet hall earlier were now on the dance floor.

Lin Tian scanned the room until he finally found a lounge area.

He took out a Cuban cigar from a small cabinet, settled comfortably onto a sofa, lit the cigar, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.

A bluish haze of smoke curled around Lin Tian as he exhaled softly. His mind eased just a little.

The current situation felt eerily similar to the Zhao family’s ancestral banquet.

The people and plotlines were different, but Lin Tian was still lurking in the shadows, silently observing everything.

The Xuan Yuan family hosted this ball, a casual dance party with no special theme, to entertain their guests.

People like Meng Youqian, Li Siyi, and Zhao Dongyun hung around the edges of the dance floor, cheerfully chatting as if it were just a post-dinner diversion.

Meanwhile, some of the younger guests stepped into the center of the floor, looking for partners with whom to sway to the gentle rhythm of the music.

In this atmosphere, the ballroom was no longer divided by family or faction. Instead, it naturally split into two circles: one for the younger generation and one for the older generation.

The elders discussed business, reminisced about the past, and negotiated deals.

The younger crowd, on the other hand, danced and chatted about things only they could understand.

For now, let’s set the older generation aside.

The ones drawing the most attention among the younger generation were undoubtedly these six: Shang Chan, Zhao Mengmeng, Bai Bing’er, Xuan Yuan Qingya, Li Yunqiu, and Meng Xiaoling.

They were all dressed differently, yet they were all youthful, radiant, and breathtakingly beautiful.

At that moment, none of them were dancing. Instead, they had formed two small circles of their own.

Shang Chan, Zhao Mengmeng, and Xuan Yuan Qingya huddled together, seemingly discussing something.

Meanwhile, Bai Bing’er and Meng Xiaoling stood with Li Yunqiu, chatting casually and looking relaxed.

Lin Tian quietly observed this peaceful scene from the shadows and nodded in satisfaction.

This is what they’re supposed to be doing.

For heiresses like Shang Chan, Zhao Mengmeng, and Xuan Yuan Qingya, this was a typical day.

The strange things they had previously done to Lin Tian made him feel as if they were possessed by demons.

Now, everything seemed to have returned to normal, and Lin Tian’s mood instantly brightened!

[Let’s hope no one causes me any more trouble. Pfft. Then again, Lei Ming and Lü Xin might be the opportunities this world is sending Jiang Yifeng. If he plans to use a “sudden hidden ailment” to help Jiang Yifeng, now would be the perfect time.]

[Could it be that because Jiang Yifeng has already left, Lei Ming’s ailment won’t flare up anymore? Or maybe I was wrong all along…]

Lin Tian subconsciously analyzed everything related to the plot.

But just as his thoughts reached several heroines, a commotion erupted at the front of the dance floor!

Lin Tian’s eyes snapped toward the source: Elder Lei was sitting on a sofa with a twisted face and one hand clutching his chest.

Lin Tian was stunned, his expression full of shock.

Did my prophet superpower just awaken? How did this old man suddenly collapse the moment I thought about it?