Chapter 301: Observation

“Mr. Chen, Fugui is sick.”

Chen Luo waited until noon, but instead of Li Fugui coming to formally request to become his disciple, Butcher Li, Fugui’s father, arrived.

Butcher Li carried a bundle of pork belly. After knocking on the door, he said apologetically, his face still smudged with grease.

He had changed into clean cloth clothes and washed his hands repeatedly before coming to see Chen Luo, whom he addressed as “Mr. Chen.” Determined not to embarrass his son or make a bad impression on the teacher, he forced a strained smile.

An ordinary father.

“It’s no trouble,” Chen Luo said, setting down his food and rising to face Butcher Li. “Take me to see him. I happen to know a little about medicine.”

Hearing that Chen Luo knew medicine, Butcher Li’s face lit up with relief. He had been worried about his son’s illness all morning.

Earlier, he had visited the old doctor in the alley, but the man had been stumped by Fugui’s condition, muttering about strange occurrences and claiming several others had contracted the same mysterious ailment. Butcher Li had planned to explain the situation here before seeking another doctor on the next street.

“This way, please,” Butcher Li said, hurrying ahead to guide Chen Luo toward his home.

Butcher Li’s house wasn’t far from the alley around the corner, located in a residential lane on North Street. Like most ordinary homes in the city, it was enclosed by a mud-yellow courtyard wall with a wooden gate adorned with two door gods. Chen Luo glanced at them but didn’t recognize their origins, assuming they were deities venerated in this world.

Entering the courtyard, he saw three symmetrical earthen houses with Qing tile roofs. Over time, small green grasses had sprouted in the gaps between the tiles, and patches of moss clung to their surfaces. The courtyard floor was paved with blue bricks. To the left stood a large stone-lined cauldron, its murky water still containing a few pig bristles. Nearby, a hemp rope coiled around a wooden post, likely Butcher Li’s usual slaughtering spot.

“Husband, did you find the physician?”

Hearing the gate open, a woman hurried out of the house.

“We have a distinguished guest! Go fetch some water immediately!” Butcher Li barked at her.

Startled, the woman quickly apologized to Chen Luo before turning to heat water. Their child’s illness had kept them busy since dawn, leaving them unfed and the stove cold.

“No need. Let’s check on the child first.”

“Then I’ll trouble you, Mr. Chen,” Butcher Li said, immediately leading Chen Luo into the inner room.

The room was impeccably clean, furnished with a table, chairs, and a collection of wooden toys. Butcher Li had always doted on his son, Li Fugui, even hiring a carpenter to craft these special playthings.

On the bed, Li Fugui lay huddled beneath the covers, his small face deathly pale. His brow was furrowed as if trapped in a nightmare, and a damp, recently iced towel rested on his forehead—placed there earlier by the woman.

Chen Luo approached and touched Li Fugui’s forehead.

Burning hot.

If this fever persisted, the child’s brain would surely be damaged. Even if he woke up, he might be left mentally impaired.

“Has there been any change?” Chen Luo’s eyes flickered. He had just used his spiritual energy to sense Li Fugui’s condition, finding no alterations in his body. The symptoms were identical to those of a common high fever; without intervention, the child would undoubtedly succumb to delirium.

This ‘opportunity’ isn’t so easy to bear, Chen Luo thought. As the primary recipient, Li Fugui was receiving the full brunt of it.

With a thought, Chen Luo channeled his spiritual energy, silently guiding water-attribute energy into Li Fugui’s body. The boy’s fever gradually subsided.

His tightly furrowed brow slowly relaxed.

Butcher Li and his wife watched in stunned silence.

Earlier that morning, the old physician they had summoned had fussed over the child for hours, using silver needles and ice packs. Yet Li Fugui’s temperature refused to drop; instead, his suffering only intensified. Eventually, the physician admitted defeat, muttering, “Seek a more skilled practitioner,” before fleeing without even asking for payment.

“A transformation on a deeper level?” Chen Luo mused, withdrawing his hand and extending his Divine Sense. His External Brain activated, initiating a comprehensive scan of Li Fugui.

The feedback from the Demonic Heart Tribulation was inevitable. Chen Luo’s inability to detect it meant his current methods were insufficient. Observation was the best approach. This would allow him to harness the full potential of this power after Li Fugui successfully weathered the tribulation.

“Mr. Chen?” Li Fugui murmured groggily, awakening. His vision remained hazy, but upon seeing Chen Luo, an instinctive sense of familiarity arose within him.

Butcher Li and his wife watched in delighted surprise, though they dared not speak. In that brief moment, they had already sensed something extraordinary about Mr. Chen. He was no ordinary man; he might very well be one of the legendary martial arts masters.

The kind who wields inner strength!

As for immortals, the couple hadn’t even considered it. In the cultural heritage of the Heavenly Eye Kingdom, such beings were beyond the reach of ordinary people.

“I had a dream… you were my father. I did so many things, even killed countless enemies…”

Li Fugui’s vision gradually cleared as he gazed at Chen Luo sitting by the bedside, rambling incoherently.

“Sleep now. You’ll be fine when you wake up.”

Chen Luo pressed his palm against Li Fugui’s forehead, channeling spiritual energy into him. Li Fugui’s agitation subsided, and he drifted back into a deep slumber. The earlier awakening had been induced by Chen Luo’s spiritual energy, an unnatural intervention. Now, Li Fugui’s state resembled a phoenix undergoing nirvana. Only upon fully awakening would he reap the benefits.

The most likely outcome was the awakening of a Spirit Root.

This transformation from an ordinary person into a promising seedling of immortality was merely Chen Luo’s speculation. The true outcome would only be revealed when Li Fugui awoke.

Luck.

The Mummified Brain suddenly transmitted a thought.

Chen Luo’s judgment differed from the others.

A lifetime of blessings.

The Demonic Heart Ancestor’s brain also made its assessment, his perception of Tribulation Qi and Demonic Heart manipulation being exceptionally keen.

He might awaken the aptitude for Immortal Cultivation.

Strong and robust.

The Immortal Sect Leader and the Core Formation cultivators from the Cave of White Immortal offered their own perspectives. The remaining hundred-plus Foundation Establishment Realm brains provided a diverse range of feedback, though most, like Chen Luo, speculated about the awakening of a Spirit Root. This was the most likely outcome from a Foundation Establishment perspective.

After Li Fugui fell asleep, Chen Luo rose to bid farewell to Butcher Li and his wife. He planned to explore the county town. During the Demonic Heart Tribulation triggered by the shifting Tribulation Qi, he had sensed numerous unfamiliar presences. The identity of Chen Yuanzhi was merely an amalgamation of these energies, with Li Fugui currently holding the dominant position, but not the sole one.

Soon, Chen Luo located the remaining individuals.

The sudden surge of illnesses, all beyond the capabilities of local physicians to treat, had sparked panic in Cloudsoar County. Rumors of a plague had already begun to circulate in hushed tones.

“Thirty-six in total, with Li Fugui as the primary target.”

Chen Luo stood at an elevated position, his Divine Sense meticulously cataloging the thirty-six individuals afflicted by the “illness.” Of course, some genuinely sick people were also resting at home, but with Chen Luo’s current abilities, he could instantly discern whether their ailments stemmed from the Demonic Heart Tribulation or genuine illness.

Three days passed in a blur.

Throughout those three days, Chen Luo’s Divine Sense remained fixed on the thirty-six afflicted individuals.

“They’re about to awaken.”

Inside the room, Chen Luo’s eyes flickered.

Just moments ago, the auras of the thirty-six had gradually stabilized, their bodies growing healthier. Minor ailments that had plagued them began to vanish one by one, and their vitality underwent a profound transformation. The most striking change was the fading of their Demonic Hearts, altering their entire presence from within.

“Miss Zhao, I hope you can forgive my past impudence.”

A scholar who had just awakened solemnly apologized to a woman. He was one of the thirty-six who had entered the Demonic Heart Tribulation. Before the tribulation, he had harbored some dark thoughts, but afterward, he suddenly realized how foolish his past self had been. The Heavenly Eye Kingdom was vast, and he had a bright future ahead. He shouldn’t waste his time on such trivial matters.

“Silver?”

Meanwhile, a poor old beggar who had been begging along the street looked down at the silver coins beneath his feet, a joyful smile spreading across his face.

The last to awaken was Li Fugui.

After waking up and drinking two bowls of porridge, the boy’s complexion improved significantly. Outwardly, he appeared unchanged, and no Spirit Root had manifested within him. Chen Luo personally approached him and tried to teach him to read and write. To his surprise, Li Fugui had become remarkably intelligent, a stark contrast to his former self. It was as if his mind had been unlocked; he grasped written texts instantly, mastering in days what others struggled with for years. He could even compose his own essays.

This transformation left Butcher Li and his wife overjoyed.

Beyond his newfound intelligence, Li Fugui’s luck had also taken a turn for the better. Whenever he wanted to study, someone would offer him discarded books. When he expressed a desire to learn calligraphy, his family received a gift of brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone.

All seemingly unrelated events converged due to some peculiar force, ultimately transforming into fortunate occurrences that benefited him.

This pattern would have been impossible to discern from an involved perspective. Even an Immortal Cultivator would merely marvel at the child’s extraordinary luck and inherent blessings.

One after another, each person underwent a transformation.

The most noticeable change was their mental state. The darkness in their hearts had largely dissipated, replaced by unwavering confidence in the future. The secondary change was their luck. Some found money, while others won at gambling. The former was unremarkable, but the latter came at a cost. As they won, invisible energy rapidly drained away. Within half a day, the fortune they had gained during the Demonic Heart Tribulation was completely “won” away.

“Fortune.”

Chen Luo finally understood the meaning behind the Mummified Brain and the Demonic Heart Ancestor’s words.

These two brains, from their lofty perspectives in life, had glimpsed truths beyond the comprehension of Foundation Establishment and Core Formation cultivators. The remaining brains, like his own, based their judgments solely on their limited understanding.

“Is this the fortune the Hu Clan can perceive?”