"All of you, shut up!"
The seventy-year-old gardener suddenly roared at those around him.
This man had always been good-natured his entire life, and his sudden outburst truly startled many people.
Then, the old gardener excitedly leaned forward.
Seeing this, Yang Fei frowned and stepped forward, intending to stop the old gardener. However, before Yang Fei could act, the old gardener stopped, his movements halting, and he crouched down with difficulty.
Upon seeing the old gardener, Duan Chenyang, who had been wearing a ferocious, resentful, and ugly expression, gradually returned to normal.
Duan Chenyang stared directly into the old gardener's cloudy, aged eyes.
"Uncle Wang..."
Duan Chenyang's previously sealed voice, somehow, could now be heard with difficulty.
"Young Master, it really is you!"
Hearing Duan Chenyang's voice, the old gardener cried out excitedly. His half-crouched posture swayed with emotion, nearly causing him to fall face-first!
Seeing this, Duan Chenyang quickly stepped forward to support the old gardener!
Yang Fei had intended to intervene, but seeing Duan Chenyang's now more peaceful demeanor, Yang Fei was suddenly touched. He shook his head and remained a bystander.
Ling Feng, while administering acupuncture, also noticed Duan Chenyang's actions. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and his movements became even faster.
"Cough cough!"
Bai Yunyan coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of blood and phlegm, before sinking back into unconsciousness.
As this mouthful of blood splattered onto the ground, it was quickly washed away by the rain.
Ling Feng scooped up Bai Yunyan, while Lin Shuainan and the others quickly dodged.
But at this moment, Uncle Lin, who had been sitting in meditation, suddenly widened his eyes: "What's going on? The geomantic pattern has changed!"
He abruptly stood up from the ground, his compass spinning rapidly in his hand. Soon, he walked over to Ling Feng and the others. Glancing down at the bloodstains on the ground, Uncle Lin let out a surprised cry.
"This blood is poisonous!"
Lin Shuainan nodded blankly: "Yes, it is poisonous!"
"Uncle, since you know the blood is poisonous, don't get too close! Don't get poisoned!"
Lin Shuainan instinctively pulled Uncle Lin back.
But Uncle Lin waved his hand and slapped the back of Lin Shuainan's head.
"Haha, you know nothing, kid! Blood of a hundred poisons gathered is an ultimate yin and malevolent substance! The five elements are inverted, yin and yang are indistinguishable, life force dissipates, a dire predicament!"
"I originally thought my pure yang blood could harmonize the yang energy and restore the five elements. But with this torrential rain, the yang energy is scattered. My basin of blood was wasted. That pains me!"
"But now it's better. With the blood of a hundred poisons gathered, the yin energy rises, yin and yang are separated, and there's hope for restoring the five elements. Brat, quickly follow me to set up the formation!"
Uncle Lin was extremely excited. Holding his compass, he kicked Lin Shuainan's backside, signaling him to collect the poisonous blood on the ground!
Lin Shuainan knew that this was their chance to survive. He quickly picked up the broken bowl that had previously held cinnabar, rinsed it clean in the rain, and began collecting the bloodstains.
"Tsk tsk, only half a bowl!"
Lin Shuainan seemed to feel that he had collected too little. He looked back at Bai Yunyan, his eyes filled with ill intent!
Seeing this, Ba Yilan quickly stepped in front of Bai Yunyan.
"Brother-in-arms, what are you doing?"
"Heh heh, Sister Lan, don't stop me. Big Brother, look, although my White Daddy isn't plump and fair, he definitely has a lot of blood. This poisonous blood is useless, why not give me some?"
Lin Shuainan held up the broken bowl and approached, a wicked grin on his face.
Everyone naturally felt something was amiss, but what Lin Shuainan said at this moment actually sounded quite reasonable.
However, the only response Lin Shuainan received was a glare from Ling Feng.
"Scram!"
"Hey, alright!"
Lin Shuainan quickly scurried away, shrinking his neck...
Ling Feng handed Bai Yunyan, whom he was holding, to Xiuxiu and Ba Yilan to care for, and then walked towards the gathering crowd.
At this moment, everyone had already surrounded Duan Chenyang, clearly extremely curious about his situation.
The old gardener, his aged eyes filled with tears, excitedly gripped Duan Chenyang's hand.
"Young Master, you... you've gotten old!"
Hearing this, Duan Chenyang's face showed a self-mocking smile. He shook his head and also smiled, "Heh heh, Uncle Wang, you're seventy this year, and I'm almost fifty!"
"Fifty, alas, fifty years have passed in the blink of an eye. I was at the Duan family when I was six. The master found me a wife when I was twenty-two. I remember it clearly! It was also that year that you, Young Master, were born!"
The old gardener fell into memories, mumbling incessantly.
Duan Chenyang, on the other hand, had completely lost his previous ferocity. He simply smiled and nodded continuously at the old gardener.
"Yes, I'm three years older than your son, Little Niu. I grew up under your watch, Uncle Wang..."
"Little Niu... alas, my fate is unfortunate!"
Suddenly, the old gardener broke down in tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Little Niu died in a car accident in Huashi two years ago, and then my wife passed away! Alas, I came to the Duan family alone, and now, I am the only one left in the Duan family!"
Looking at the old gardener's extreme grief.
The malevolent aura on Duan Chenyang's face gathered once more.
"Little Niu is dead? And Auntie Wang has also passed away?"
The old gardener stopped crying, shook his head, and sighed, "Alas, it's all in the past. For the past two years, I've felt life was increasingly meaningless. When I was young, I thought the Duan family was vast, with many places I couldn't enter. Now... the Duan family is too small, it has trapped me for a lifetime, preventing me from leaving!"
Duan Chenyang's face had become contorted.
"Uncle Wang, it's all this damned Duan family. I've returned today to destroy it!"
"Ah? Young Master, what did you say?"
The old gardener still didn't understand that everything happening now was Duan Chenyang's doing!
"Uncle Wang, don't be afraid. With me here, I will absolutely ensure your safety! In this Duan family, you are the only one who still acknowledges me. I will let you live out your days in peace!"
As Duan Chenyang finished speaking, he stood up.
"Crouch down!"
Yang Fei's expression was extremely grim as he issued a chilling command.
He had initially thought that the old gardener could resolve Duan Chenyang's malevolence, but he hadn't expected that due to the old gardener's tragic fate, Duan Chenyang's malevolence would instead intensify.
However, this time, Duan Chenyang paid no heed to Yang Fei's sharp rebuke.
Instead, he snorted coldly, "Hmph, do you think their actions are useful? Even if heavenly secrets are leaked, allowing you to obtain the blood of a hundred poisons gathered, the formation to invert the five elements, there is still a layer of feng shui calamity beneath it!"
"If you want to survive, you have to ask me first!"
Duan Chenyang was exceedingly arrogant, ignoring Yang Fei beside him and fixing his gaze directly on Ling Feng.
Clearly, Duan Chenyang was also well aware that Ling Feng was the only one present who held absolute authority.
Ling Feng's expression was indifferent, and he coldly questioned, "How will you proceed?"