Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 496 Ominous Signs, Revelation, and the Development of the Illuminati
In the kitchen, the morning sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating two figures.

A person stood in front of the kitchen counter, eyes downcast, gazing at the freshly rinsed rice porridge, fingers still glistening with water droplets.

A man leaned against the table, holding a water glass, his brow furrowed, seemingly lost in thought.

The room was quiet for a few seconds, with only the monotonous ticking of the wall clock.

Lin Chuqiao took a deep breath, as if trying to calm her heavy emotions.

"Although I can't see the image clearly, based on common sense, it is very likely a very bad omen."

"This foreshadows Fang Cheng's near-death experience, his descent into darkness, leaving only a glimmer of light and a slim chance of survival."

After saying that, she stopped what she was doing and turned around to look at the person at the table.

"This situation... is not necessarily a bad omen."

Ye Zhiren pondered in a low voice, trying to find a reasonable explanation to comfort the other party:

"Perhaps it's just interference causing the image to distort..."

"Professor, stop lying to yourself."

Lin Chuqiao gave a wry smile and interrupted him:

"I have never encountered a similar situation since I awakened my abilities."

“In the past, when predicting other people’s fate, even if there were variables, there would be images with clear meaning.”

"The worst-case scenario is that the scene is blurry or obscured by fog, making it difficult to see the details."

"But it will never be this kind of... pure darkness and nothingness."

She raised her eyes, her gaze fixed intently on Ye Zhiren:
“Now Fang Cheng’s fortune has undergone such an extreme change, and you just admitted that you did not use the ‘Formless Barrier’ to cover up the secrets of heaven for him.”

"Doesn't this prove that person... has already made their move?"

Seeing Ye Zhiren remain silent, Lin Chuqiao raised her voice and presented her most compelling argument:

"Especially after absorbing the blood rain in Misty Mountain, my abilities have made a breakthrough and I am no longer the same as before. I can even get a glimpse of the mental abilities of the same level."

“When you and Crow were in that village before, even though the ‘Shadowless Barrier’ concealed your whereabouts and appearance, I was able to indirectly see the scene around the altar by predicting Xuanzhen, an S-level mental ability user.”

"Therefore, the dark scene that Fang Cheng saw this time was definitely not just a simple interference."

Although Lin Chuqiao's voice was not loud, it conveyed a sense of determination:
"This means that the only variable, the only chance of survival, lies within me."

"Perhaps only by taking the initiative to get involved can I help him break free from this predetermined fate."

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhiren fell into a long silence.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his temples.

Faced with Lin Chuqiao's rigorous logical deduction and dangerous prediction, his original stance began to waver.

"professor."

Lin Chuqiao seized the opportunity and lowered her stance:
"As long as you don't tell and I don't tell, Fang Cheng won't know about this."

"Once I sense danger, I will immediately notify you and him. Then we can work together to figure out a way to deal with it. It's much better than being caught off guard and passively dealing with it."

Outside the door, Fang Cheng, who had just heard this, frowned slightly and his eyes flickered.

His fingers, hanging by his sides, clenched slightly; he had chosen not to remain a mere listener.

He strode to the study door and pushed it open.

"Squeak-"

A soft sound, unusually clear in the quiet corridor, instantly broke the heavy atmosphere in the study.

The two people talking inside immediately turned around upon hearing the sound.

When Ye Zhiren saw Fang Cheng standing at the door, his hand holding his glasses froze for a moment, and he looked slightly embarrassed.

Lin Chuqiao's eyes widened in panic, and she instinctively straightened her body.

Like a child caught doing something wrong behind their parents' back, their fingers were unnaturally twisted together.

"Cheng-ge...you're back from your morning exercise?"

Fang Cheng walked into the room, still carrying the scent of evaporating sweat.

He first glanced at Ye Zhiren, then his gaze fell on Lin Chuqiao.

There was no scolding or questioning, just a calm gaze upon her.

But that gaze carried more weight than any words, causing Lin Chuqiao's resolute aura to vanish without a trace in an instant.

"Use you as bait to trade for my safety?"

Fang Cheng slowly shook his head, his face darkening, displaying a seriousness he had never shown before:

"What kind of solution is this? Lin Chuqiao, you'd better get rid of this idea right now."

"I'm not acting as bait, I'm confident..."

Lin Chuqiao wanted to argue, but when she met Fang Cheng's gaze, her voice grew softer and softer, sounding somewhat unsure of herself.

"In the eyes of a monster who sees people as worthless, the words 'aristocratic family' are no more important than a piece of waste paper."

Fang Cheng walked up to her, his tall figure casting a shadow that enveloped her.

Then, looking into her eyes, he said, word by word:

"In my life, I, Fang Cheng, have never fallen to the point where I need to let my woman stand in front of me and bear the risks."

“You are a member of the Illuminati, my comrade, not a bargaining chip to be sacrificed, do you understand?”

The five words "my own woman," without any fancy embellishment, were like a heavy hammer blow, instantly shattering all of Lin Chuqiao's psychological defenses.

Her tense body instantly went limp, her heart pounded in her chest, and two uncontrollable blushes rose on her cheeks.

He had prepared a whole host of rebuttals, but now he couldn't utter a single word.

Fang Cheng didn't look at her again, but turned to look at Ye Zhiren, his eyes carrying a hint of warning:
"Professor, I don't want such a ridiculous suggestion to happen again."

Yeh Chih-jen smiled wryly, put his glasses back on, and replied:

"Don't worry, President. Chu Qiao is my junior, and I don't want her to take any risks. Since you've spoken, this matter will naturally be dropped."

He hesitated for a moment because he was left with no other choice after Lin Chuqiao's words.

Seeing Fang Cheng's attitude at this moment, he felt relieved.

Seeing Ye Zhiren's stance, Fang Cheng's expression softened somewhat.

However, the atmosphere in the room remained somewhat stiff.

Lin Chuqiao lowered her head and fidgeted with her fingers, her expression revealing neither shyness nor lingering fear, completely lacking her usual poise and confidence.

To break the awkward silence, Ye Zhiren coughed lightly and took the initiative to comfort her:

"Actually, the situation may not be as bad as Chu Qiao thinks."

"Based on my understanding of that person, he is extremely arrogant. In his worldview, unless you are considered by him to be a 'strong enemy' of equal strength, he will not even bother to look at you."

"In his view, the failure of this operation was perhaps just a trivial accident."

Ye Zhiren paused for a moment, then analyzed from a rational perspective:
"It's like tripping over a pebble on the road. You might feel annoyed, but you just kick the pebble away. You would never stop to study its composition just because of that pebble."

"Therefore, even if he wanted to retaliate, he would most likely only send other experts under his command to settle the score."

"After all, that person claims to be a god among mortals, and gods don't descend easily for the sake of mortals."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly, neither confirming nor denying it.

"That being said..."

Lin Chuqiao raised her head. Although she no longer insisted on her previous plan, the worry in her eyes had not completely disappeared.
"But the 'ideal land' is full of hidden talents, and even the experts sent out should not be underestimated." "When soldiers come, we will meet them head-on; when water comes, we will dam it. For me, the so-called crisis may not be an opportunity."

Fang Cheng's lips curled slightly, revealing a meaning that outsiders could not understand:

"Perfect timing, I need a few hard enough whetstones to hone my skills."

His gaze swept over the two people in front of him, his tone calm yet exuding a powerful and unhurried confidence:

"As the leader of the Illuminati, are you unwilling to trust me as the president?"

The skill breakthroughs during his morning training gave Fang Cheng a deeper understanding of martial arts and a new awareness of his own potential.

As long as the unfathomable leader of the idealistic land doesn't personally come, he's confident he can challenge the other so-called elite cadres.

Lin Chuqiao opened her mouth, but ultimately swallowed back the words of dissuasion that were on the tip of her tongue.

Looking at the man's resolute face, the anxiety and unease in her heart were inexplicably replaced by a sense of security.

Since he's already said that, insisting on it would only show a lack of trust in his abilities.

"I trust you……"

Lin Chuqiao lowered her head, her voice muffled, and the blush on her cheeks had not yet faded.

Fang Cheng didn't want to dwell on this topic any longer, so he looked up at the bright sunshine outside the window.

Then he said in a deep voice:

"After observing for the past few days, the Chen family has remained calm, indicating that they have no intention of taking action for the time being. We should also make preparations and set off back to Dongdu."

"So urgent?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhiren appeared slightly surprised and said:

"The situation here has just stabilized, shouldn't we observe it for a while longer?"

"There are still many things to deal with in Dongdu, and... we can't just stay here and wait passively."

Fang Cheng walked to the window, his gaze passing through the lush treetops, as if he could see the vast Chen family manor in the distance.

"But before I leave, there is one last thing I need to take care of."

He turned around, his eyes sharpening, his tone revealing a ruthless decisiveness:
"We must clean up the mess left by the Chen family. We not only need to help Chen Xu'an solidify his position as the head of the family, but also take this opportunity to reorganize the underground forces in the entire Tiannan Province and completely transform them into the first sphere of influence of our Illuminati."

"after all……"

Fang Cheng's lips curled into a smile:
“He is the future moneybag of our ‘Illuminati’. This cash cow must not fall or grow crooked.”

Ye Zhiren nodded in deep agreement, a glint of shrewdness flashing behind his glasses:
"Actually, the reason I came here today is to discuss with you, Chairman, the specific terms of the subsequent in-depth cooperation with the Chen family."

"Since you've proposed building a base in Tiannan Province, then the rules need to be established in advance."

Lin Chuqiao looked at Fang Cheng, who was strategizing and making overall decisions, and her previously anxious heart was temporarily relieved.

She took a deep breath, regaining her usual competence:

"Understood, I'll contact Chen Xu'an right away to finalize the meeting time and the final handover arrangements."

After saying that, he quickly walked towards the living room to make a phone call.

Watching her turn and leave, Fang Cheng sighed silently in his heart.

Although I am not very sensitive in matters of the heart, I am not a block of wood.

He remembered Lin Chuqiao's heartfelt willingness to risk her life for him.

But right now, the most important thing is not romance, but to continue becoming stronger.

Only by becoming stronger can we live up to this trust and protect those around us.

Only the two of them remained in the study.

Fang Cheng turned his head and looked at Ye Zhiren, who was taking a sip of water, a hint of inquiry in his eyes:
"Professor, after we return to Dongdu, there are some things I would like to ask you about regarding spiritual cultivation."

Ye Zhiren was slightly taken aback upon hearing this and put down his water glass.

Although somewhat curious as to why Fang Cheng suddenly brought this up, he nodded without hesitation:
"Of course, if the president wants to learn, I will gladly impart all the knowledge I have in this old body."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly and said nothing more.

He made this request because he remembered the premonition that Lin Chuqiao had described before.

That boundless, dark void, where only a lone star burns.

For Lin Chuqiao, it might be a bad omen.

But for Fang Cheng, this is more like an inspiration.

Perhaps it's time to try a different approach to some of the cultivation problems that once puzzled him.

If the mystery can be solved, it will have an immeasurable impact not only on Fang Cheng's own martial arts, but also on the future development of the Illuminati.

..............................

For the next four days, Cuicheng appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents were surging beneath.

Under the covert deterrent of the Illuminati's military power, Chen Xu'an swiftly eliminated the last remaining dissent within his family with ruthless measures.

Those collateral forces and rival families that were originally observing the situation instantly became as docile as lambs after witnessing the mysterious disappearance of several troublemakers.

With this, the turbulent situation involving the Chen family in Tiannan Province was finally brought to a complete end.

In the underground world of this border province, Chen Xu'an's reputation as the "iron-fisted patriarch" spread like wildfire.

Only a very small number of people in the inner circle know what kind of terrifying shadows stand behind the position of the head of the family.

After cleaning up all the mess, it was time for Fang Cheng and the others to leave.

Noon, inside the vacation villa.

The luggage had already been packed and neatly stacked in the entryway.

The living room, which was originally full of life, now looks somewhat empty.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber as everyone sat on the sofa.

According to the plan, they should have left for the airport half an hour ago to fly directly to Dongdu.

But just before they were about to leave, Chen Xu'an suddenly called, his tone sincere and urgent, pleading with them to stay a little longer.

They said they would come in person to see him off and would also bring a small gift.

This wait lasted forty minutes.

"Tsk, what's this second young master of the Chen family up to?"

Pan Wendi slumped listlessly in the armchair, glanced at the limited-edition Patek Philippe watch on her wrist, and couldn't help but complain:

"If you don't leave now, even private jets will have to reschedule their routes. Why can't we just say it over the phone? Why go through all this unnecessary farewell?"

"They probably can't bear to part with us."

Bai Ling sat cross-legged on the carpet, playing a game on Pan Wendi's phone, and replied without looking up:
"After all, we saved their whole family's lives, so it's normal for them to want to thank us in person."

"Thank you my ass. I think he's just trying to take this opportunity to curry favor with our Illuminati."

Pan Wendi pursed her lips, grabbed an apple from the table, and took a big bite:
"These scions of aristocratic families have been fond of playing power games since childhood in order to seize power and profit; they are very cunning."

These words make it sound as if he himself has forgotten that he also comes from a prominent family.

Fang Cheng sat upright on the sofa, holding a magazine in his hands, his expression calm.

He didn't respond to Pan Wendi's words, his mind preoccupied with the many things he needed to take care of after returning to Dongdu.

(End of this chapter)