Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

The next morning, Lin Feng was awakened by the voice of Master Yu Yuan.

It's not the argument outside, it's the argument inside my head.

"Hey kid, get up! The sun's already high in the sky!"

"How did you sleep last night? Have you figured it out yet? Become my disciple!"

"Let me tell you, back in my day I was..."

The voice rang directly in my mind, buzzing like a fly buzzing inside.

Lin Feng suddenly sat up, clutching his head, looking utterly devastated.

"Could you... could you please stop talking?"

He said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, you're awake?"

Master Yu Yuan's voice was tinged with smugness.

"This is me speaking to you using my spiritual sense; no one else can hear me. Pretty impressive, right? Want to learn? Become my disciple and I'll teach you..."

"I won't learn!"

Lin Feng jumped out of bed, rushed to the table, grabbed the silver ring, and said fiercely.

"I'll return it right now!"

"Go return it, go return it."

Master Yu Yuan's voice was completely indifferent.

"But let me warn you, that kid from the Zhao family probably doesn't want to see this ring right now."

Lin Feng ignored him, quickly finished washing up, put the ring away, and went downstairs.

Qinglong was already sitting downstairs, with the same cup of tea in front of him.

He changed into a dark gray cloth coat today, still looking as clean and neat as ever.

He nodded when he saw Lin Feng come down.

"Have breakfast first," he said.

Breakfast consisted of porridge, pickled vegetables, and two steamed buns.

Lin Feng ate quickly, the voice of Master Yu Yuan in his mind never stopping, incessantly recounting how glorious he was back then, how many elixirs he had refined, and how many important figures he had saved...

"Shut up!" Lin Feng couldn't help but whisper.

Qinglong looked up at him.

"N-nothing."

Lin Feng quickly lowered his head and started eating his porridge.

After finishing his meal, Lin Feng said goodbye to Qinglong and then went out.

According to what Qinglong said yesterday, the Zhao family's house is in the east of the city, and their largest residence is there.

Lin Feng was already somewhat familiar with the streets of Yuanyang County.

He crossed the main street and turned into a wide street. The houses on both sides were obviously more impressive than elsewhere, with high walls and large courtyards, and the vermilion gates were tightly closed.

Occasionally, a horse-drawn carriage would pass by, pulled by plump and strong horses, with silk curtains.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, Lin Feng saw a particularly large house.

The gate tower is tall with upturned eaves and corners, and two stone lions stand in front of it, majestic and imposing.

The vermilion gate was tightly shut, its copper nails gleaming in the sunlight.

Above the gate hangs a black plaque with gold lettering, bearing the two large characters: Zhao Mansion.

Impressive, truly impressive.

The most impressive house Lin Feng had ever seen in Hexi Town was Zhao Mingxuan's house, but compared to the one in front of him, Zhao's mansion looked like the yard of a nouveau riche.

He stood at the door, took a deep breath, walked forward, and knocked on the door knocker.

"Clang—Clang—"

The sound was muffled, echoing through the quiet street.

After a short while, the door opened a crack, and a servant dressed in gray cloth peeked out, looking Lin Feng up and down: "Who are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for Young Master Zhao Yan."

Lin Feng said,

"I found his things and came to return them to him."

The servant frowned: "Wait a moment."

The door closed again.

Lin Feng stood at the door, feeling somewhat uneasy.

He subconsciously touched the ring in his pocket; the ring was icy cold.

After a while, the door opened again.

This time the door was opened wider, and a figure appeared behind it.

It's Zhao Yan.

He was wearing a plain-colored long gown today, and his complexion was better than yesterday, but his eyes were bloodshot, so he didn't look like he had slept well.

He saw Lin Feng and paused for a moment, clearly not recognizing him as the child from the alleyway yesterday.

"Who are you?" Zhao Yan asked, his voice a little hoarse.

My name is Raymond Lam.

"I found your ring yesterday and have come to return it to you."

As he spoke, he took the silver ring out of his pocket and handed it over.

Zhao Yan's gaze fell on the ring, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

He didn't take it; instead, he took a step back, his face instantly turning pale.

"You…" He stared at Lin Feng, his eyes filled with complex emotions, "You found it?"

"Yes, it's in the alley."

Lin Feng honestly said,

"I saw you throw it away, and thinking it might be something important, I picked it up."

Zhao Yan remained silent for a long time.

He stared at the ring, his eyes filled with disgust, and a hint of... resentment.

Finally, he took a deep breath and slowly shook his head.

"This is not mine."

He said his voice was soft, but firm.

"Take it."

Lin Feng was stunned: "But..."

"I told you, it's not mine!"

Zhao Yan suddenly raised his voice, startling Lin Feng.

Realizing he had lost his temper, he lowered his voice and said, "Take it, do with it however you like, throw it away or sell it, just don't give it back to me."

After saying that, he slammed the door shut.

Lin Feng stood in front of the tightly closed door, still holding the ring in his hand, completely stunned.

Really...you really don't want it anymore?

The voice of Master Yu Yuan echoed in his mind, filled with smugness: "See? What did I tell you? He didn't want it, did he?"

Lin Feng ignored him and just stared blankly at the vermilion gate.

The copper nails on the door gleamed coldly in the sunlight, like indifferent eyes.

He stood there for a while, then slowly lowered his hand and put the ring back in his pocket.

He turned around and walked back.

My steps were somewhat heavy.

Master Yu Yuan's voice rang out again, this time with a persuasive tone: "Boy, do you believe me now? This ring is yours now. How about it, consider becoming my disciple? I'll teach you real skills, and I guarantee you won't be like that kid from the Zhao family, collapsing at the slightest trouble."

Lin Feng remained silent.

He walked back the way he came, his mind a jumbled mess.

Zhao Yan's pale face and disgusted eyes replayed in my mind again and again.

What's wrong with this ring?

Why is Master Yu Yuan in the ring?

He didn't understand.

"Kid, forget about it."

Master Yu Yuan's voice softened.

"Some things you may not understand now, but you will understand later. What you need to do now is seize the opportunity. I have been asleep for five hundred years and have finally met the right person. Don't waste this chance."

"What opportunity?"

Lin Feng finally spoke, his voice muffled.

"Opportunities for alchemy, opportunities for cultivation, opportunities to become stronger!"

Master Yu Yuan spoke with a firm and powerful voice.

"Let me tell you, in this world, it's a dog-eat-dog world. If you're strong, others will respect and fear you. If you're weak, others will trample on and bully you. Isn't that kid from the Zhao family a living example?"

Lin Feng remained silent.

He recalled Zhao Yan smashing the wall, the woman's arrogant gaze, and Qinglong's words about going from genius to a laughingstock.

Indeed, it's terrible.

But he still didn't want to become an apprentice.

It's not that I don't believe in Master Yu Yuan's abilities, but... something just doesn't feel right.

His father had said that anything that seems too good to be true is usually a trap.

"I will not become an apprentice."

Lin Feng repeated himself, this time with a firmer tone.

"I'll keep the ring for now, but I won't become an apprentice. If you're willing, you can stay in the ring; if not, then... then find someone else."

Master Yu Yuan remained silent.

Lin Feng thought he was angry, but after a while, a sigh echoed in his mind.

"Alright, I won't pressure you."

Master Yu Yuan's voice sounded somewhat helpless.

"But keep the ring safe, you never know when you might need it. As for the matter of becoming an apprentice... we'll talk about that later."

Lin Feng nodded, feeling relieved.

He quickened his pace and returned to the pleasure quarters.

Qinglong was still sitting downstairs. When he saw him return, he looked up at him.

"Did you return it?" Qinglong asked.

Lin Feng shook his head and recounted what had happened.

After listening, Qinglong showed no expression, simply nodding: "Since he doesn't want it, you can keep it."

He went upstairs to his room, took out the ring, and placed it on the table.

The ring lay quietly, ordinary and silent, showing no sign that a seventh-grade alchemist from five hundred years ago resided within it.

Lin Feng stared at it for a long time, and finally found a small cloth bag, put it in, and stuffed it into the bottom of the bundle.

Out of sight, out of mind.

After doing all that, he lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling.

The sunlight outside the window was lovely, and the faint sounds of vendors hawking their wares drifted in from the street.

And so began the second day in Yuanyang County.

But Lin Feng knew that some things had changed.

He found a ring with an old man inside. The old man wanted to take him as his apprentice.

And all of this is just the beginning.

At the very bottom of the bundle, in that small cloth bag, the silver ring was slightly warm.

Yu Yuan Zhenren's voice did not ring out, but he knew that the old man was listening, watching, and waiting.

Waiting for the day he changes his mind.

Lin Feng turned over and closed his eyes.

That day may never come.

Perhaps, it will come soon.

Who knows?