Chapter 16: Butterfly Effect?

Lie Zhanfeng sat cross-legged on the wooden stool in the dimly lit kitchen, his sharp gaze fixed on the three storage rings he had taken from the attackers. The weight of his spoils felt satisfying in his palm, and his lips curled into a mischievous grin.

“Let’s see what you're hiding,” he muttered to himself as he activated his spiritual sense.

The first ring belonged to one of the men in black. As his spiritual sense probed, Lie Zhanfeng saw an array of items: a total of 212 spirit stones, a few lower-grade medicinal plants, and assorted mundane tools.

"Not bad," he murmured.

The second man’s ring yielded 375 spirit stones, bringing the combined total to 587 spirit stones. There were also some crude weapons and other miscellaneous items, but nothing too noteworthy.

Lie Zhanfeng chuckled softly. “This is already better than I expected.”

His attention turned to the third ring—the one taken from the store manager. The second his spiritual sense entered, his eyes widened. The first thing he noticed was the shimmering pile of 5,432 spirit stones.

“Holy—!” He slapped his thigh in excitement. “If I add the stones from the other rings, that’s a total of 6,019 spirit stones! Hahaha!”

His glee bubbled over as he leaned back, almost tipping the stool. “Robbery is seriously this profitable? Maybe I’ve been in the wrong line of work this whole time!”

After calming his excitement, Lie Zhanfeng continued to explore the ring. Among the contents were four fire talismans, several spiritual herbs—13 in total—and an assortment of minor sundries. The sheer value of the herbs made his breath hitch.

“I’ve hit the jackpot!” he exclaimed, his voice a hushed whisper in case the boy stirred in the next room. “I’m rich!”

However, his joy was short-lived as he stumbled upon a set of five message stones tucked into the corner of the storage ring. His brow furrowed, and curiosity replaced his excitement. With careful precision, he activated the first stone.

The recording played directly in his mind. It detailed the shopkeeper’s business dealings—transactions and agreements written with a cold indifference. Lie Zhanfeng’s expression darkened as the truth unfolded.

“So, they weren’t just petty criminals…” he muttered. “Buying spiritual plants at fair prices only to rob and murder their sellers later?”

As he sifted through the messages, one caught his attention—it documented Lie Zhanfeng's escape from their last attempted capture.

Lie Zhanfeng’s jaw tightened. “No wonder they were so desperate to kill me back there…”

But it was the final stone that sent a chill down his spine. This message contained correspondence between the shopkeeper and another individual. The first message read:

“Make sure to deal with that trash. Do whatever you want with him.”

The shopkeeper’s reply followed:

“Understood, Young Master Rong.”

Lie Zhanfeng’s fists clenched, his knuckles white. His usually easygoing expression darkened like a brewing storm.

“So they were targeting that kid…” he whispered, his gaze flickering toward the closed door of the room where Xie Dongyi slept. “Young Master Rong, huh?”

The Next Morning

As the first rays of dawn filtered through the wooden shutters, Xie Dongyi stirred awake. His movements were slow, and his face still bore signs of fatigue, but there was a slight color to his cheeks.

Lie Zhanfeng, sitting by the small table, smiled at him. “How do you feel? Better?”

Xie Dongyi nodded, his voice soft but firm. “Much better. Thank you for saving me.”

Lie Zhanfeng waved his hand dismissively. “No need to thank me yet. We need to talk.”

Lie Zhanfeng leaned back slightly, studying Xie Dongyi with a thoughtful expression. “Do you know someone named Young Master Rong?”

The question came out of nowhere, and Xie Dongyi’s brows furrowed. He didn’t answer immediately, narrowing his eyes as if trying to gauge Lie Zhanfeng’s intent. “Why are you asking me that?”

Lie Zhanfeng hesitated for a moment, then decided to explain. “I found a message stone on the shopkeeper. It mentioned someone named Young Master Rong. Apparently, he’s the one who ordered the shopkeeper to deal with you.”

Xie Dongyi’s expression darkened, and a cold light flickered in his gaze. “So, it was him,” he muttered, his voice sharp. “Rong Qi. He’s an admirer of my cousin, Xie Ruyue.” He paused, his lips curling into a bitter smile.

Lie Zhanfeng’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Xie Ruyue. Isn’t she the female lead from the novel? The realization sent a wave of unease through him, but he quickly masked it.

Feigning calmness, Lie Zhanfeng asked, “And you? What’s your name, by the way?”

“Xie Dongyi,” the boy said simply, though his tone carried a weight that seemed far beyond his years.

Lie Zhanfeng froze for a moment, his mind racing. Xie Dongyi?! He was the person Lie Zhanfeng had been searching for! But, something isn't right.

In the novel, Xie Dongyi was supposed to still be in the Xie Family estate, enduring his torment in silence. Yet here he was, far from home, wounded and hunted. Had Lie Zhanfeng’s arrival caused a butterfly effect?

A thousand questions swirled in his mind, but one thing was clear: This wasn’t supposed to happen. At least, not yet.

Lie Zhanfeng struggled to mask his astonishment. He stared at Xie Dongyi, his thoughts a tangled mess of disbelief and concern. What on earth is going on? According to the novel, Xie Dongyi was meant to rise as the tragic villain much later, broken and vengeful after years of suffering.

Yet here he was now, wounded, on the run, and clearly already embroiled in troubles that shouldn’t have come his way yet.

“Xie Dongyi, huh?” Lie Zhanfeng said, forcing a casual tone. He rubbed his chin, pretending to be deep in thought. “Never heard of you before.”

Xie Dongyi gave him a curious glance, but his guarded nature didn’t let it linger. “That’s not surprising. My name doesn’t carry much weight outside the Xie Family.”

Lie Zhanfeng almost snorted at the irony. Doesn’t carry much weight? In the novel, Xie Dongyi would grow into one of the most feared figures in the cultivation world. But right now, looking at the frail boy before him, Lie Zhanfeng couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Clearing his throat, Lie Zhanfeng leaned forward. “So, this Rong Qi... What’s his deal? Why would he go so far as to target you?”

Xie Dongyi’s lips pressed into a thin line, and a flicker of anger crossed his usual cold face. “Rong Qi is arrogant, obsessed with my cousin, and utterly despicable. He looks down on me because my cultivation is mediocre and thinks I stain the Xie Family’s reputation. He’s been trying to get rid of me for years, but until now, he didn’t have the gall to act openly.”

Lie Zhanfeng nodded, his fingers tapping the table as he processed the information. So Rong Qi’s obsession with Xie Ruyue is already driving him to extremes. That matches the novel’s timeline, at least.

“Your cousin,” Lie Zhanfeng said cautiously, “Xie Ruyue... She’s close to you?”

Xie Dongyi’s voice carried a faint bitterness. “Close? Hardly. She knows how to play her cards well, always sweet and perfect. But to her, I’m just... insignificant.”

Lie Zhanfeng’s heart twisted. Insignificant? This boy had no idea he was one of the pivotal characters in the novel, his tragic life shaping the story’s entire trajectory.

Lie Zhanfeng’s gaze softened, but he kept his tone light. “Well, I wouldn’t call you insignificant. You seem to have plenty of people’s attention—unfortunately, the wrong kind.”

Xie Dongyi’s eyes flickered with a mix of confusion and wariness. “Why do you care?”

Lie Zhanfeng grinned, his usual easygoing demeanor returning. “Call it curiosity. I’ve got a nose for trouble, and you, kid, are swimming in it.”

Xie Dongyi didn’t respond immediately, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighed. “If you want to know the full story, I don’t have much to tell. My parents disappeared years ago, and ever since, the Xie Family has treated me like a burden. They tolerate my presence because it would look bad if they abandoned me outright. But people like Rong Qi? They’ve always been waiting for an excuse to get rid of me.” He paused, frowning as the words left his mouth. Why was he saying all this? Perhaps it was the rare feeling of being truly listened to, or maybe it was Lie Zhanfeng’s disarming honesty that made it hard to keep his guard up. Either way, it was unsettling—and frustrating.

Lie Zhanfeng clenched his fists under the table, anger bubbling in his chest. How can they treat their own blood like this? He thought back to the novel’s depiction of the Xie Family—cold, power-hungry, and quick to cast aside anything they deemed useless... Just like the Han family where the original owner came from.

“Sounds rough,” Lie Zhanfeng said, his voice unusually soft. “But you’re still here. That says something.”

Xie Dongyi glanced at him, a flicker of surprise in his usually cold eyes. “What are you trying to say?”

Lie Zhanfeng smirked. “Just that you’ve got more guts than most people I know. Surviving this long in a family like that? That’s impressive.”

For a moment, Xie Dongyi didn’t know how to respond. Compliments weren’t something he was accustomed to, and he wasn’t sure if Lie Zhanfeng was being genuine.

Before he could overthink it, Lie Zhanfeng stood up, stretching with an exaggerated groan. “Anyway, we’ve got bigger fish to fry. If this Rong Qi guy is gunning for you, we’ll need to figure out how to deal with him.”

Xie Dongyi frowned. “We? You’ve already helped me enough. This isn’t your problem.”

Lie Zhanfeng rolled his eyes. “Kid, you really think I’m gonna walk away after what I saw in those message stones? Besides, I’ve got a personal grudge against that shopkeeper and his goons. Might as well settle all our scores at once.” Lie Zhanfeng added matter-of-factly, “The friend of my enemy is also my enemy.”

Xie Dongyi stared at him, a mix of confusion and reluctant gratitude flickering across his face. “You’re... strange.”

Lie Zhanfeng laughed, the sound light and carefree. “Takes one to know one, kid.”

The banter lightened the mood, but as Lie Zhanfeng turned away, his grin faded. His thoughts were still racing, trying to piece together the discrepancies between the novel’s events and what he was witnessing now.

Something’s changed, he thought, his brows furrowing. And I need to figure out what, or this story’s going to unravel in ways I can’t predict.

Despite his doubts, one thing was clear: he couldn’t let Xie Dongyi face this alone. Whether it was fate, coincidence, or the butterfly effect of his own presence, Lie Zhanfeng was determined to see this through.