Chapter Forty-Nine: I Have My Own Plan

Li Xinhui carefully handed the phone to Lin Yi, saying, “Sir, your call.”

He was shrewd enough to switch the phone to speaker mode, just in case Lin Yi tried to fool him.

Lin Yi glanced at Li Xinhui without saying much, then took the phone.

“Hello, is this Mr. Lin?” Yao Likun’s voice trembled with fear.

“Yes,” Lin Yi replied calmly.

Yao Likun’s eyes widened instantly—there was no mistaking that voice. Hearing it sent a chill down his spine.

Li Xinhui, that fool, was reckless enough to provoke Mr. Lin, when even Yao himself would rather hide than confront him. If Li Xinhui ended up dead, he would have only himself to blame.

“Mr. Lin, I’ve already fired Li Xinhui,” Yao Likun said, ingratiating himself.

“You’re smart,” Lin Yi chuckled lightly, then tossed the phone back to Li Xinhui. “Your young master wants you fired.”

Li Xinhui’s eyes grew vacant. He had poured so much effort into his work, climbing step by step to his current position. Now, all that hard work was wiped out, simply because he’d offended one person.

He couldn’t accept it.

But this Mr. Lin, whose very presence made even Yao’s tone cautious—more careful than he’d ever been with any boss—was not someone to challenge.

Soon, Li Xinhui’s eyes lit up again. He pleaded, “Mr. Lin, please forgive me.”

To untie the bell, one must find the person who tied it. If he could earn Lin Yi’s forgiveness, perhaps even build a rapport, his career might still have hope.

Li Xinhui’s calculations were astute, but Lin Yi shook his head. “I’m not angry, so there’s nothing to forgive. It was Yao Likun who fired you. Talking to me won’t help.”

“It will, it will! Mr. Lin, just a word from you, and Young Master Yao will listen,” Li Xinhui insisted.

Lin Yi said nothing more.

Angel glared at Li Xinhui and snapped, “Shut up immediately! Do you know who Mr. Lin is? If you say one more word, there won’t be a place for you anywhere in Jiang Province.”

She was just trying to scare him a bit. She knew Lin Yi’s temperament well—unless one crossed the line, he generally left room for others. But if his bottom line was breached, no background or influence could save you.

Li Xinhui gave a bitter smile, his eyes dull. He couldn’t tell if Angel’s words were true or false, but he didn’t dare to gamble.

Soon after, the plane took off.

...

Miao Territory, Xiang City.

Lin Yi gazed at the dramatically changed Xiang City, feeling a subtle wave of nostalgia.

Fifty years had passed—everything was different now.

“Miao Caifeng.”

Lin Yi murmured the name. He hadn’t expected that this naïve, foolish girl would wait for him for more than fifty years.

And he hadn’t even granted her a single meeting.

“Well then, let me do one last thing for you—let me protect your hometown,” Lin Yi sighed softly.

“Mr. Lin, what’s wrong?” Angel asked, puzzled. It was the first time she’d seen such a weary, aged expression on Lin Yi’s face.

“Nothing. Let’s go. We’ll head straight to Phoenix Mountain,” Lin Yi shook his head.

“Don’t you need a guide, Mr. Lin? The terrain in Phoenix Mountain is complicated, the climate unpredictable, and there’s often heavy fog. We’re going in without any preparation...” Angel was worried.

“No need. I know this place well.”

Though fifty years had passed, for Lin Yi it was as if he’d only taken a brief nap.

“Alright.”

Angel trusted Lin Yi unconditionally. Whenever something seemed impossible, Lin Yi always brought surprise.

They flagged down a taxi, and the driver asked, “Where are you headed?”

“Phoenix Mountain,” Angel replied.

“Why is everyone going to Phoenix Mountain lately? I’ve made five trips there today. Hey, beautiful lady, is there some treasure up there?” the driver asked curiously.

“I don’t know. We’re just following others,” Angel replied with a smile.

The driver didn’t dwell on it. “Twenty yuan to Phoenix Mountain, but I can only take you within two kilometers of the foot. The rest you’ll have to walk.”

“Why?” Angel asked.

“There’s a long stretch of rocky road—too many sharp stones. It’s hard to drive through,” the driver explained.

“Oh.”

Angel wasn’t unreasonable.

They got in the car, and half an hour later the driver dropped them off, reminding them, “There might be heavy fog in the mountains today. If you really want to go to Phoenix Mountain, it’s better to wait until tomorrow. If you get lost in the fog, it’s hard to find your way out.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Angel replied with a smile.

The driver grinned foolishly, thinking how pretty the girl was.

Once the driver left, Lin Yi and Angel began walking towards Phoenix Mountain.

As they reached the foot of the mountain, thick fog began to rise, visibility reduced to less than two meters.

The place was odd. Angel took out her phone to try and navigate, but there was no signal at all.

“Mr. Lin, this place is strange,” Angel said.

Lin Yi nodded. When he’d first visited Phoenix Mountain years ago, he’d sensed something unusual.

There was a natural array here—ever-changing and unpredictable. The erratic climate was Phoenix Mountain’s self-protective mechanism.

Moreover, the magnetic field was complex, greatly interfering with electronic devices.

It was these reasons that kept development of Phoenix Mountain low, even though it contained many rare treasures.

“Let’s go. There’s somewhere I want to visit first,” Lin Yi said mysteriously.

“Where?” Angel asked, curious.

“You’ll see when we get there.”

Lin Yi kept her guessing. Angel’s curiosity grew, but she had no choice.

Entering Phoenix Mountain, Lin Yi took hold of Angel’s soft hand.

“Mr. Lin—”

Angel felt a mix of delight, shyness, and confusion—her emotions were tangled.

“You’re too slow. I’ll lead the way.”

With those words, Lin Yi suddenly accelerated his pace.

Angel saw the scenery rush past, feeling thrilled.

Soon, they arrived at a valley where the fog outside was thick, but within the valley it was clear, filled with wildflowers—a beautiful sight.

At the center stood a thatched hut, with a stone table and two stone stools at the entrance.

“Mr. Lin, what is this place? It’s so beautiful,” Angel asked.

“This is Miao Caifeng’s old home,” Lin Yi answered with a smile. Everything was just as it had been.

After healing Miao Caifeng’s face, Lin Yi had advised her to live outside the mountains. Although peaceful, the mountain lacked convenience and company.

Lin Yi gently touched the stone table, blew the dust off the stone stool, and sat down.

Angel sat opposite him, as a light breeze carried the fragrance of flowers.

Suddenly, a red figure rushed out of the hut and ran straight to Lin Yi.

“Mr. Lin, be careful!” Angel called out in alarm.

But the red figure dove into Lin Yi’s arms, rubbing its head against his chest—like a child seeking affection.

To Angel’s shock, it was a fox with three fluffy tails.

“This, this—”

Even with her composure, Angel was left speechless.

“Little Red, you’ve grown your third tail,” Lin Yi said, stroking the fox’s head.

This red fox was Miao Caifeng’s pet, named Little Red.

Little Red had a trace of nine-tailed fox blood, and Lin Yi had helped awaken it.

Originally, he’d guessed Little Red would grow a new tail every fifty years.

Unexpectedly, in fifty years, Little Red had already grown three tails, which surprised him.

It seemed Little Red had her own fortune.

Little Red affectionately rubbed Lin Yi’s chest, then turned to Angel and let out low growls.

“She’s one of us,” Lin Yi said.

Little Red finally settled down, casting a disdainful glance at Angel, as if to say: with such weak strength, how could she be considered one of us?

Angel marveled at the fox’s human-like gaze.

After two hours in the valley, the fog outside began to dissipate. Lin Yi led Angel out.

After walking a while, they saw a group not far away, roasting wild rabbit for lunch.

They were all martial artists, brimming with energy. The elder at the front was a half-step grandmaster.

The rest had varying degrees of strength, but most were at the innate realm.

Such a group could easily form a top-tier force in Jiang Province.

Their footsteps drew the elder’s attention. He looked back, and upon seeing a young couple, his eyes flashed with contempt.

The woman was beautiful, but her strength was low, merely dark energy.

The man looked ordinary, with no inner energy at all—a commoner.

Even their weakest member was at the first layer of the innate realm.

“These youngsters really don’t know their limits. They think a bit of strength entitles them to a share here?” the elder scoffed inwardly.

There were many teams in Phoenix Mountain this time, from all corners of the country.

These two would only meet their deaths.

Just then, a handsome young man ran over, his features sharp and striking—better looking than most celebrities.

“Beautiful lady, I’m Ye Hongying. Would you mind joining us? We have a half-step grandmaster leading us, and I’m not weak myself, at third layer innate realm,” Ye Hongying said eagerly, his eyes fixed on Angel, drawn to her proud, exotic aura.

He ignored Lin Yi completely—a mere commoner, surely doomed here.

“No need,” Angel refused.

A half-step grandmaster sounded impressive, but Lin Yi was a true grandmaster.

She wasn’t foolish—why cling to a small fry when she had Lin Yi?

Besides, she could sense Ye Hongying’s lustful gaze. If she joined their group, her fate would be uncertain.

Ye Hongying’s eyes darkened; women rarely rejected him. Whether maiden or matron, a mere gesture from him would bring them to his side.

“Brother, why are you inviting her? She’s weak and will only drag us down,” the group’s only female snapped.

She was pretty, with flowing hair and delicate features, but compared to Angel’s exotic beauty, she fell short.

Ye Hongying smiled awkwardly, clearly intimidated by his sister.

Helpless, he signaled Master Du.

Master Du spoke, “Shuang’er, let it be. Let them join us.”

He had his own plans. When they encountered the Mystic Turtle, Lin Yi and Angel could be abandoned as expendable pawns.

After speaking, Master Du took out a black compass from his pocket, with a conspicuous red bead at its center.

He glanced around with the compass, evidently searching for the Mystic Turtle.

Ye Shuang’er pouted, unhappy but unable to argue with Master Du. She said disdainfully, “Why are you two just standing there? Aren’t you going to thank us? Where’s your manners?”

Angel’s face grew colder.

Lin Yi patted her shoulder. “Let’s go. We’re also looking for the Mystic Turtle.”

“But Mr. Lin, they—” Angel wanted to say, why follow those who look down on us?

Before she could finish, Lin Yi smiled calmly, “I have my reasons for joining them.”