Phoenix Garden is named for its sea of flowers and trees shaped like a phoenix.

But essentially, it was once the private rear garden secretly arranged by a wealthy merchant who could rival a nation.

However, it was just a mere merchant, yet had the audacity to name his garden after dragons and phoenixes. Thus, after being exposed, the merchant was convicted, and his property was confiscated.

Since then, Phoenix Garden has been seized, and to this day, in the Great Spirit Era, it has become the publicly acknowledged garden district in Qingchuan.

In the depths of Phoenix Garden, along the streets lined with petals, there are a vast number of various styled residential buildings.

Many people come here to live in seclusion, and many also open bed-and-breakfasts and feature inns.

With occasional poetry and song competitions and gourmet wine tasting events, this is the best place in Qingchuan for flower viewing and leisure.

Pillow Residence is just a small inn in Phoenix Garden.

The proprietress here, Chang Yuqing, comes from a noble lineage of Spirit People, and at this moment, she is frowning slightly, gently licking the wound on her finger.

"Miss, why are you so careless again? How many times has this happened this year? If we don't keep an eye on you, you injure yourself again... If the master sees this, how heartbroken would he be!"

Her personal maid Xiaoyao nagged with a worried face.

"It's fine, it'll heal soon." Chang Yuqing said softly.

"What do you mean it'll heal soon!? Have you forgotten last time!?" Xiaoyao's expression turned angry, seemingly blaming her for not taking care of her body.

"Really, I'm fine, don't worry." Chang Yuqing gently touched the back of Xiaoyao's hand, her delicate face showing a soft smile.

She came from nobility, but due to her frail health, her father placed her here to recuperate, simply because the environment in Phoenix Garden is better for her health.

If not for this, her father would never bear to let her stay in this small Qingchuan Prefecture for so long.

Just as she was about to continue comforting Xiaoyao, there was a light knock on the door from outside.

"Excuse me, is anyone here? Are you still open for business?"

"Coming." Xiaoyao hurriedly ran out to respond.

Watching her hurried back, Chang Yuqing smiled softly, helpless but with warmth.

At this time, outside the inn's main door, Zhang Rongfang waited quietly alone.

He hadn't brought anyone with him, instead, he portrayed himself as a guest coming to stay during his leisure.

At this moment, he wore a white silk robe with wide sleeves and a wooden crown with tied black hair, looking carefree while perfectly concealing his overly robust stature.

"Are you looking to stay, sir? Do you know our accommodation prices?" Xiaoyao asked earnestly, not letting him in immediately.

"Of course." Zhang Rongfang smiled, "Also, I heard there is a quite unique and famous Yu Jing Wine here, brewed personally by the owner, with a refreshing and unique taste. I came specifically to try it."

He licked his lips, seemingly coming for the wine.

But no one knew he was reminiscing about the small porcelain bottle of blood sample he had just drunk.

The sample collected by his subordinates was a trace from when the opponent accidentally cut themselves somewhere outside, leaving a little on another place.

The quantity was minimal, and after some time, it had long lost its vitality.

After Zhang Rongfang drank it in one go, the blood replenishment enhanced only slightly and then stopped.

At this moment, standing outside the door, he could smell the rich fragrance wafting from inside.

With such fragrance, it indicated the people's talent inside must be terrifying.

According to his previous judgment analysis, the stronger the blood scent, the more terrifying their talent.

Just like his grand-uncle master.

Suddenly a thought flashed across Zhang Rongfang's mind.

When he returned to the Celestial Treasure Palace, when he met his mentor Yue Dewen, it seemed he didn't smell any blood scent on him.

This doubt flashed in his mind and then quickly dissipated, and he focused his attention back to the present.

"Since you are aware, do come in." Xiaoyao stepped aside to lead the way inside.

With one in front and the other at the back, they soon had the maid tidy up a room in the inn and determined Zhang Rongfang's room number.

The entire inn is a simple courtyard.

The so-called accommodation rooms are actually only three sides, twelve rooms, the remaining side with four rooms is mostly used by Xiaoyao and her mistress.

The yard is filled with a variety of medicinal herbs and flowers, colorful and pleasing to the eye.

Chang Yuqing sat on a swaying swing, wearing a white dress with black hair and a silver ribbon, her skin as if cream, featuring delicate, like a meticulously crafted perfect jade statue.

As Zhang Rongfang passed by, he glanced once and swallowed involuntarily a few times.

Confirmed, it's her!

He suddenly felt a sense of destiny.

If he hadn't come to Qingchuan Prefecture, he wouldn't have discovered this extremely special individual.

Such qualifications, talents, aren't commonly seen.

Even in Citong, with its bustling flow of people, in Great Capital, with its streams of people and gathering countless talented experts, he still hadn't encountered an individual with such talent.

Only in Qingchuan Prefecture.

After Xiaoyao settled everything, she explained the timing for meals, baths, and when they could join for wine tasting.

All activities here were directed by the proprietor Chang Yuqing.

Whenever she wanted to do something, she would invite the guests to try it together.

The whole inn seemed to run according to her whim, merely to engage more popularity.

After settling everything, Zhang Rongfang leisurely strolled to the courtyard, gazing at Chang Yuqing.

"Honestly, upon arriving at this inn, I heard people say, the young lady has an eidetic memory and high comprehension skills.

Someone like that, at such an age, being in such a remote place, honestly, I don't believe it.

"So I came to take a look," Zhang Rongfang said openly.

"Now that you've seen it, sir, what are your thoughts?" Chang Yuqing showed a slight smile.

"I've seen the person, but I'm not sure if the rumors are true," Zhang Rongfang replied. "Having a photographic memory and extraordinary comprehension are not traits that can simply be seen from appearance. Could the young lady demonstrate one or two?"

"But why should I demonstrate exclusively for you?" Chang Yuqing shook her head.

"I've paid a hefty price to stay at the inn; your establishment's prices far exceed the usual. Shouldn't such prices come with some unique features?" Zhang Rongfang retorted.

His serious demeanor immediately caused Chang Yuqing to slightly curve the corner of her mouth.

"That makes a lot of sense, and it's irrefutable." She stood up from the swing. "So, how would the gentleman like me to show?"

"It's quite simple." Zhang Rongfang had never seen such talent at this level; at this moment, he was both hunting to replenish flesh and satisfying his curiosity. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"I have a classic Taoist text here, with complex characters containing numerous annotations left by predecessors. If you can read it once, memorize all the annotations, and comprehend them thoroughly, I'll believe you possess this talent." Zhang Rongfang took out a yellow parchment filled with densely-packed small characters from his sleeve.

He handed the parchment over.

Chang Yuqing took it and began to read it effortlessly.

"This was left by Qianxiu, a high-level Taoist cultivator. All text is in ancient seal script, an advanced annotation on the Yi Jing. It mentions the interchange of yin and yang, under which conditions and states they alternate. It also covers the definition and application of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams in daily life, with a focus on how to establish the Eight Trigram base..."

In just over ten minutes, Chang Yuqing finished reading and easily explained.

Zhang Rongfang began to question her, seeking explanations on difficult points within the annotation.

To his surprise, Chang Yuqing comprehended it all, explaining with exceptional clarity.

One asked, and the other answered, with their pace increasingly fast and intense.

Eventually, it was almost as if Zhang Rongfang barely posed a question before Chang Yuqing swiftly answered, seemingly without thinking.

It was as if she had read this annotation long ago.

"Good, good, good!!"

Suddenly, Zhang Rongfang abruptly stopped.

"Truly a natural genius! What a pity... it's just that she's born exceedingly frail..." He raised his voice before quickly lowering it, showing a look of regret.

This annotation is about thirty-five thousand words, using numerous pronouns and self-made words. Many places require connecting the context to decipher the meaning.

"Has the gentleman heard of it as well?" At this moment, Chang Yuqing's perception of Zhang Rongfang was very favorable because, judging by his questions earlier, he also seemed knowledgeable about Taoist texts.

He wasn't just idly finding something to test her.

"It's not that I've heard of it, but rather, I've perceived it," Zhang Rongfang smiled.

He could sense that there were martial arts experts secretly guarding nearby.

But those so-called experts were merely adept against ordinary people; for him, it's hardly worth mentioning.

At this current level, a typical master's skill doesn't differ much from a common person in his eyes.

"I'm somewhat skilled in the arts of Qihuang, and I often practice alchemy for personal use. If the young lady trusts me, I could perform a brief diagnosis; possibly, there might be a way to improve."

"Arts of Qihuang?" A hint of doubt flashed in Chang Yuqing's eyes. "It's possible, but I've seen too many medical experts examine this body. Please be prepared, sir."

"No problem, I have my unique diagnostic method; all I need is observation and a little bit of your blood."

Zhang Rongfang's gaze fixed on her finger, which was bleeding.

"Like this?" Chang Yuqing nodded. Medical experts have lots of diverse practices; she's encountered similar ones before, so it wasn't surprising.

With that, she squeezed out a few drops of blood from her finger into a small porcelain cup on the stone table beside her.

Then she handed it to Zhang Rongfang.

"Please have a look, sir."

"Thank you," Zhang Rongfang inexplicably said as he took the cup, removed the prepared clear water from his belt pocket, and poured it into the cup. He shook it and immediately drank it in one gulp.

Hmm~~~~

A feeling of otherworldly bliss, as if he was wholly lost in a trance, instantly enveloped him.

He sensed that, as the blood entered his stomach, his body, like a desolate desert, frantically absorbed, permeated, and embraced it.

Before it reached the stomach, the blood water was absorbed midway by the esophagus.

This time, unlike the stale blood before, it was the freshly squeezed live blood.

Its quality was entirely incomparable.

Zhang Rongfang could feel the tumor on his back undergoing rapid changes.

The value of the flesh replenishment ability in his attribute panel was also continuously climbing.

From the previous eighty-five, slowly and steadily increasing upward.

87.

89.

91.

93.

95!!

Finally, with five points remaining to reach a hundred, the flesh replenishment finally stopped.

Crack.

Just then, Zhang Rongfang vaguely heard a sound of something cracking.

The sound came from within him, originating from his back!

The mysterious tumor.

It cracked open!