Suddenly, a strange rumor emerged in the online world.
But compared to the massive trending scandal between Wen Long and Bai Fanxian - which had inevitably dragged in both the young star's fan club and the cultivator community - this was just a small ripple that only those directly affected would notice.
"Why did Xiaoxiao post something like that?"
On social media, celebrities usually have at least one channel for communicating important news with fans and followers. Xiaoxiao was no exception. She was a B-list celebrity with over a hundred thousand followers on her official account. Whatever she did, people would know.
Her followers were surprised. Out of nowhere, she posted an apology to her fans. Just earlier, she'd announced she was going to study cultivation under Master Zhu, a Martial Master cultivator. They'd even invested in a reality show that would air weekly from day one. But just hours later, she announced postponing all filming indefinitely.
Not just Xiaoxiao. All celebrities under the company with plans to collaborate with cultivators made similar announcements. No one knew the real reason.
But the news that followed was what truly shook the entertainment industry.
Starlight Company - Wen Long's agency - suddenly had several major business partners cancel their contracts. Even the Yang Clan's company, so influential that anyone they banned was basically half-dead in the industry, canceled everything!
This caused Starlight Company's stock value to plummet almost instantly. Investors and shareholders rushed to dump their stocks and started demanding answers about the company's management.
Company executives and stakeholders were called together for an emergency meeting.
"What the hell's going on?"
Starlight's CEO clasped his hands over his chest, looking tense. On both sides of the conference room sat stakeholders, all with the same expression.
"I'd like to know too! Did you do something to piss off the Yang Clan?" One major shareholder pressed the CEO accusingly. What hurt them most wasn't cultivators refusing to work with them - it was the Yang Clan's company suddenly terminating contracts!
Even though the Yang Clan had to pay Starlight massive compensation, that amount meant nothing compared to the company's future being practically destroyed.
"Why would I piss them off!"
The CEO himself was getting heated. Today he had more than enough headaches. And for someone his age, this definitely wasn't good for his health.
"But we've never had any conflicts with the Yang Clan?"
"Did they give a reason for canceling?"
Company executives started arguing frantically. They faced possible bankruptcy at any moment. At the very least, they wanted to know why the Yang Clan was upset.
"...About that-" Before the CEO could finish, his secretary came rushing into the conference room looking flustered.
"Sir... the Yang Clan sent a message!"
He hesitated slightly, but the CEO and several executives pressed him so urgently he had no choice.
The young secretary decided to display the message on screen.
'You didn't do anything wrong... but "one of your people" is messing with someone they absolutely shouldn't mess with. I'm warning you to stay away from this. Then I'll consider you uninvolved. In the future, we might still be able to work together...
From one angry head of the fellow fools'
The executives all stared at the message in confusion.
But they could confirm the email address used was definitely the Yang Clan company's official email!
"...What are 'fellow fools'?"
This was many people's question in the room. But Starlight's CEO felt a strange chill. Especially seeing the words "one of your people is messing with someone they shouldn't," he could already guess who they meant!
Right now, only one Starlight celebrity was involved in a trending controversy!
Wen Long!
The CEO practically jumped out of his seat. He turned to his secretary and spoke in a voice louder than thunder.
"Get Wen Long on the phone right now! Even if he's dying, wake him up to answer!!"
But no matter how furious he was, he still wondered who these "fellow fools" were. And he wasn't alone - the identity of the "fellow fools" was starting to appear in media spaces too!
.
.
.
In one corner of the city, an elderly man stormed out of a restaurant furiously. Behind him, several men in business suits rushed after him frantically.
"Master Sun! Don't be angry, please. If you're unhappy with something, we can negotiate!" A man wearing glasses hurried to try and calm the old man down.
"Hmph! If you want to collaborate on medicine with me, I'm happy to teach and share willingly."
The person before them was Master Sun Mingchuan - or as people on cultivation medicine forums respectfully called him, "Master Sun."
For those who still don't remember, Master Sun was the old man who nearly died of a heart attack when Bai Fanxian demolished him in that Q&A forum about medicine!
This time he came as one of the Alchemists Association's representatives. Since cultivators became public knowledge, it naturally affected them too.
If you talk about cultivation, you talk about medicine. If you talk about medicine, you mean their Alchemists Association! No power could surpass them in this!
Especially now that they had the Alchemy Empress - absolutely impossible!
So the association sent him to negotiate collaboration on training and spreading knowledge about alchemy to ordinary people who wanted to enter this path.
But the moment the old man heard which celebrity would promote the project as "brand ambassador," he slammed the table and walked out without caring about anyone!
"Then... then why are you angry?" The man in glasses asked, not understanding. Sun Mingchuan had been acting normal the whole time. Even when discussing profit shares, he'd just listened quietly.
"Hmph! For 'fellow fools' like me! The celebrity promoting this project can be anyone - but absolutely not that guy named Wen Long!"
Besides the furious Master Sun, similar situations were happening simultaneously and increasingly across the country.
"You're from Starlight Company? Then this fellow fool won't give you an interview!"
"You want to buy medicine? Sure... wait a minute. Your face looks familiar. Are you a Starlight celebrity? This fool won't sell you anything!"
"You want to apply to study with me... what? Your idol is Wen Long!? Get out before this fellow fool beats you to death!"
By now, society had heard the term "fellow fools" at least twice. People found that almost every trending topic involved this group calling themselves "fellow fools."
It became a trend and was searched rapidly online. Everyone wanted to know who these fools were to have such influence over so many things in the country!
Meanwhile, Wen Long - lying comfortably in his VIP hospital room watching TV - stared slack-jawed at what his doctor said.
"Doctor... what did you say?"
"I won't repeat it. Our hospital can no longer let you stay."
The elderly doctor in glasses and white coat spoke coldly to Wen Long. He ordered his people to get Wen Long out as quickly as possible.
"Doctor, you can't do this! I'm a patient! I was injured!"
Wen Long tried to argue. He still didn't understand what was happening. Normally, private hospitals didn't care much if patients wanted to stay longer since it meant more daily profit.
He really didn't understand!
"Those scratches - even a kid wouldn't cry and come to the hospital..." The young man escorting him out spoke with contempt.
"I'll sue! I'll sue your whole hospital! Wait till my company hears about this!" Wen Long struggled desperately. Along the way, he had no idea he was being secretly filmed by "random" people the whole time!
"Your company? Did you even follow any news today?"
The doctor in glasses turned back to look at him strangely. But by the time they realized it, they were already outside the hospital.
Wen Long was starting to feel weird. The doctor and these people's attitudes weren't respectful like when they first learned a national-level star was using their hospital.
Suddenly his female assistant came running back looking panicked. Seeing her star being carried by both arms, looking completely pathetic, she nearly collapsed.
"Come help me quick! These people have all gone crazy!"
Wen Long was glad to see his manager. But instead of rushing to handle the problem like always, she sank down to the floor powerlessly.
"...We're finished."
"What?" The young man still didn't understand what was happening.
"I warned you not to let this blow up any further!!!"
As if this had been bottled up for ages, the female manager snapped so hard even Wen Long was stunned. She yelled like she was losing her mind, then slowly got up and turned around. The moment she opened the door, camera flashes poured in, nearly blinding. A massive number of reporters rushed into the hospital lobby - nearly a hundred people. Combined with the crowd, it was like a human wave.
"Mr. Wen Long! Is it true you weren't actually injured but were acting to deceive the public?"
"Mr. Wen Long, someone captured photos of when you returned from Lady Bai Fanxian's beach house. Weren't you walking just fine that day?"
"Miss Wen, there are photos of when you came to this hospital. You were completely healthy then?"
"Mr. Wen, there's evidence you hired online trolls to manipulate public opinion against Lady Bai Fanxian. Is this true?"
"There's also evidence of embezzlement, tax evasion, and money laundering in your past."
"Mr. Wen... are these things true?"
That last question was like a signal. Wen Long - who couldn't handle the truth and was terrified of his crimes - suddenly fainted. The pitiful sight of the young man with rolled-back eyes needing people supporting both arms was broadcast across the online world and major TV stations.
Everything he'd tried to hide was dug up. Even his early days in the industry - everything was exposed!
At the beach house, a young woman was watching this scene. She turned to look at the "Marshal" and the "General" - two men quietly sipping red wine. But when news about Wen Long came on, they glanced at each other with smiles.
"Did you two do this?"
Bai Fanxian didn't turn to look, but her question made Marshal Zhang Xianyuan flinch slightly. He quickly cleared his throat and answered evasively.
"It wasn't us... probably those fellow fools."
"We just used our authority to speed up some official investigations a bit..."
Liu Yianfei smiled. He excused himself to go sit by the beach with the kids and the Dragon Queen. Now she was quite happy with the name "Little Red" and this peaceful life.
She waved her hand once and her laptop floated over. She opened the cultivator community website. Even now, people were chatting so fast the messages kept flashing.
Bai Fanxian hesitated slightly entering the Empress's fan club group. She didn't know what to type to thank them.
The sound of typing started. Bai Fanxian finally decided to send one message.
Comment #14,587 (Alchemy Empress)
Thank you... you've all worked hard
The moment this comment appeared, the flashing messages stopped as if time froze. The forum seemed deserted for about five seconds.
Suddenly, massive amounts of messages appeared.
Comment #14,587 (My Medicine's In Your Pocket)
Someone hacked the Empress's account!
Comment #14,588 (Premium Grade Fellow Fool)
Give back the real Empress! Give her back! Give her back!!!!
Comment #14,596 (Alchemy Is Life)
Quick, someone check her IP address! Find out where this thief took her computer!?
Comment #14,621 (Novice Alchemist)
Brother Yang! I'm messaging the other fellow fools!
Comment #14,713 (Master Sun)
Hmph! I happen to be in A City. I'll use the association's authority to investigate!
Nearly a hundred messages flashed up in seconds. The young woman felt something snap in her head. Huang Zihuan jumped - the chilling atmosphere his lady suddenly released made his hair stand on end!
The elderly butler saw his lady's eye twitch strangely. Her hand gripping the computer tightened unconsciously.
After that, Bai Fanxian typed rapidly. The killing intent she released felt like it wanted to pierce through the screen.
Comment #14,587 (Alchemy Empress)
You fellow fools... are provoking me, aren't you?
"The Empress is back!"
"It's really the Empress!"
"Whew! That was close. I was just about to book tickets to A City."
"..."
These fellow fools!!