Li Fan's ominous declaration,"Within three days, there will surely be a bloody disaster," echoed through the bamboo forest, carrying an undeniable air of mystery.
The effect was immediate.
Zhao Hu's fleshy face froze, his raised fist suspended in mid-air—unable to strike, yet unwilling to drop. Behind him, one of his two henchmen, the one with shifty eyes, subconsciously retreated half a step, while the other, the hesitant one, nervously swallowed his saliva.
In the world of cultivation, you could dismiss the ravings of a mere laborer, but no one dared to completely ignore a prophecy concerning their fate and impending calamity. Especially since Li Fan's current expression—assured, pitying, and with a hint of profound enigma—was a world away from the meek Li Ergou of yesterday, lending his words an extra layer of credibility.
"You... what nonsense are you spewing!" Zhao Hu roared, his bluster betraying a distinct lack of confidence.
[Ding! Emergency request received from Host. Initiating rapid biological and behavioral analysis on the target... Analysis requires 2 points. Host balance is 0. Confirm to proceed on credit?] The system's prompt rang in Li Fan's mind, calm as an ATM.
"Credit! Hurry up!" Li Fan screamed internally. At this point, he'd take a loan from a loan shark!
[Confirmed on credit. Analyzing...]
Almost instantly, a faint stream of information flowed into Li Fan's consciousness, and the system interface before his eyes quickly refreshed, displaying a concise report:
"Target Rapid Analysis Report (Non-Combat Recommendation)"
Target A (Zhao Hu):
Muscle State: Right deltoid has an old strain, resulting in a 0.3-second delay and slight incoordination during exertion. Poor foundation, center of gravity too far forward.
Micro-expressions: Pupils dilated, corners of mouth subconsciously tight, indicating inner tension and doubt outweigh anger.
Behavioral Prediction: Under sufficient psychological deterrence, probability of active attack drops to 45%.
Target B (Shifty Eyes):
Muscle State: Left quadriceps weaker than right, habitually placing weight on the right leg.
Micro-expressions: Eyes frequently dart toward Zhao Hu, seeking guidance; weak self-judgment.
Behavioral Prediction: A follower; if Zhao Hu retreats, his aggressiveness will plummet to 10%.
Target C (Hesitant Face):
Muscle State: The most physically robust, but slightly rapid breathing suggests sub-par cardio-pulmonary function.
Micro-expressions: Furrowed brow, revealing confusion and unease.
Behavioral Prediction: Potential subject for persuasion; lowest attack intent, approximately 25%.
[Report complete. Host current debt: 2 points.]
Li Fan's heart settled! Armed with this"scientific fortune-telling" report, his deception... no, his strategic response, now had a solid theoretical foundation!
Li Fan maintained his look of pity, his gaze like a precise surgical knife, first piercing the shifty-eyed Target B.
"You," he pointed,"is it true that every time the weather is gloomy or wet, the area three inches above your left knee aches, and when you circulate the basic Body Strengthening Chant, the spiritual energy there becomes sluggish and blocked?"
Target B's eyes widened sharply, as if he had seen a ghost! This chronic issue of his—not even his closest kin knew the details—how could this Li Ergou possibly know?!
Li Fan didn't give him time to think, turning his attention to the most robust Target C, his tone laced with regret:"And you, you possess great strength, but you use it like a wild ox plowing the fields—without method. Do you feel a fluttering in your chest and shortness of breath after intense activity, as if a great stone is pressing down? This is a sign that your spiritual energy and vitality are unharmonized. If this persists, I fear it will damage your very foundation!"
Target C gasped, instinctively covering his chest, a few shades of color draining from his face. What Li Fan said was spot-on with what he felt daily!
Finally, Li Fan's gaze locked back onto the central figure, Zhao Hu, his voice becoming incredibly solemn.
"As for you, Zhao Hu!" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an invisible pressure."Your old shoulder injury was likely sustained years ago in a fight. This wound, not properly healed, has affected your spiritual energy circulation, causing your right arm's power to always lag behind your intention by a fraction of a second! While this can be suppressed during daily cultivation, if..."
He paused deliberately, watching Zhao Hu's face instantly shift to one of shock and uncertainty, then stated, word by word:"But if you engage in combat within three days, especially if you use your right arm for a full-power strike, that old injury will surely be triggered! At best, your spiritual energy will reverse, damaging your meridians; at worst... your Dantian will shatter, and your cultivation will be utterly destroyed! What else could this be but a bloody disaster?!"
The speech was a mix of truth and fabrication. The truth was the physical ailments uncovered by the system analysis; the fabrication was Li Fan's forced link between these issues and the"bloody disaster," greatly exaggerating the consequences. But to Zhao Hu and his men, it was terrifying!
Li Fan could not only spot their hidden physical defects at a glance but also precisely predict the hidden dangers of their attacks! This was no madman; this was clearly a master of an extraordinary technique!
The atmosphere had completely changed.
The previous hostility vanished, replaced by an eerie silence and spreading fear.
Target B and C had completely lost the will to fight, instead instinctively moving a step away from Zhao Hu, as if afraid of being contaminated by his"calamity aura."
Zhao Hu's face was pale, his forehead beaded with fine sweat. His old right shoulder injury was indeed a hidden pain, and he himself had vaguely noticed the power lag, but he had never imagined the consequences to be so severe! Li Fan's words were like a cold chisel, shattering his veneer of bravado.
"You... how do you know..." Zhao Hu's voice trembled.
Li Fan smiled inscrutably, raised his finger to his eyes, and then pointed at the mountains and grass around them:"All things in the world have their Qi. My technique of observing Qi has achieved a minor success. The sluggishness and darkness of your spiritual energy circulation are, to me, as clear as ink on white paper."
He pressed his advantage, softening his tone with a hint of guidance:"Out of consideration for our shared background, I will advise you this: In the coming days, you must remain still, act cautiously, and especially avoid engaging in combat. Perhaps... this will slightly mitigate the disaster."
He left room for doubt, both confirming the existence of the"calamity" and offering a sliver of hope, seemingly handing over the initiative to resolve it to them, while in reality, he firmly controlled the narrative.
Zhao Hu and the others exchanged glances. Finally, Zhao Hu gritted his teeth, gave Li Fan a fierce glare, and sullenly dropped a face-saving line:"Li Ergou! Today... today you got lucky! Let's go!"
He didn't dare to linger, leading his two equally unsettled henchmen away in haste, their backs showing a distinct sense of defeat.
Watching the three vanish at the end of the bamboo path, Li Fan's tightly wound nerves suddenly relaxed, his back drenched in cold sweat. He leaned against a nearby bamboo to steady himself.
That was close! It was all carried by the information asymmetry and psychological manipulation!
[Crisis temporarily averted. Host successfully executed an effective strategic deception utilizing survey analysis data.] The system's assessment remained objective.
"Deception? No, this is called risk warning and strategic avoidance based on data analysis!" Li Fan internally corrected, letting out a long sigh of relief.
Though he had scared off Zhao Hu for now, Li Fan knew it was only a temporary measure. When Zhao Hu recovered his senses, or when three days passed without incident, trouble would surely return. He had to quickly improve his strength or find a more reliable backer.
The immediate priority was to complete that accursed spiritual energy quantification task, get the points, and exchange them for something that could substantially boost his strength!
He didn't dare to delay further. Dragging his tired body, he followed his previous plan, selecting five representative locations within the Green Bamboo Courtyard: the depths of the bamboo forest where spiritual energy was relatively rich, the source of the clear stream, his own dilapidated woodshed, the central courtyard where the laborers usually gathered, and an unremarkable patch of ordinary ground.
At each spot, he calmed his mind, circulated the Spirit-Guiding Chant with all his might, and recorded the perceived data based on the three subjective metrics he had forcibly defined:"Fan (F),""Activity Rating," and"Affinity Rating."
[Data Point 1 (Bamboo Forest Depth): Concentration 1.2 F, Activity 4, Affinity 3.]
[Data Point 2 (Stream Source): Concentration 1.5 F, Activity 5, Affinity 4.]
[Data Point 3 (Woodshed): Concentration 0.8 F, Activity 3, Affinity 2.]
[Data Point 4 (Courtyard Center): Concentration 1.0 F, Activity 3, Affinity 2.]
[Data Point 5 (Ordinary Ground): Concentration 0.9 F, Activity 3, Affinity 2.]
When the last data point was recorded, the system's prompt finally sounded again, this time with a hint of subtle... approval?
[Ding! Novice Mission"Quantify and Analyze 'Spiritual Energy'" complete!]
[Mission Evaluation: Host established a quantitative metric system in a highly creative (though extremely subjective) manner and completed basic spatial sampling. While data precision is questionable, the methodology aligns with the spirit of survey research.]
[Mission Reward: 10 Survey Points have been issued. Deducting 2 points for debt, current balance: 8 points.]
Success! Li Fan was on the verge of tears of joy. He had finally completed this rotten mission!
He eagerly opened the system store, a simple list appearing before his eyes. The exchangeable [Analysis Reports] or [Optimization Plans] were few, and most were grayed out. The only two lit up were the
Without hesitation, he chose the former.
[
A stream of information instantly flooded his mind, no longer cold data, but clear diagrams and annotations. The report precisely pointed out three obvious spiritual energy circulation redundancies and one critical node error in his current Spirit-Guiding Chant practice!
Following the optimization path indicated by this report, his efficiency would increase by at least 30%! This was a lifesaver!
Li Fan suppressed the urge to immediately try it out. Just as he was about to find a more secluded spot to begin his cultivation, the corner of his eye caught a glimpse of a figure at the edge of the distant bamboo forest. It was a man, exceptionally tall and robust, wearing the same kind of worn-out laborer's clothes, silently watching him.
When the man saw Li Fan looking at him, he didn't dodge away or show disdain like others. Instead, he hesitated, then seemed to make a decision, stepping forward with heavy strides, walking toward him, one step at a time.
Li Fan's heart tightened instantly. His newly relaxed nerves coiled again.
Another one looking for trouble? Looking at that physique, he'd be much harder to deal with than Zhao Hu!
He instinctively clenched his fists and urgently called out in his mind,"System! Quick, analyze this one for me..."