Starting with a beautiful woman's private doctor

The moment that figure appeared on the rooftop, Chu Nan's senses had already detected it.

He is at the peak of the Grandmaster level. Below the Celestial Realm, no one can be completely invisible within his perception range.

Even if someone specializes in movement techniques, he will immediately sense their presence the moment they get within three feet of him.

The other party is aware of this as well.

So the newcomer didn't try to hide, but simply stood there quietly, waiting for Chu Nan to speak first.

Chu Nan didn't say anything, still resting his hands behind his head and looking up at the starry sky.

The newcomer finally couldn't hold back any longer. "Chu Tianjiao is indeed very composed. He noticed me but remained completely calm."

Chu Nan yawned. "This is the Qian family. The commander from the palace once said that the Qian family has a Celestial Ancestor who will protect my safety."

"You're only at the Grandmaster level; there's no way you could escape the notice of that Celestial Ancestor. So you're most likely one of us. Since you're one of us, why should I panic?"

The newcomer was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly and moved half an inch out of the shadows.

Chu Nan then got a clear look at his appearance.

He was not very old, and he was wearing a gray-blue robe with a very narrow waist and wide sleeves.

He had delicate features, slender eyebrows and eyes, fair skin, and a smooth chin without a single stubble.

"Oh right, I haven't introduced myself yet."

The man bowed slightly. "I am an envoy under the command of the Ancestor. Within the Qian family, I am called the Angel, but Chu Tianjiao may simply call me Little Li."

Little Li?

Chu Nan's lips twitched.

The title, combined with that face, that outfit, and that effeminate voice, suddenly brought to mind the word Xia Wantang had said in the car that day.

"Ahem!"

Chu Nan forcibly suppressed his inappropriate smile, coughed twice, and said, "So it's Angel Li. What brings you here?"

"It's nothing major, I'm just here to deliver a gift to you."

As he spoke, Xiao Li took out a palm-sized wooden box from his sleeve, bowed, and handed it to Chu Nan with both hands.

Chu Nan took it without hesitation and opened it immediately. Inside was a white jade thumb ring.

The jade on the thumb ring was of excellent quality, pure white and warm to the touch, gleaming softly in the moonlight.

The outer wall of the thumb ring was engraved with intricate patterns, which Chu Nan couldn't quite understand, but he could vaguely make out that they were some kind of seal script.

Chu Nan didn't know much about antiques, but judging from the style and texture of this jade thumb ring, it was definitely not cheap.

Moreover, it also contains imperial poems and prose, making it a treasure worth at least a million on the market.

He just didn't understand why the Qian family patriarch would give him this thing.

I'm not some kind of scholar or refined person, and I'm not interested in antiques or the like.

Little Li probably sensed Chu Nan's confusion and said with a smile, "Chu Tianjiao, don't misunderstand. This thumb ring is not some kind of antique treasure, although it is indeed a small trinket bestowed by the emperor of the previous dynasty."

"However, when the ancestor was idly studying sorcerer formations, he inscribed a protective spell on it, so this jade ring can withstand one attack from a celestial being."

Chu Nan paused, then looked down at the thumb ring in his palm, his gaze changing.

"Withstand an attack from a celestial being?"

"That's right."

Little Li nodded. "Actually, the ancestor and the Jin family's ancestor are both researching ways to break through to the Celestial Realm."

"It's just that the Jin family's patriarch specializes in martial arts, while the ancestor is researching in the direction of sorcery, wanting to see if he can combine martial arts and sorcery to achieve a breakthrough."

"But none of that matters now, since the Jin family patriarch has already found the path in you."

These words were spoken lightly, but Chu Nan sensed the weight behind them.

For a martial artist to research and develop a magical artifact capable of withstanding a blow from a celestial being, one must have put in countless hours of painstaking effort.

Chu Nan carefully put away the ring and solemnly said, "Please thank the Ancestor on my behalf."

"Chu Tianjiao, you're too kind. This is merely an investment from the Ancestor in you."

With a smile, Xiao Li said, "Besides, you'll be family sooner or later, so it's only natural for you to take care of your own juniors."

My own family?

Chu Nan was taken aback and was about to ask what it meant, but Little Li didn't give him the chance.

Chu Nan sat on the roof, clutching the wooden box in his hand, and remained in a daze for a long time.

My own family?

The Qian family patriarch said I was one of his own family members?

What the hell? I've only ever done the Qian family a favor, so how did I become one of their own?

He thought about it for a while, but couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it.

However, he valued this thumb ring very much.

Being able to withstand an attack of the Celestial level is equivalent to having an extra life.

The thumb ring fits perfectly on my left thumb.

The white jade thumb ring gleamed with a warm light, and it matched the white and green jade bracelet on his wrist quite well.

Chu Nan jumped off the roof and went back inside.

Xia Wantang and Jiang Yingxue had already gone to sleep.

Xia Wantang took up most of the bed, sleeping in a very relaxed posture.

Jiang Yingxue huddled in the corner, the blanket pulled up to her chin, her breathing long and even.

Chu Nan lay down quietly, and as soon as he closed his eyes, Xia Wantang's arm came over him.

Normally, he might have woken Xia Wantang up and done something naughty.

But even now, he still can't help but think about those random, messy things.

The words of Old Master Ming, the ring on the thumb of the Qian family patriarch—all signs point to the same thing.

At tomorrow's gathering of extraordinary individuals, someone will attack me, and their cultivation level is at least Celestial Being.

But Fang Yuan made it clear that there would be no problem under the emperor's nose.

This matter is clearly contradictory from both the inside and outside.

As Chu Nan pondered, his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and finally he drifted off to sleep...

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Chu Nan was awakened by Xia Wantang's screams.

"Sweetie! Where did you get that ring? It's so pretty!"

Xia Wantang held his hand, turning the white jade thumb ring over and over, her eyes shining.

Jiang Yingxue was also woken up by the noise, and rubbed her eyes as she came over to look.

Chu Nan briefly recounted what happened last night.

After listening, Xia Wantang clicked her tongue twice: "The Qian family patriarch is really generous. Even without the protective spell, this ring is worth a lot of money just by looking at the jade quality and the carving."

"When did you become interested in these things?"

"Isn't it normal for women to be interested in jewelry? If I had connections, I would have gone into the jewelry business long ago."

Xia Wantang smiled and released his hand. "Alright, get up. Today is the Extraordinary People Conference. You need to dress properly. You can't go in these shabby clothes, can you?"

Chu Nan looked down at his clothes; they weren't exactly tattered.

It's just that compared to a formal occasion like the Extraordinary People Conference, it's not as elaborate.

Moreover, Qian Xinya had sent several sets of clothes over early in the morning, but they were all too formal.

In the end, I picked out a black hooded trench coat from my pile of clothes, paired with a white T-shirt, dark jeans, and white sneakers.

After changing, Xia Wantang circled him twice and nodded in satisfaction.

This outfit wasn't particularly outstanding, but it certainly suited Chu Nan's temperament and slender figure.

When the three of them went outside, there were already people waiting for them...

Chu Nan could see a black carriage parked at the entrance from afar.

That carriage was completely different from ordinary carriages; its body was painted black and decorated with golden cloud patterns.

The four horses pulling the carriage were pure white, without a single stray hair, and wore golden bridles on their heads, their manes neatly combed.

Two squads of imperial guards followed behind the carriage, dressed in black armor and long swords at their waists, standing ramrod straight.

Fang Yuan, dressed in a black and gold robe, with a fair complexion and narrow eyes, stepped forward to greet Chu Nan as he approached, saying, "Good morning, Chu Tianjiao."

"Commander Fang, this carriage..."

Fang Yuan smiled and lowered his voice, saying, "This is the Emperor's carriage. His Majesty specifically ordered that his carriage be used to pick you up and take you to the Conference of Extraordinary People."

The King himself is here?!

Chu Nan didn't know what to say for a moment.

In the entire Great Xia Dynasty, the number of people who could ride in this carriage was no more than five.

This emperor is far too courteous to scholars.

Qian Yunlong strode out of the courtyard and urged in a low voice, "Mr. Chu, get in the car quickly, don't keep the palace carriage waiting too long."

Chu Nan took a deep breath and stepped onto the carriage.

The king's use of his royal carriage to send him to the assembly of extraordinary people was a way of telling everyone that he was one of his own.

This tactic is more effective than any imperial edict.

But it also means that from today onwards, he and the royal family are now inextricably bound together.

The carriage curtain fell, and four white horses reared up at the same time, allowing the carriage to steadily drive out of the alley.

Chu Nan sat in the car, looking out through the gap in the curtain.

The streets were under curfew, with a guard standing every few steps on both sides, his back to the road and his face towards the crowd.

The crowd of onlookers crowded outside the police line, craning their necks to look in this direction, their murmurs buzzing like a pot of boiling water.

"Four white horses, adorned with golden cloud patterns—my goodness, is this the king's imperial entourage?"

"Impossible! The king has left the palace?"

"Of course! Otherwise, who else would ride in this imperial carriage? Judging by the setup, they must be attending some kind of grand event, right?"

"The Conference of Extraordinary People? Wasn't it supposed to be a while away?"

"It's been moved up! I heard that the announcement was made early this morning, saying that this year's Extraordinary People Conference would be held earlier than planned, but the specific reason wasn't given."

Not all of them are ordinary people; there are also some celebrities who know the inside story.

However, whether they were ordinary passersby or celebrities, everyone was surprised by the spectacle.

After all, this is the emperor's royal procession, a ceremonial procession that only appears during military parades!

The appearance of this car must mean something big has happened!

The carriage traveled west along the official road, out of the city, through a dense forest, and finally stopped at the foot of a mountain.

Chu Nan lifted the curtain and looked out. The mountain wasn't very high, but its shape was extremely unusual.

The front of the mountain is flat and open, with pavilions and towers built against the mountain, their eaves and corners upturned, arranged in a staggered and orderly manner, looking like a huge garden from a distance.

A stream meanders down the mountain, shimmering like shattered silver in the sunlight.

At the foot of the mountain stands a stone archway, behind which is a bluestone-paved path. The path is bustling with tourists of all ages, some taking photos, some strolling around, creating a lively atmosphere.

Fang Yuan stood beside Chu Nan and whispered, "The front mountain is a tourist attraction, open to the general public. The pavilions and towers on the mountain are all summer palaces left over from the previous dynasty. After the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty, they were turned into a tourist area, and ordinary people can enter by buying a ticket."

"The claim that the back mountain is undeveloped is just a smokescreen to fool the people, because the real venue for the Extraordinary People Conference is the back mountain, but the entrance is not in the front mountain."

The carriage traveled along an inconspicuous path toward the back of the mountain.

After walking for about 15 minutes, the path suddenly opened up, and a gap appeared in the mountain wall in front of us, as if something had cleaved it in the middle.

There are three paths running side by side through the crevice, leading deep into the mountainside.

The first path is a nearly vertical natural crack in the stone.

The crevice stretched endlessly from top to bottom, with bare rock walls on both sides, devoid of even a single vine.

A figure could be vaguely seen climbing through the cracks in the rocks, moving at an extremely fast speed.

Chu Nan saw a young man in blue robes climb halfway down, slip, and fall seven or eight zhang (approximately 33-40 meters) downwards.

A transparent air cushion suddenly rose up from below, caught him, and bounced him back onto the rock wall.

The man cursed and continued climbing.

Fang Yuan shook his head and explained, "This is a natural, dangerous path meant for those at the Grandmaster level or above. But every year, some young people who haven't reached the Grandmaster level but still try to show off get bounced off by the protective array, making a fool of themselves."

Which road in the middle shows signs of artificial repair?

Stone steps, iron chains, and wooden stakes wind their way up from the foot of the mountain.

The stone steps vary in width; in some places, one can take three or four steps at a time, while in others they are so narrow that only half a foot can fit.

The iron chains were rusted and the gaps between them varied.

Several of the wooden stakes were rotten and would break if stepped on.

A young woman in red was walking on it when she suddenly lost her footing. Luckily, she grabbed the iron chain next to her and didn't fall.

"This is the perilous path we've been prepared for, an introductory test for the younger generation. Only those who complete this path are qualified to enter the venue."

"Although no one will die, broken arms and legs are common."

The third road is on the far right, and at the entrance stands a stone tablet with patterns carved on it.

Behind the stone tablet is a smooth, winding stone staircase, wide enough for three or four people to walk side by side.

At intervals along the rock walls on both sides of the stone steps, there is a talisman embedded in the rock, emitting a faint blue light.

There was a faint flow of air between the talismans, forming a very faint light curtain that enveloped the entire road.

Two guards stood at the entrance to the road, holding rosters and checking the identities of those who came.

"Is this the last official road? Only members of the royal family, or representatives of various sects like the old geomancer, and those who hold imperial edicts can travel on it?"

"With the protection of the formation, there will be no danger along the way, and carriages and horses can travel."

Halfway through the journey, Chu Nan heard cheers coming from the natural, treacherous road beside him.

He turned his head and saw a young man dressed in black who had climbed to the end of the natural, treacherous path, standing on the top of the mountain wall, waving down.

Some people below shouted his name, some applauded, and some shouted defiantly that they wanted to have a match with him.

At the end of the official road lies a vast mountain valley.

It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces a cliff on the other side.

In the center of the valley was a flat area several hundred feet in circumference, paved with bluestone slabs.

The flat ground was covered with sheds and stalls, densely packed together, like a large market.

Some people were selling herbs, some were selling talismans, and some were selling all sorts of strange and unusual items that I couldn't name.

However, there were also some things that seemed out of place at the Extraordinary People Gathering. Chu Nan even saw many trendy milk tea shops, fast food restaurants, and the kind of snack stalls commonly found in tourist attractions, just like in the secular world.

Chu Nan thought for a moment that he had gone to the wrong place.

Deep within the valley stands a colossal building, larger than the Colosseum in the West.

In the middle is a high platform, three zhang high and several tens of zhang square.

The tabletop is engraved with dense patterns, resembling some kind of formation.

Eight stone pillars with coiled dragons stand around the perimeter, each as thick as several people could hug.

The outer perimeter is a series of stone steps, spreading out in a fan shape, which can seat thousands of people.

Fang Yuan explained, "This is the outer area, where the market for people with unusual abilities, food stalls, and rest areas are all located.

"Inside is a training ground used for sparring."

The carriage passed through the market and headed towards the drill ground.

The market outside was extremely lively; apart from the strange people's attire, it was almost indistinguishable from a large market in a tourist area.

But as the king's royal carriage slowly drove in, the bustling market seemed to have been muted, falling completely silent...