pertwk Chapter 88 Returning Home in Wealth
Chapter 88 Returning Home in Wealth
Chapter 88 Returning Home in Wealth
Although Chen Yi's magical power has now decreased to the Earth-grade level,
Yet many unfamiliar cultivators still came to offer their congratulations, and numerous forces extended olive branches.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Chen. I am representing the Qingfeng Chamber of Commerce. This is an invitation from the Chamber of Commerce elder stationed in Qingfeng City. We hope you will do us the honor of attending."
This person has some background and knows Chen Yi's identity.
"Congratulations, fellow Daoist! This is my daughter, who possesses remarkable spiritual talent. Would you be willing to take her as a maid?"
This kind of person is simply coming to offer a girl as a gift, testing whether they can form a good relationship.
In Qingfeng City, Chen Yi didn't actually have many connections, so he rejected anyone he hadn't interacted with before.
He prepared gifts and went to visit Deputy City Lord Liu.
Deputy City Lord Liu was originally willing to meet with a rogue cultivator like Chen Yi, but unfortunately, he was indeed busy with important matters recently.
He only sent a disciple to accept Chen Yi's gifts and gave him a brief reception; he himself did not appear.
That disciple even went so far as to explain to Chen Yi:
"Master is not being arrogant and refusing to see me; there are indeed important matters at hand recently."
Master specifically instructed me to inform Fellow Daoist Chen about this matter, but Fellow Daoist, please do not tell anyone else.
The Qi Emperor might come here soon.
"Emperor Qi?" Chen Yi's expression turned serious.
Being in the cultivation world of the Great Qi, one naturally knows the Qi Emperor, one of the few Nascent Soul cultivators in the Great Qi, who is the one who rules this region.
What is he doing here?
Seeing Chen Yi's puzzled and shocked expression, the disciple gritted his teeth and added another explanation:
"Fellow Daoist, please do not spread the word about the secret realm at the bottom of Haihu Lake. Otherwise, if we expose the whereabouts of a Nascent Soul cultivator, we might both be in trouble."
Chen Yi nodded in understanding.
He also knew why Deputy City Lord Liu had disappeared; he genuinely didn't have the time.
There is only one immortal city nearby, Qingfeng City. Since the higher-ups already know that Emperor Qi is coming, they will have to make many preparations if he stays in the immortal city.
"I understand, thank you Fellow Daoist Yang. Please also convey to Senior Liu that I will keep the matter of the cave's spiritual vein in mind."
"I won't bother you any longer, Mr. Chen will take his leave."
When Chen Yi left Qingfeng Immortal City, he flew out of the city gate on a flying sword.
The gatekeeper, seeing that he was a Foundation Establishment senior, only recorded the spiritual light of Chen Yi's jade tablet with an array and then respectfully let him pass.
A city guard recognized Chen Yi when he arrived, he was still queuing to practice Qi Refining, but now he was a prominent Foundation Establishment cultivator. His expression was filled with emotion.
"Once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, you're no longer like us ants!"
Below, a long, winding line of Qi Refining cultivators all looked up at Chen Yi.
He showed an expression of envy and awe.
A gentle breeze blew by as Chen Yi, riding his flying sword, slowly soared about a hundred feet above the crowd.
You weren't trying to look cool on purpose.
Rather, they dare not fly too high or too fast.
After all, it was his first time flying on a sword, and he wasn't very skilled yet.
In order to maintain stability,
Even if someone falls from a height of 100 zhang, they can use techniques like [Wind Control] and [Golden Step] to adjust themselves and avoid injury.
If Foundation Establishment cultivators weren't always required to queue to enter and exit through the city gates, Chen Yi would have wanted to walk out as well.
Fortunately, sword flight is a skill that can be learned in the later stages of Qi Refining.
Chen Yi mastered the cultivation very quickly with his current magical power and divine sense.
The practice covered a distance of about ten miles.
He flew faster and faster, becoming more and more adept, the trees and rivers rushing past him.
He rode his sword over mountain peaks and touched the white clouds.
In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they arrived at the airship's base, more than fifty miles away.
A distance of 20,000 li is barely manageable for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to travel on a flying sword, but it requires a tremendous amount of mana and carries the risk of encountering monsters along the way.
Most cultivators would still choose to travel by merchant guild's flying boat for normal journeys.
Chen Yi flew to the flying boat, paid two hundred spirit stones, and asked for a private room.
The other party was very respectful, and there was someone to guide him. They even asked Chen Yi if he needed any maids.
Sitting on the bed in his room, Chen Yi thought to himself that reaching the Foundation Establishment stage was indeed troublesome.
Due to their status, Foundation Establishment cultivators no longer had to squeeze onto those two-zhang-high prayer mats with other Qi Refining cultivators in the large ship's cabin.
In that situation, everyone felt uncomfortable.
But even the cheapest private room costs 200 spirit stones, making Chen Yi think that the flying boat business is really easy to do.
On the flying boat, shortly after entering the room, a maid came to inform them that...
"Senior Chen, there is a fairy named Li Yudie who claims to be an old friend of yours and wishes to meet you. Do you have the time?"
Chen Yi thought for a moment and realized that it wasn't normal to always avoid this troublesome situation.
Besides, the other party has already come knocking on our door, and the two did indeed have a history ten years ago.
"Please ask her to come over."
Chen Yichong's maid nodded.
A short while later, Li Yudie entered Chen Yi's rest room, led by a maid.
Li Yudie deliberately wore a plain white dress similar to the one she wore ten years ago. However, her face showed more signs of aging than when she was a twenty-something-year-old girl. She didn't look old, but the delicate skin on her face was gone.
After Li Yudie entered the room, she looked Chen Yi up and down with her almond-shaped eyes. She never expected that the cowardly old man Chen Yi from ten years ago would now be a handsome, scholarly middle-aged man.
Over the past ten years, she has endured hardship and displacement. Ten years ago, she had already reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, but now she has only barely touched the edge of the ninth level.
She sighed inwardly, composed herself, and half-knelt in a respectful bow to Chen Yiying:
"Yu Die greets Senior Chen."
Senior Chen's hard work and perseverance paid off. He endured hardship before achieving success, spending thirty years cultivating his mind through mortal experience, and ten years of cultivation leading to a sudden enlightenment, allowing him to embark on the path of Foundation Establishment. Yu Die is truly envious!
She had prepared these words before coming, but they were also a genuine expression of her feelings.
I am truly filled with emotion.
"Yu Die, please don't be so polite, have a seat."
Chen Yi smiled slightly, unmoved by the flattery.
With a casual flick of his magic, a wooden chair silently floated and landed in front of Li Yudie.
Such minor applications of magical power are very simple, and even cultivators practicing Qi Refining can use them.
However, it is extremely rare for someone like Chen Yi to use it so effortlessly, with almost no noticeable fluctuations in magical power.
This shows that Chen Yi had mastered the use of magic power within just one month of establishing his foundation.
Li Yudie bowed slightly again and sat down.
"Speak, what brings you to see me, Mr. Chen?"
Chen Yi did not want to get too close to such people who might have ulterior motives, so he went straight to the point and asked them directly.
Upon hearing this, Li Yudie stood up from her chair, curtsied again, and spoke with a deliberately suppressed tremor:
"Senior Chen"
"Yu Die's audacity in bothering us is truly due to desperation. Ten years have passed since the Li family suffered its calamity, and the direct descendants of the Li family have either perished on their escape journey or scattered to various places."
At this point, she suddenly looked up, her eyes shimmering with tears, pitiful and helpless.
"Please, for the sake of the past relationship with the Li family, summon the orphans of the Li family as a Foundation Establishment cultivator so that they may cultivate under your protection. The cultivators of the Li family are willing to serve you until a new Foundation Establishment cultivator is born in the Li family."
Li Yudie bowed deeply to Chen Yi, revealing a hint of her softness, feigning nervousness as she awaited Chen Yi's reply.
Chen Yi laughed when he heard this. He was being asked to stand up and protect the Li family?
That's incredibly boastful!
Back then, the Li family treated him, a mere mortal servant, worse than pigs and dogs, using him and then discarding him. How can they now call the hardships of those years a favor?
He looked at Li Yudie with a half-smile: "Miss Li, do you still remember how the Li family treated me, a mere mortal servant, back then?"
Now you want me to shelter the orphan of the Li family? Leaving aside whether this will incur the wrath of the Dong family and bring Chen utter ruin,
Even considering only the sentiment, it doesn't reach that level.
Moreover, Chen is just a rogue cultivator, without roots or a home, and has no ability to protect a family of cultivators.
If this is all Miss Li has come for, she may leave.
Chen Yi spoke calmly.
Li Yudie sighed inwardly, "Just as I thought. Who would have thought that among those tens of thousands of servants back then, one of them would be at the Foundation Establishment stage?"
Moreover, it's at the Earth-grade Foundation Establishment level; this is simply unheard of.
If she had known this would happen, she would have insisted on nurturing this person and leaving a good legacy.
Now it's too late for regrets.
As for Chen Yi's claim that taking in the Li family would incur the Dong family's hatred and lead to their annihilation, that's a gross exaggeration.
With Chen Yi's foundation at the Earthly Rank 1, he is destined to become a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. What makes the Dong family so confident?
They're too busy trying to curry favor with them.
"Senior Chen, let's not mention the kindness of the Li family."
"Back then, I selected you from among the mortal servants and brought you to my courtyard to be skinned. I provided you with five catties of demon beast meat every day, and it was through this that you advanced to the Innate Realm."
Li Yudie paused, implying that it wasn't a matter for the Li family, and that she, Li Yudie, also had feelings for Chen Yi.
"If you, senior, are unwilling to protect the Li family, could you please provide this young lady with a place to cultivate?"
Just like you did in the little girls' courtyard back then, I am willing to do some odd jobs in Senior Chen's courtyard and follow orders, just hoping to find a place to stay in this chaotic world of cultivation.
Li Yudie spoke with such pitiful vulnerability, every word filled with emotion.
Chen Yi could tell that the previous one was an exorbitant demand, while this was her real need.
Unfortunately, Chen Yi didn't want to agree either.
just,
Chen Yi glanced at her with his third-tier divine sense combined with his [Heavenly Eye]. Through her divine sense, he vaguely sensed that there seemed to be a blood-red restriction hidden within her soul.
Considering Li Yudie's behavior over the past two years, he was already 80% certain that Li Yudie was a member of the Blood-Clad Tower.
Therefore, under no circumstances could he take in this woman; that would be inviting a wolf into the house.
Moreover, the other party only chose him from the mortal world because of Chen Yi's excellent skinning skills, and did not give him any special treatment.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Yi said:
"Miss Li, I remember that when the Li family withdrew, you pushed me out and left with a group of ordinary martial artists. In reality, you were using me as bait to attract the Dong family's pursuit, right?"
"Miss, please don't pretend you were unaware of this matter."
Chen Yi brought up old grudges. Li Yudie had given him a job and rewarded him with monster meat every day, so nominally she owed him some favor.
But the other party was merely following the rules of a servant, handling official business as it was.
Moreover, he was fully aware of the situation when the family was selecting bait, yet he still let Chen Yi go with them. This alone severed the bond of gratitude from back then.
Upon hearing this, Li Yudie sighed again, bowed deeply, and apologized repeatedly.
"I'm sorry, Senior Chen. Back then, Yu Die was blind and couldn't overcome the objections of her family elders to keep you here."
This matter was Yu Die's fault.
"If you are unwilling to take Yu Die in the courtyard, could you please speak with the managers of Lake and Sea Market and give Yu Die a place to stay?"
Yu Die makes a living on her own in the market, without relying on her seniors or causing them any trouble.
Please, Senior Chen, consider the past. I beg you!
Li Yudie knelt on the ground, tears welling up in her eyes, then took a step back and made one last request.
This request was really just a piece of cake for Chen Yi. After all, Li Yudie was a direct descendant of the Li family and had a grudge against the Dong family. If she wanted to stay in this Lake and Sea Market, unlike other rogue cultivators, she really needed Chen Yi's words.
Chen Yi felt no pity for her expression or voice.
He was pondering what the Blood-Clad Tower's true purpose was.
The fact that the Blood-Clad Tower sent this woman to his cave entrance might be for his Foundation Establishment Pill.
Now that I have successfully established my foundation, and may even reach the Earth-grade Foundation Establishment level, the other party probably wants to find out my secrets.
A rogue cultivator, who for the first thirty-three years was a mortal servant, an old man as fragile as a candle flickering in the wind.
More than ten years have passed, and suddenly he has achieved foundation building, and the quality of his foundation building is so high. It is impossible to say that there was no opportunity involved.
This is probably the biggest goal of the Blood-Clad Tower.
After understanding this section,
Chen Yi was thinking about how to deal with this woman.
In fact, the fact that Blood-Clad Tower sent this woman to spy on them might actually be a good thing for Chen Yi, at least she's under his control.
After all, Chen Yi knew this woman inside and out, and her strength posed no threat to him.
Moreover, when it really comes down to it, we might be able to use her as bait, or use her to spy on the Blood-Clad Tower's information and attitude.
Or perhaps she was used to mislead the Blood-Clad Tower, causing them to stray from the truth.
On the contrary, if we drive her away, it will easily arouse the suspicion of the Blood-Clad Tower, and the people sent by the Blood-Clad Tower will definitely be more troublesome.
Having figured this out, Chen Yi decided to pretend he didn't know the woman's Blood Robe Tower identity and give her a chance to get close.
"Get up. I'll go and speak with the administrators of Lakeside Market."
Whether the Dong family accepts you or not is their business, it has nothing to do with me.
Furthermore, from now on, I cannot guarantee your safety in the market, nor can you use my name to cause trouble.
Chen Yi's voice was flat.
Li Yudie, however, showed a look of surprise and delight. She thanked Chen Yi repeatedly, her tear-streaked face still showing a pitiful appearance. Her shoulder bag sagged with excitement, and her gaze towards Chen Yi was filled with gratitude, admiration, and a hint of desire.
Ha, this woman is even planning to seduce me.
Chen Yi didn't point it out. He could even handle a beauty like Qin Chengcheng, let alone this woman, who was just an ordinary, beautiful woman in her thirties.
He simply waved his hand:
"Go back now, and don't come looking for me again unless it's absolutely necessary."
Li Yudie retreated with a slight disappointment, but her eyes quickly filled with fighting spirit again.
She didn't believe that the fairy-like mistress who used to ride on his head would now be willing to kneel at his crotch, begging pitifully and letting him take what he wanted.
Seeing Chen Yi's gentle and authoritative demeanor today, and feeling the immense aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator,
Li Yudie was completely won over and was willing to do anything under such a powerful figure.
As for that wretched old man who seemed like a candle flickering in the wind in my memory, well, which big shot in the cultivation world hasn't had a down-and-out past?
That's not called a dark history.
That's the road the big shot took!
Two days later, Chen Yi quietly returned to Lake Sea Market and reopened the array on the private kitchen courtyard.
However, it is still not open to the public for business.
He simply sent invitations to Lao Hu, Hao Youren, and others to the Foundation Establishment Ceremony in a low-key manner.
The invitation was handwritten on simple parchment paper, without any gold foil stamping, jade inlay, or other decorations; it simply contained one line of text:
[Foundation Building Celebration:]
We are honored to have the Hu Zhongping family and fellow Daoist Hao Youren invited to a small gathering.
Signed: Chen Yi.
Chen Yi doesn't have many friends.
Besides these two, Qin Chengcheng was actually one of his true friends.
unfortunately,
At this time, Qin Chengcheng had lost some of her memories and had forgotten the details of her past with Chen Yi. Chen Yi was unable to call her or share his joy of Foundation Establishment with her.
In addition, Huo San Niang has also died, which Chen Yi finds somewhat regrettable.
As for Zhao Jingwu, Lin Xiaoyu, Zhao Tieshan, the female cultivators of Miaoyin Pavilion, the cooks he had worked with, and the former apprentices of the talisman shop, Chen Yi did not have much personal relationship with them, was not familiar with them, and did not call them.
Old Hu and Hao Youren arrived at Chen Yi's shop that evening. Li Yudie said that Chen Yi had no one to serve him, and he couldn't be expected to prepare the food and drinks and serve the dishes himself. She volunteered to stay and help Chen Yi with the business.
Chen Yi thought about it and didn't refuse.
The shock Lao Hu and Hao Youren felt upon seeing Chen Yi goes without saying.
Upon witnessing Chen Yi's powerful and pure Foundation Establishment stage magic, they scrutinized him intently, examining him thoroughly from head to toe.
They simply couldn't believe that Chen Yi, who had shared their hardships as ordinary people and was their junior, was actually someone they knew.
How come you've already successfully established your foundation today!
"Fellow Daoist Chen, no, now I should call you Senior Chen."
You really kept this from us for so long!
Hao Youren spoke first, bowing respectfully to Chen Yi.
Chen Yi smiled and gently lifted Hao Youren's hand: "Fellow Daoist Hao, we've known each other for many years, there's no need to call me senior anymore, let's just call each other fellow Daoists."
Old Hu too,
Haha, let's sit down, eat, and chat, just like before, no need to be shy.
Chen Yi led the two to sit at the main table, then turned to Li Yudie and said:
"Yudie, lead Sister-in-law Hu and Xiaomingyue to sit down and have some. You should also have some. After you've eaten, you can go back. When the party ends, Sister-in-law Hu will be there, so you don't need to clean up the table. We're all family here."
"Yes, Senior Chen."
Li Yudie obediently agreed.
If Chen Yi hadn't had other plans, he would never have kept her here to help, much less let her stay for so long.
Even so, Li Yudie felt flattered and overwhelmed; attending the family banquet was already a good start.
Chen Yi's words also had several other meanings. One was to tell Hao Youren that Li Yudie was not close to him and that Hao Youren should not take it to heart. She was even less important than Lao Hu's sister-in-law.
Back then, Li Yudie could decide Hao Youren's life or death with a single word, almost causing him to die at the height of his martial arts career. If it weren't for his good fortune, he wouldn't be where he is today.
Seeing Li Yudie busy at Chen Yi's house, willingly serving as a maid, Hao Youren may not ask aloud, but he might be thinking that if Chen Yi takes Li Yudie into his household, it will be somewhat awkward when they meet in the future.
Chen Yi's words revealed the difference between close and distant relationships, which made Hao Youren feel much more at ease.
Chen Yi later casually asked Sister-in-law Hu to clean up the mess left by the banquet. This seemingly casual instruction actually showed that he considered Old Hu one of his own. Only by not treating her like an outsider would he allow her to do such household chores.
This made Lao Hu feel very comforted.
"Haha, don't worry, Brother Chen. Your sister-in-law will be there to clean things up for you afterwards." Old Hu was very pleased.
Seeing Chen Yi's attitude, Hao Youren understood that while he was close to Chen Yi, Li Yudie remained distant.
He spoke as he always had, without as many reservations:
"Senior Chen, Fellow Daoist Chen, Brother Chen!"
You really kept it a secret!
I've asked you many times if you're willing to go out and take the risk, if you're willing to fight for Foundation Establishment, and you've always shaken your head and refused.
Who knew you'd secretly succeed in building your foundation?!
Old Hu, standing nearby, also laughed and said, "Yes, Brother Chen, you're too surprised."
Although I had previously judged that if any of the three of us could successfully establish our foundation, that person would definitely be Brother Chen.
But I never imagined he could be so fast and so strong!
Judging from Fellow Daoist Chen's magical power, it's comparable to that of other senior mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators. Surely Fellow Daoist Chen's Foundation Establishment isn't just a simple low-grade Foundation Establishment?
Chen Yi took a sip of the spirit wine and smiled, "It should be slightly above the upper-grade Foundation Establishment level."
"Superior Foundation Establishment? Even above average?"
"hiss--!"
The two looked astonished.
(End of this chapter)