“It’s only the middle of the month now, and there’s almost a month left until the tenth of next month…” Chen Miaomiao did not put away the invitation but looked at Chen Heqin with a half-smile. “Your Fancheng Chen family sure has a lot of nerve, expecting Benzun to wait here for you for a whole month? Hmm? All for the sake of a mere junior’s wedding?”
Chen Heming’s face turned pale, and he hurriedly said, “No, that’s not what we meant, and we wouldn’t dare to keep you waiting, Senior.”
“Hmm, in that case, let’s set off for Fancheng right away. It’s a good opportunity to have a serious talk with your Fancheng Chen family about their issues. Such arrogance and condescension have truly opened Benzun’s eyes. Benzun wants to make it clear to your Fancheng Chen family that disrespecting Elder Chen is disrespecting Benzun! And Benzun’s wrath is not something to be taken lightly.”
Upon hearing this, the members of Yunluo Chenjia were deeply moved.
The ancestor is truly too kind!
From today onward, she will be their great benefactor of Yunluo Chenjia!
Unlike the “simplicity” of the others, Chen Wen clearly had more concerns. He quickly analyzed the pros and cons in his mind and ultimately decided that it was best to “cut the Gordian knot.” With the help of Chen Miaomiao, an unfathomably powerful old monster, he would seize the opportunity to complete negotiations with the main family once and for all, eliminating any future troubles.
Chen Wen straightened his back and said, “Senior’s words are absolutely right. Your time is so precious; it must not be delayed because of the main family’s young lady’s wedding. Why don’t we set off for Fancheng immediately?”
Chen Heqin and the others naturally had no objections. Chen Wei was severely injured, and they needed to take him back to the main family for treatment as soon as possible.
The three parties reached a consensus and decided to depart immediately. Before leaving, Chen Miaomiao had someone summon Ma Jingyu. The two talked privately in the courtyard, and when Ma Jingyu left, his steps were unsteady, as if floating.
Later, someone curiously asked him if the Baipao Laozu, who had “favored” him repeatedly, had gifted him many rare treasures.
Upon hearing this, Ma Jingyu trembled with anger. He finally understood what it meant to be unable to speak out or voice his grievances. That witch had extorted a thousand taels of gold and a thousand Lingshi from him, nearly emptying the Ma family’s entire fortune!
If spending money could resolve the disaster, it might have been tolerable, but the witch also secretly ordered him to go to Fancheng. He didn’t want to go; he was terrified to the core. Yet, his life was firmly in her grasp, and he had no choice but to obey.
If asked what Ma Jingyu regretted most in his life, it would undoubtedly be his greed three years ago, which led him to meddle in the Chen family’s conflicts. But now, no amount of regret could change anything.
All he hoped for now was that Chen Miaomiao would achieve her goals, and he could regain his freedom as soon as possible…
…
Unlike the remote border town of Yunluo Zhen, Fancheng lay sprawled across the land like a slumbering giant beast. Its vast expanse and majestic aura were beyond comparison with ten Yunluo Zhens combined.
No wonder the members of the main Chen family held such immense superiority over their branch family!
Setting foot in Fancheng, the Yunluo Chenjia members felt as if they had stepped into a celestial city. Their eyes widened as they eagerly took in everything around them, afraid of missing a single detail.
Fancheng was a bustling metropolis with crisscrossing streets and bustling markets. Carriages came and went, and the crowds flowed like a river, creating a vibrant and prosperous scene.
The noble Xiushi, who were rare in Yunluo Zhen, were commonplace here. Not only were there Lianqi Xiushi, but even Zhuji Xiushi could be seen!
Of course, they couldn’t see through cultivation levels above the Zhuji stage!
Standing in the middle of the street, the members of Yunluo Chenjia faced their own insignificance and fragility for the first time, even feeling a bit hesitant, unsure whether this trip to Fancheng was truly a good thing.
Chen Chuqing glanced nervously at Chen Miaomiao, only to find her face calm and composed, as if Fancheng were nothing more than dust and sand to her, unworthy of mention. Her heart slowly settled back down.
What was there to fear?
They had their ancestor!
The ancestor was the guardian deity of their Yunluo Chenjia!
After winding through numerous twists and turns, the group finally arrived at the Chen residence.
As one of the four great families of Fancheng, the Chen family naturally carried an imposing presence. Even the two tightly shut vermilion-red gates were crafted from thousand-year-old spiritual wood, reinforced with a Defense Array. Uninvited intruders likely couldn’t even step through the Chen family’s gates.
When branch family elders arrived at the main family, it was only proper for the main family to send someone to welcome them. Yet today, the Chen family’s vermilion gates remained tightly shut, with only an elderly man in a brown robe leading a group of young men waiting outside—their intentions were clear without words.
The old man was slender but exuded an astonishing presence, his drooping eyelids not the least bit dull but instead sharp and piercing.
As for the young men…
Some were tall, some short; some robust, some delicate. Each had their own charm and handsomeness. At first glance, Chen Miaomiao thought she had stumbled into a beauty pageant!
Clearly, Chen Wen also recognized the old man and immediately guessed the “malicious intentions” of the main family.
Chen Wen gritted his teeth in anger and said coldly, “Chen Qi, what is the meaning of this? We have traveled thousands of miles to come here. Why aren’t the gates opened to welcome us?!”
Chen Qi was the head of the Chen family’s Hundred Herbs Hall.
He had cultivated for over ninety years and had been at the peak of the Zhuji stage for two decades. Although he had yet to break through to the Jindan stage, he was still a figure of some standing within the main family. Otherwise, the Chen family wouldn’t have entrusted him with managing the Hundred Herbs Hall’s business.
When the tormented main family disciples saw Chen Qi, their anxious hearts finally found solace, and they called out one after another, “Greetings, Elder!”
“Greetings, Elder!”
“Elder! We’re back!”
…
The main family members had been bossed around like grandsons by Chen Miaomiao and the branch family all along the way—how could they not hold grievances?
They hoped the elder would stand up for them!
Chen Qi responded indifferently, ignoring Chen Wen. Instead, he cupped his hands toward Chen Miaomiao and said, “Baipao Laozu, the family head learned of your esteemed arrival and specifically ordered me to await you here. The family head has also prepared a welcoming banquet for you. Please, Laozu, come inside.”
Chen Qi’s voice was resonant and his breath steady, effortlessly carrying his words through the streets and alleys.
As soon as he finished speaking, the group of young men shouted in unison.
“Welcome, Laozu!”
“Welcome, Laozu!”
…
Chen Miaomiao: “…” So, is this some kind of large-scale social embarrassment?
The synchronized shouts drew the attention of the people of Fancheng, who buzzed with excitement as if injected with adrenaline.
“Ah, Elder Chen Qi of the Hundred Herbs Hall led his disciples here early to wait, just to welcome this woman?”
“Who exactly is she, to be treated with such importance even by the Chen family?”
“Clad in white robes like mist, with a pure and refreshing aura—truly a dragon among men!”
“Why can’t I see through her cultivation level?”
“You, a mere Lianqi cultivator, would be able to see through it? That would be truly supernatural. I suspect this ancestor must be at least a Yuanying-level cultivator. Otherwise, why would the Chen family arrange so many handsome men here to welcome her? It’s all to curry favor with the old lady.”
“Yuanying? Then she must be quite old, right? How could she still have an appetite for these young Xiushi?”
“Haha, the love for beauty is universal, after all. Perfectly normal, perfectly normal.”
…
Chen Miaomiao: “…” Normal, my foot!
Alright!
Chen Miaomiao had now grasped the true intentions of the Chen family’s main branch. This was a scheme to use “beauty traps” and “divide-and-conquer tactics.”
If she, as the ancestor, stopped protecting the Yunluo Chenjia, wouldn’t dealing with them be as easy as crushing ants for the Fancheng Chenjia?
But… damn it, she wasn’t some lustful person!
Devious Chen family, ruining her reputation!!