Dongting Immortal Clan

Hearing this, Li Kaihe felt somewhat relieved, and his gaze towards Chen Changhe held more respect. He felt that this man was quick-witted and broad-minded, a person worthy of friendship, and so he said seriously:

"Chen Daoyou's magnanimity is truly admirable."

"I will remember this kindness forever, and when I have mastered the art of cultivation, I will surely repay it handsomely!"

He put the jade bowl back into his storage bag, his gaze sweeping over the deep, dark Zhou family mansion, and said in a slightly cold tone:

"I heard from you before that the Zhou and Chen families have fallen out. You are kind-hearted and do not want to take their lives, but we cannot let them continue like this."

"If it is a spirit official appointed by the Celestial Dynasty, then it is fine, but perhaps we still need to be a little cautious."

"But if he is just an ordinary grain transport official... Hmph, within a month, this person will surely be removed from the list in Yuezhou."

"We cultivators have plenty of ways to deal with them!"

Chen Changhe clasped his hands in thanks, and Li Kaihe looked down at the ancient array patterns at his feet and said calmly:

"This place is not bad. Although it is old, its ability to gather spiritual energy has not been lost, and it can serve as the foundation for the family."

"Once we acquire the residence, your cultivation here with Fellow Daoist Dajiang will surely progress tenfold!"

"After I get home, I will also look for suitable array formation texts and materials. When I come to the lake next time, I will definitely repair this array for you."

Li Kaihe offered many compensations in one breath, but felt that none of them could compare to the value of this century-old dragon carp.

Chen Changhe smiled slightly and shook his head, saying:

"Brother Li, there's no need for that."

"For the Chen family at present, such spiritual objects are like a child carrying gold in the market, which is likely to bring disaster."

"To use this item to befriend a promising Qi-refining ally is an extremely worthwhile investment."

"Furthermore, if you, fellow Daoist, were to attain enlightenment in the future, and if you could offer some assistance to Hu'er within the Immortal Sect... that would be sufficient."

Li Kaihe was taken aback upon hearing this, then shook his head with a wry smile and sighed:

"Brother Chen's words... truly leave me at a loss for words."

"The value of this dragon carp is so great that even many Qi Refining cultivators would be tempted to fight over it... But I'm afraid I can never repay this kindness, so I can only keep it in my heart."

……

The two quietly leaped out of the Zhou family's old house and arrived at the old temple, which had been reduced to charred ruins.

Li Kaihe's spiritual sense carefully swept over every inch of the land, his expression focused.

Having received such a great favor, one should naturally do one's best in handling matters.

After a long while, he withdrew his spiritual sense and shook his head, saying:

Apart from the faint traces of yin energy and signs of burning, no other traces of evil spirits were found, nor were any hidden demonic lairs discovered.

"Perhaps the evil spirit in charge has found another opportunity to hide."

Chen Changhe looked worried. After several years, the monster in the lake had reappeared, which weighed heavily on his mind, and he dared not relax for a moment.

"From what you've described, that demon possessed you and became incredibly strong. Perhaps it was a dragon or snake from the lake that had become a spirit. Such demons are inherently lewd and evil. It's not surprising that a remnant soul possessed you and engaged in sexual intercourse to replenish your yin and yang essence."

Seeing that Li Kaihe had failed to find any more clues from the ruins, the two then went to the old willow tree by the lake.

Chen Changhe pointed out the location where the arm bone was buried, but Li Kaihe's investigation yielded no further findings.

It wasn't until Chen Changhe took out the ebony rosary he had obtained from Granny Zhou that Li Kaihe took it and examined it closely before saying:

"This is a soul-nourishing artifact made of 'Yin Huai wood', which can contain and nurture yin spirits."

"The little devil you mentioned, fellow Daoist, is not attached to the arm bone; it should be being raised within these prayer beads."

"With this rosary, one can control its actions."

Li Kaihe was knowledgeable and understood many things in the cultivation world, so he immediately began to introduce them to Chen Changhe.

"Among the cultivator families, there is also a tradition of worshipping the spirits of ancestors or subduing mountain spirits and ghosts as 'guardian spirits of the family.' They make offerings with incense and prayers on a daily basis, which can protect the peace of the home and can also be used to fight when encountering enemies."

"As long as it is properly worshipped and kept away from strangers and from absorbing yang energy, it will not harm the family members, but will actually benefit them."

Hearing that it would not endanger his family, Chen Changhe felt reassured and solemnly put the prayer beads away.

The child's soul was then hidden inside the pearl, with the intention of later enshrining it on the altar in a quiet room at home.

……

Li Kaihe then accompanied him to survey the area around Baiyukou, using his spiritual sense to probe the ground. Sure enough, they discovered several more patches of barren land with spiritual energy, suitable for planting spiritual rice.

It was already late at night when I got home.

Chen Dajiang hadn't slept and was waiting in the main room.

Seeing the two return, he quickly went to greet them and said to his second brother:

"In the Linglu Mountain, there is a black snake with jade horns guarding three spiritually vibrant Ganoderma lucidum."

"tomorrow……"

"Would it be possible to trouble Fellow Daoist Li to venture into the mountain again and take a look?"

Chen Changhe, reminded by his elder brother, then remembered the matter and hurriedly told Li Kaihe in detail about Chen Dajiang's strange encounter in the mountains.

Upon hearing this, Li Kaihe's expression of surprise deepened, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself:

"What happened?"

"This place at the mouth of the lake is just a tiny area with little spiritual energy."

"First, there was the hidden evil spirit and the hundred-year-old dragon carp; then, in the nearby mountains, there was even a jade-horned black snake about to transform into a dragon, along with its accompanying lingzhi mushroom?"

"The Chen family's luck is just too good!"

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After arranging for Li Kaihe to stay in a guest room, Chen Changhe returned to his study to meditate, but did not enter a meditative state. He had been pondering the events of the day.

"The matter of Granny Zhou has been resolved, the evil spirit has been taken away by Li Kaihe, and the demon in the lake has temporarily disappeared..."

Chen Changhe paused, and the image of Li Kaihe flashed through his mind.

"Li Kaihe's cultivation and knowledge far surpass mine. He is indeed a scion of a noble family. However, having grown up on the Immortal Mountain and being protected by his clan, his mind is still somewhat simple."

"If it were Senior Zhou Yan who saw that dragon carp today, he would probably just give some supplies and a few words of guidance and let the matter pass by. He would never do what he did, promising to remove him from office, agreeing to repair the formation, and feeling that he owed him a lot."

"This person is not even thirty years old yet, and he is about to reach the Qi Refining Realm. He is probably no ordinary person even among the Foundation Establishment clans like the Tianyong Li Clan."

"Although Master Hu'er is also a member of the Li family, and Li Kaihe and Hu'er have a close relationship, the details of their relationship still need to be clarified."

"If we can take this opportunity to get our family on the Li family's side, especially to establish a good relationship with this person... once he succeeds in refining his Qi, our family will have a Qi Refining Realm ally, and we will also be able to rely on the Tianyong Li family."

"A Foundation Establishment clan that has stood strong in Tianyong Ancient City for a thousand years dared to change the officials of a state with just a casual remark. The family's foundation is far beyond my imagination."

A clear light flashed in Chen Changhe's eyes; he knew exactly what he was doing.

"When will my Chen family be able to prosper like this?"

After exchanging ideas with Li Kaihe today, I realized how vast the cultivation world is, with people beyond people and heavens beyond heavens.

Immortal sects, aristocratic families, rogue cultivators, demons and evil spirits...

The layers are distinct.

The law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, is even more blatant than in the mundane world of martial arts.

"Even Li Kaihe looked down on the demons and monsters on the lake. Zhou Yan's investigation back then was probably just a formality. He was able to bestow cultivation techniques and take in Hu'er for the immortal sect. Perhaps he simply wanted to enlighten a cultivation family by the lake."

"Just as he said, since there are emerald mussels in the lake, no matter how they came about, someone has to go and retrieve them for him. It just so happens that the lake has the potential, and my elder brother and I have also embarked on the path of cultivation. It's all just going with the flow and everyone getting what they need."

As Chen Changhe grew older and interacted with people more often, coupled with his frequent hearing from his adoptive father about his experiences in the cultivation world, he had long since lost any sense of awe towards the "immortal master."

More often, people speculate and weigh things based on gains and losses, and interests and relationships.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have immediately suspected Zhou Yan and Shen Congyun when he discovered the spirit demon.

In retrospect, I realize that I had been judging them by my own petty standards and had wronged them.

Currently, the two are still taking good care of the Chen family, but this is all because they have no conflict of interest.

If one day the Chen family chooses to hand over the Jade Water Clam themselves, instead of letting it go through Shen Congyun's hands, will he still treat the Chen family the same way he does now?

If one day the Chen family wants to take the spiritual clam in the lake for themselves, will Zhou Yan agree?

At that time, we would probably only be able to argue, or even turn against each other with weapons.

Those who cultivate themselves have longer lifespans and greater desires, so how can they escape worldly concerns?

"Ultimately, it is because of one's own weakness that one fears the evil spirits in the lake. If one wants to protect this land and ensure the prosperity of the family, one must have a high enough level of cultivation."

"If one could reach the Innate Qi Refining Realm like Li Kaihe, then eliminating the demon lurking in the lake would not be difficult."

As my thoughts churned, the full moon sank in the west outside the window, and the sun gradually rose in the east.

After tidying up briefly, the Chen brothers and Li Kaihe used their lightness technique to leave Baiyukou and head straight for the depths of Linglu Mountain.