Dongting Immortal Clan

"The Chen family of Bishui is one of them, as are the Shen family of Longxi, the Zheng family of Mufu Mountain, the Sun family of Baima Lake, the Ning family of Shensang Mountain, the Guan family of Heming Peak..."

Guan Chengfeng put down his teacup and counted on his fingers:

"There are seven cultivation families under the jurisdiction of Taixu Sect in Yunmeng County, and all of them are on the list of those to be conscripted this time."

He recounted them one by one, most of the names were unfamiliar, and Chen Changhe had never heard of any of them except for the Shen family of Longxi.

"Now that Fellow Daoist Shen is seriously injured, I wonder who from the Shen family will be sent to assist you this time?"

"She is his eldest sister, Shen Yuanxia."

"The four realms of spiritual treasures, the cultivation of golden marrow."

Guan Chengfeng added:

"Her cultivation is much more solid than Junior Brother Shen's; she is already visualizing the image of her primordial spirit and condensing the true form of her life palace."

The fourth realm of the Spirit Treasury, one foot already in the Palace of Fate...

Chen Changhe remained silent.

He is currently only at the peak of the Wood Embryo stage, two realms away from the Golden Marrow stage.

"Fellow Daoist Guan."

Chen Changhe raised his head, his expression now calm, and cupped his hands in a deep voice, saying:

"This matter concerns the family, and I need to discuss it with my father and brothers before giving a reply. Could you perhaps grant me some time?"

"in this way……"

Guan Chengfeng pondered for a moment, then stood up and nodded, saying:

"I will wait nearby. Tomorrow at noon, whether I go or not, I hope you will give me a definite answer."

He took out a blue jade slip from his sleeve and handed it over. The character "关" (Guan) engraved on it was exactly the same as the jade pendant at his waist.

"Once you have made your decision, you can send this message."

"Thank you, fellow Daoist."

Chen Changhe respectfully accepted the jade slip.

"You're welcome."

Guan Chengfeng nodded slightly, walked to the door of the main room, suddenly turned around, and lowered his voice:

"Fellow Daoist, there is something I shouldn't say, but for the sake of my master, I will take the liberty of bringing it up."

"Fellow Daoist, please speak."

Chen Changhe lowered his head slightly and said.

"This mobilization, though ostensibly for 'assistance,' also carries the intention of 'testing' the enemy."

"Not every cultivation family can hold their position under the rule of the Taixu Sect for long. Some families are promoted... and naturally, some families are dismissed."

"That's all Mr. Guan has to say."

Having said that, he said no more, and a silver shuttle immediately slid out from his sleeve.

Guan Chengfeng stepped onto it, and in a flash of light, he was already airborne, disappearing into the clouds in an instant.

Chen Changhe stood inside the threshold, looking up as the lingering azure light slowly dissipated, his face expressionless.

Footsteps sounded behind me.

Chen Dajiang came out of the side room, holding one-year-old Chen Xuanji in his arms.

The little baby was held tightly in his father's arms, holding a piece of rice cake in his hand, his face covered in rice cake.

"Gone?"

Chen Dajiang asked.

"I'm gone."

Chen Changhe turned around, took his nephew from his elder brother, and wiped the rice cake stains off his face with his sleeve.

Chen Xuanji was being held by his second uncle, giggling and reaching out his sticky little hands to grab Chen Changhe's hair.

Chen Changhe didn't dodge, letting the little child pull him, and said calmly:

"Brother, go and invite our godfather back, and then call Father over. This matter needs to be discussed as a family."

Chen Dajiang nodded, turned around and went out the door.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

As dusk approached, twilight began to fall.

Oil lamps were lit early in the main room, where the family gathered.

Chen Chuansheng sat in the old rattan chair at the head of the table, with Old Zhang sitting beside him. There was a pot of tea on the small table between them.

Chen Changhe recounted the entire message brought by Guan Chengfeng, without omitting a single word.

He then gently placed the pale gold jade talisman on the table.

The room was quiet for a while.

Chen Chuansheng picked up the teacup and brought it to his lips, but forgot what he was going to do. After a while, he put it down again and stared intently at the jade talisman.

The oil lamp cast a deep shadow on his face.

Over the years, through hard work and toil, his hair has turned completely white, and his wrinkles are deep, as if they were carved by a knife. He is now a completely different person from the strong and powerful fisherman he once was on the lake.

"The Long River".

After a long while, Chen Chuansheng spoke in a deep voice.

"What's your opinion on this matter?"

Chen Changhe lowered his eyes, his voice calm but without hesitation:

"We have no choice but to go. Not going would be disobeying orders, and the consequences... my family can't bear."

Old Zhang nodded and sighed:

"Erlang is right. Disobeying orders is considered treason. To put it bluntly, our family is still relying on the Immortal Sect's power. They can rise up with a wave of their hand, but if they want to suppress us..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but they all remembered the Zhou family from six months ago.

The Li family of Tianyong only had to say one sentence back then, and the Zhou family, which was once so powerful, also withered away in an instant.

The lessons of the past are still fresh in our minds.

As the Fengshi Envoy of the Taixu Sect, Zhou Yan was essentially the sect's representative in the mortal world. Disobeying his decree of conscription would naturally be considered an act of defiance against the sect.

Chen Chuansheng shook his head, his gaze sweeping over his two sons, and said in a deep voice:

That's the logic.

He paused, then turned to look at Old Zhang and said:

"When I sail on the lake, I never go into unfamiliar waters, as it's easy to run into hidden reefs."

"Now that the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, how many of them are there? What are their cultivation levels? What methods do they have? We know nothing about them."

"If we go there rashly, wouldn't we be following in Shen Congyun's footsteps?"

Having said that, his voice became more firm, and he continued:

"Hu'er is already in the Immortal Sect. We just need to wait for him to succeed in the future. Then our family will naturally be at peace. Even if we don't have the name of Bishui, it doesn't matter. Why take such a risky step?"

His words were not without reason.

Chen Changhe's cultivation level is mediocre, considered ordinary in the cultivation world. If he were to go to Wulong Gorge, he would likely face dire consequences.

It would be better to quietly accumulate experience as before and wait for Chen Xiaohu to gain a foothold in the Taixu Sect.

Chen Changhe remained silent, his gaze fixed on the flickering lamplight.

Going there would inevitably be danger.

If they don't go, they will be punished by the Immortal Sect, and their families may even be implicated.

……

"I'll go."

Chen Dajiang sat by the door, his voice not loud, but his words were crisp and clear.

"Big brother—"

Chen Changhe turned his head to look, and was about to say something more, but was interrupted by Chen Dajiang waving his hand.

He stood up, still half a head taller than Chen Changhe, with broader shoulders, looking like a high wall blocking his way.

"The Immortal Sect is conscripting us, there's no reason to refuse. Since Hu'er can't come back, the only ones in our family who can be conscripted are you and me."

He looked at Chen Changhe, his gaze calm.

"You are in charge of the household affairs, and you cannot be left without us no matter what."

"My magic isn't as refined as yours, and my magical power isn't as great..."

He paused, then said in a resolute voice:

"But when it comes to hunting with a knife and bow, I've been navigating the mountains for years, so I'm quite confident in my skills."

He looked at Old Zhang and gave him a smile:

"My godfather knows."

Old Zhang nodded silently.

Chen Dajiang then looked at his father and younger brother, and said in a relaxed tone:

"Besides, didn't that Immortal Master Guan also say that most of it is peripheral miscellaneous work, and he doesn't really have to fight evil cultivators to the death?"

Chen Changhe pursed his lips.

My older brother is right; the only two people who can visit the house are the two of them.

But that's precisely why he was even more reluctant to let his elder brother go.

"I'll go instead."

Chen Changhe shook his head and refused.

"Your magic is not yet proficient, your magical power cannot last long, and you have never fought against a cultivator before..."

"The water measuring ruler and the cold iron caltrop that Zhou Yan gave me are both things that I nurture and use. I'm always quicker to react to unexpected situations."

"Brother, you stay home and continue training the local militia. I will make all the necessary arrangements before I leave."

"no."

Chen Dajiang refused outright. He stepped forward, and his tall figure made Chen Changhe feel a sense of oppression.

"Your cultivation is high, and your mind is quick. Staying at home will be much more useful than me."

"I'm just a reckless fool, even if it's true... it doesn't matter."

He didn't continue speaking, but instead said emphatically:

"With you at home, I feel at ease!"

……

"That's enough!"

Chen Chuan slammed his palm down on the wooden table!

With a muffled "bang," the teacup lid jumped up, tumbled down, and spun around on the table a few times.

Although both brothers were cultivators, they were both intimidated by Chen Chuansheng's aura and involuntarily lowered their heads.

Chen Chuansheng's chest heaved, and his face turned bright red.

Other brothers fight over inheritance and profit, but these two in our family are fighting over a chance to die.

His throat bobbed, as if something was stuck in his throat. He gasped for breath a few times before he managed to suppress his emotions and squeeze out the words through his teeth.

"Let the Yangtze River go."

"Second brother...stay!"

After saying this, Chen Chuansheng seemed to have exhausted all his strength, and his whole body slumped back in the chair, breathing slightly heavily.

Old Zhang quickly reached out to support his arm and whispered:

"Brother Chen, don't worry, it might not be as dangerous as it seems..."

Chen Chuansheng nodded reluctantly, but his breathing was still heavy.

Chen Changhe raised his head, wanting to say a few more words, but his father glared at him fiercely, and he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

That gaze... he knew it all too well.

As a child he was mischievous, and as a teenager he was stubborn, he often cried under such gazes.

It wasn't until he grew older, especially after embarking on the path of cultivation, that look in his eyes gradually disappeared...

But today, that look appeared again.

It is the authority called "head of the family," it is autocracy, it is a one-man show...

For some reason, the true head of the Chen family today had a hint of pleading in his eyes.

Chen Chuansheng was begging him not to fight with his elder brother.

—The Chen family is not just your Chen Changhe's Chen family, but also Chen Dajiang's Chen family.

I'm not dead yet...

Please, listen to me.

……

long silence.

Chen Changhe finally let out a slow breath and said in a hoarse voice:

"Activate the jade pendant with magic, and Guan Chengfeng will come."

"I will set off for Deer Horn Mountain at dawn tomorrow, hoping to find one or two suitable magical artifacts for my elder brother."

After saying that, Chen Changhe pushed open the door and left the house, drifting away towards Qingchi Villa.

Watching his departing figure, Chen Chuansheng felt a tightness in his chest, unable to exhale.

Old Zhang couldn't help but shake his head and sigh:

"It's not a bad thing, those two brothers are very close."

After saying that, he turned to look at Chen Dajiang.

"Since you're determined to go, before you leave tomorrow, come back to the old house in the east of the village with me. I'll get some things for you; they might come in handy."