24: Chapter 24 Chen Xuan Yi Emerges from Seclusion

After the auction ended, Zhang Huashan immediately left Qinghe Market with the foundation establishment pill. The remaining Cultivators who had come with him stayed inside the market, which was also a guarantee he made for their safety.

If they went out with him, they would face more than one Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Not only would they be unable to help at that time, but they would instead hold him back. After all, even the weakest Foundation Establishment Cultivator could not be defeated by the combined force of five Cultivators at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining Perfection.

Staying in Qinghe Market with so many Foundation Establishment Cultivators protecting them meant they didn't need to worry about their lives and property.

The very moment he left, quite a few Cultivators followed him out of the market. A portion of them closely trailed his footsteps; this group possessed relatively powerful auras and should all be Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Another batch took advantage of the gap left by the departure of the majority and dashed toward their respective destinations, attempting to use the sea of people to confuse the bandit Cultivators eyeing them.

When Zhang Huashan had fled for several hundred miles, he detected the auras of several Foundation Establishment Cultivators behind him.

He hurriedly accelerated to put distance between them and headed toward his own Family's mountain.

"Hurry up and chase, don't let him run away," a masked Cultivator said hoarsely.

Several rays of escaping light in various colors immediately flared up, pursuing Zhang Huashan with full force.

"Humph! Want to kill and seize treasures? Let's see if you have the ability."

Discovering that he could not shake them off, he led them toward a certain place. As for who would be the ultimate winner among these people, that was a matter for later.

...

Qinghe Market Auction.

"Let's leave too!" Chen Yuanjin said.

"Yeah, Sixth Aunt, why did the Xu Family dare to target us like that just now?" Chen Changqing voiced the doubt he had held since earlier.

"The Xu Family? Those sluts from the Xu Family, I have to admit their vision is extremely outstanding. One of their Family members married into the Zhao Family, and that person's husband even became the current head of the Zhao Family."

"I see." Chen Changqing nodded. The reason the Xu Family dared to act like this was none other than having the Zhao Family backing them up.

"Without the Zhao Family as a backing, how would they dare to unite with the Wu Family to find trouble for us? Therefore, even if that Zhao Huaiyi had no conflict of interests with us back then, he would still have stood with those two families." Whenever Chen Yuanjin thought of this matter, her brows would involuntarily knit together slightly.

The two walked all the way to the talisman shop, and Chen Yuanjin bid farewell and left.

As soon as Chen Changqing returned to his own shop, he glanced at a few maids and servants, gave some instructions, and went back to enter seclusion.

Walking into the room, due to the revolving Spirit-Gathering Array under his feet, the Spiritual Qi inside the room far surpassed the outside world. Even the Spiritual Qi here was already very close to the Spiritual Qi in the Family's Immortal Cave back then. After all, as a market responsible for trade, there was a man-made Tier 2 Low Grade Spiritual Vein existing underground.

He sat cross-legged and took out the Peiyuan Pill and the incomplete Breath-Hiding Technique he had won from the auction.

He needed to learn the Breath-Hiding Technique within this year and elevate his Realm to prepare for the upcoming events.

...

One year later.

Qingyang Mountain.

A middle-aged man wearing a red-gold robe came out of the Immortal Cave and headed straight for the Family ancestral hall.

After holding a Family meeting, he quietly left the mountain.

Clan Leader Chen Xuanlin looked at the distant receding figure with a face full of anticipation and anxiety. "I hope Xuanyi can truly become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. By that time, our Family will be a Foundation Establishment Family."

"Indeed! I believe the Ninth Uncle will definitely succeed." Chen Yuanzhan also chimed in to agree. As long as Chen Xuanyi successfully completed his Foundation Establishment, their Family would rank among the five major Foundation Establishment Families of Qinghe County, no longer being that Qi Refining Family that could only be slaughtered at will.

However, speaking of this, everyone in the Chen Family felt very fortunate. Over the years, Qi Refining Families had actually produced Genius seed candidates capable of Foundation Establishment more than once, but in the end, they either died prematurely or failed their Foundation Establishment Breakthrough. After all, those Foundation Establishment Families would not allow a Qi Refining Family on their own territory to rise to become a Foundation Establishment Family. However, such matters would not be put out in the open, because those Qi Refining Families could simply run to other places to attempt Foundation Establishment, just like the Zhao Family back then.

"By the way, how is that little girl Qingling doing now?" Clan Leader Chen Xuanlin asked Chen Yuanzhan after the rest of the Family members left.

"Her? That little girl, just like her brother, is a Cultivate maniac, staying in the Immortal Cave to Cultivate every day. However, since exiting seclusion half a year ago, her cultivation has already reached the Second Layer of Qi Refining Perfection, and now she might have already reached the Third Layer of Qi Refining." Chen Yuanzhan sighed with emotion. His children were becoming more and more outstanding, while his own current cultivation was only at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, and throughout his life he would probably only reach around the Eighth Layer Realm.

"These two are steadily progressing at a speed of almost one layer per year. I don't know what level that brat Changqing's cultivation has reached now. Perhaps he is not far from the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining right now!" Hearing this, Clan Leader Chen Xuanlin felt both excited and delighted in his heart.

However, it would still take a very long time for the two of them to completely grow up, especially that brat Changqing. Nowadays, many factions knew of his existence; if not for Lin Feng's deterrence, there was no knowing how many people would assassinate him in secret.

He only hoped that Xuanyi could successfully achieve Foundation Establishment; otherwise, it would be very difficult for the Family to develop steadily.

"Yuanzhan, Qingling's situation must absolutely not be known by anyone. From now on, she will stay within the Family and must not leave without authorization," Clan Leader Chen Xuanlin instructed.

"Understood," Chen Yuanzhan cupped his fists and said.

After bidding farewell and leaving, Chen Yuanzhan headed toward his own home. The little girl Li Qingling had already exited seclusion, and for some unknown reason, she was lingering around her mother acting spoiled at home.

"Little girl, you've exited seclusion." Chen Yuanzhan stroked her head.

"Dad, you're finally here. I want to go down the mountain," Li Qingling said coquettishly.

"No way. Just now, the Clan Chief gave a personal order forbidding you from going down the mountain privately." Truly, whatever one worried about came right away; Chen Yuanzhan couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart.

"Exactly, do you want to leave your dad and mom that much? You little girl, your mother raised you in vain for so many years." Li Chenghui stepped forward and poked her forehead with her index finger.

"Because Second Brother went down the mountain too, and I want to go down the mountain as well. I haven't seen him in a long time. In the past, he always took me to play and even celebrated my birthday. Nowadays, we can't even see each other once every half a year or year," Li Qingling pinched the corner of her clothes with both hands and explained softly.

"You, stop thinking about it. Anyway, it's out of the question no matter what," Chen Yuanzhan refused.

Seeing that both her dad and mom had sternly rejected her, her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Chen Yuanzhan could least stand his own daughter looking like this, and his tone unconsciously relaxed. "At the very least, reach the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining cultivation before talking about it."

Hearing this, Li Qingling was no longer like before and said happily, "Thank you, Dad." Then she scampered away joyfully, afraid that her dad and mom would lecture her again.

"Sigh!" Although he knew that little girl Qingling was just feigning grievance earlier, he simply couldn't bear to refuse.

Li Chenghui was also very helpless and didn't know what else to say, so she could only let her go. The two exchanged glances, seeing the helplessness in each other's eyes, and then let out a heavy sigh together.