In the golden month of September, the skies were high and the air was crisp.
It was harvest season once again.
The fields outside Lingxi Village were a hive of activity.
Chen Li stood on a path between the paddies, urging the family’s hired hands to quicken the pace of the harvest.
Back at the house.
Chen Shouye sat cross-legged, his eyes shut tight, his face solemn.
Steam rose from his skin, and beads of sweat trickled down like little streams.
He had reached Blood Refining Perfection some time ago. With the help of the Eight Treasures Spirit Nourishing Soup, he should have quickly entered the Qi Realm.
However, his inability to grasp the basics of the Immovable Vajra Bright King Technique had delayed his progress.
As he cultivated today, he felt the qi and blood in his body surge with exceptional force. The barrier to the next realm seemed weaker than ever before.
He focused his entire mind, guiding the surging torrent of qi and blood to assault the barrier again and again.
He lost count of how many times he tried.
Suddenly.
A surge of powerful, pure Inner Qi welled up from his Dantian, rapidly spreading throughout his entire body and nourishing every inch of his muscles, bones, and flesh.
The Qi Realm!
He had broken through!
Chen Shouye was overjoyed, carefully savoring the profound mysteries of his new Inner Qi.
What surprised him even more was that as his Inner Qi formed and circulated, a layer of invisible energy—incredibly thin yet incomparably tough—spontaneously manifested an inch from the surface of his skin. It shimmered faintly, like a transparent eggshell.
’Immovable Vajra Bright King Gang Qi!’
The unique mystical power of the Cultivation Technique was finally revealing itself.
Out in the fields, a familiar, cold, and mechanical voice rang out in Chen Li’s mind as he directed the harvest.
[Congratulations to the Host! Your second son, Chen Shouye, has broken through to the Qi Realm! Reward issued: Nine-Character Hand Seal.]
’Shouye reached the Qi Realm?’
Chen Li’s eyes lit up, a gleam of undisguised relief and joy flashing within them.
That evening.
When he returned home, Chen Li smiled at his second son, whose presence felt markedly more powerful. "How does it feel? What mysteries has the Immovable Vajra Bright King Technique revealed?"
With his keen Divine Sense, he quickly noticed the subtle yet tangible field of invisible energy that now surrounded Shouye.
Chen Shouye replied, "Father, it’s incredible. It feels like my body is coated in a thin membrane. Since I’ve only just entered the Qi Realm, the Gang Qi is just a single layer that extends an inch from my skin. Its strength is limited, but it can already withstand slashes and blows from ordinary blades."
Chen Li nodded. He produced a thin, ancient-looking booklet from within his robes—its paper yellowed with age, yet faintly gleaming with a dark golden light—and handed it to Shouye.
"Now that you’ve broken through to the Qi Realm, your Iron Mountain Lean is no longer sufficient, despite its effectiveness before. It’s now second-rate. This Nine-Character Hand Seal is an incredibly profound Palm Technique. Once you master it to the stage of Great Success, your palms will be harder than tempered steel. Shattering stone monuments will be trivial, and you’ll even be able to clash bare-handed with Divine Weapons. It’s the perfect match for your Horizontal Training Foundation and Bright King Gang Qi."
"Thank you, Father."
Chen Shouye accepted the Secret Manual with both hands.
He opened it to the first page and saw intricate, profound diagrams of the human form circulating energy, surrounded by densely packed annotations. The manual exuded an ancient and domineering aura.
A mere glance revealed its boundless profundity, far surpassing the Iron Mountain Lean. He couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy.
...
The fifth day of the tenth month was an auspicious day, perfect for a wedding.
The day of Shouye and Li Jinru’s grand wedding had finally arrived.
The Chen residence was decked out in festive lanterns and colorful streamers, the air filled with the clamor of gongs and drums. The entire scene was one of jubilant celebration.
Dressed in bright red wedding robes, Chen Shouye looked all the more dashing and heroic.
Mounted on a fine steed, he personally led a grand procession, complete with an eight-bearer bridal sedan and a cacophony of celebratory music, toward the Kao Mountain Martial Arts Hall to fetch his bride.
The lavish betrothal gifts and magnificent procession drew crowds of onlookers along the route, all watching with gazes full of admiration and envy.
The bridal sedan’s arrival at the Chen Mansion gates was met with a deafening roar of firecrackers and thunderous cheers.
The sedan was set down, and a wedding matron lifted the curtain. The bride, Li Jinru, emerged, her figure graceful and elegant. She wore a traditional phoenix crown and wedding veil, and her face was hidden by a red silk cover embroidered with golden mandarin ducks.
Supported by the matron and a handmaiden, she took delicate steps and descended slowly from the sedan.
A brazier filled with burning coals was already waiting before the main gate.
The wedding matron called out an auspicious phrase, "The bride crosses the fire, for a life of blazing prosperity!"
With their help, Li Jinru carefully lifted her foot and stepped over the brazier, a ritual to dispel misfortune and welcome prosperity.
Upon entering the main hall, they saw a large, red "Double Happiness" character hanging high.
Chen Li and Song Ying were seated at the head of the hall, their faces wreathed in smiles.
"The auspicious hour has arrived! The new couple will begin the ceremony!"
"First, a bow to Heaven and Earth!"
Chen Shouye and Li Jinru turned and bowed deeply toward the world outside the door.
"Second, a bow to the parents!"
The pair turned to their parents at the head of the hall and bowed respectfully.
"And a bow to each other!"
Facing one another, the bride and groom exchanged a deep bow.
The ceremony was complete!
Thunderous applause erupted.
For the next three days, the Chen Family held a grand, open banquet. The feast ran from morning till night, with dozens of tables set up to entertain guests from all over.
The courtyard buzzed with activity. Toasts were made, cups were raised, and the air was filled with ceaseless laughter and cheerful conversation.
...
Two days after the wedding festivities concluded.
Chen Li summoned Chen Shouye and his new daughter-in-law, Li Jinru, to his study.
Inside the study.
Chen Li pointed to a chest in the corner, his tone steady. "Shouye, now that you have started a family, it is time to establish a career. Here are five thousand taels of silver."
"Take Jinru to Jingshan County Town, find a good location, and open a pharmacy. It will be a foundation for the two of you to build your own lives, and it will also make it easier for our family to procure medicinal ingredients."
Chen Shouye and Li Jinru exchanged a surprised glance.
Chen Li continued, "As for procuring the ingredients, your older brother Shouheng has already spoken with your uncle’s family. Find some time to deliver the silver to him, and he will handle the purchasing for you."
"Of course, aside from the day-to-day business, the priority is to procure the ingredients our family needs for Cultivation. I will send more silver as it’s needed later on."
As he spoke, he handed over a pre-written list.
The ingredients listed were all required for formulas like the Mysterious Black Tortoise Tribulation Secret Medicine and the Nine-Turns Essence Rejuvenation Marrow Heart Pill.
He hadn’t included the ingredients for the Sweet Wind Jade Dew Heaven-Repairing Creation Pill, as they were rare and not commonly found on the market anyway.
Chen Shouye instantly understood the depth of his father’s intentions. He solemnly accepted the list, put it away carefully, and said with a serious expression, "Father, rest assured! I will see this done!"
Li Jinru also bowed obediently. "I will do my utmost to assist my husband and manage the pharmacy well."
Chen Li nodded in satisfaction. "If you run into any trouble, come home. This family will always have your back."
...
「Another day passed.」
Chen Shouye and his new wife, Li Jinru, paid the traditional visit back to her family home.
After some casual conversation, Li Jinru mentioned that Chen Li had given them five thousand taels of silver for them to open a pharmacy.
Upon hearing this, a flash of surprise in Li Weikun’s eyes quickly turned to admiration. "Oh? So that is my in-law’s plan. That shows great foresight. A pharmacy is indeed a good way to make a steady living."
"Speaking of silver..."
Li Weikun sighed, a look of shame crossing his face. "When my family faced disaster, it was thanks to your father’s righteous aid, using his own gold to ransom our lives. It’s just... these golden leaves are difficult to exchange. I’ve only managed to convert them into seventy taels of silver so far. As for the rest, please ask your father to grant me a little more time. I will raise the remaining amount as soon as possible. I will not default on this debt."
Chen Shouye said, "You are too kind, Father-in-law. It was only right to do what we did."
But Li Weikun was insistent. "No! Friendship is friendship, but a debt is a debt. The Kao Mountain Martial Arts Hall has a reputation to uphold on Mirror Mountain. How could we renege on what we owe?"
Seeing his father-in-law’s insistence, Chen Shouye said no more and accepted the golden leaf his master handed him.