C16 I'm Going to Get Better
After a casual conversation, Chen Bai's demeanor suddenly became grave, his head bowed as if deep in thought.
Observing his son's sudden silence, Chen Lieh refrained from speaking further, instead watching Chen Bai with a curious gaze. The courtyard fell into a hush.
Eventually, Chen Bai spoke with a serious tone, "Father, there's something I need to discuss with you. Let's go inside and talk."
Chen Lieh nodded and escorted Chen Bai into the house. As he closed the door, Chen Lieh casually gestured, creating an invisible light shield that enveloped the area.
"Dad, there's a problem with Chen Yuan. He planned to kill me and blame Chen Loong to take over as Patriarch," Chen Bai said urgently, as soon as Chen Lieh settled in.
Chen Lieh chuckled, seemingly unconcerned by the revelation, and asked nonchalantly, "So, how exactly does Chen Yuan intend to usurp the Patriarch's position?"
Chen Bai, sensing his father's indifference, spoke with growing anxiety, "It's common knowledge that Chen Yunfeng is aligned with the great elder's faction. Chen Yuan gave Chen Yunfeng a special pill that makes him lose his mind at the sound of a snap of Chen Yuan's fingers."
After a brief pause, Chen Bai continued his explanation.
"Their plan was to have me killed by Chen Yunfeng during the Great Competition. If you witnessed my death at his hands, you would surely lose your senses. In the ensuing chaos, he would provoke you into attacking Chen Loong. Once you killed Chen Loong, he would claim that you'd be confined to the back mountain, and then he'd smoothly assume the role of Patriarch."
When Chen Bai fell silent, Chen Lieh finally spoke, "Have you considered that even if Chen Loong and I were taken out of the picture, the third elder wouldn't just stand by and let Chen Yuan rise to power? Given Chen Yuan's advanced age, it's hardly appropriate for him to become Patriarch."
Confronted with Chen Lieh's skepticism, Chen Bai hastened to add, "You might not believe it, Dad, but I understand the third elder, Chen Faang, quite well. He's the epitome of a man without ambition, content with tending to his Spirit Beasts and sipping tea, indifferent to the affairs of leadership. Such a person would not be concerned with who becomes Patriarch."
"Hahaha!" Chen Lieh burst into laughter after listening to Chen Bai's remarks and then called out to the door, "What do you say, Laosan? Look at the impression you're making in front of the juniors."
Following Chen Lieh's words, the third elder, Chen Faang, entered with an embarrassed look on his face.
Upon entering, Chen Faang immediately bowed to Chen Lieh and congratulated him, "Congratulations, Second Brother, on advancing your cultivation. At this rate, you might very well reach the Nascent Infant Stage in this lifetime!" He then turned to Chen Bai with a wide grin, flashing a set of pearly whites.
"Are you really looking down on your third uncle like that, you little rascal? Despite calling me 'third elder,' you show no respect for your elder!"
Chen Bai was taken aback by the unfolding scene and addressed Chen Lieh in astonishment, "Dad, when you entered, I noticed you released some kind of Spirit Spell. Didn't it have a soundproofing effect?"
Chen Lieh, clearly delighted by Chen Bai's puzzled look, chuckled and explained, "Who said that was a Spirit Spell? That was merely a little trick I used to extend my Spiritual Force outward to detect if anyone was approaching. As for soundproofing, that's a technique reserved for the Almighty at the Nascent Infant Stage."
Realizing he had overestimated his father's capabilities, Chen Bai looked sullen and rolled his eyes at Chen Lieh. He then respectfully turned to Chen Faang and apologized, "I was blind to your true stature earlier, Third Uncle. I failed to see the grand ambition and profound wisdom behind your unassuming facade, and for that, I sincerely apologize."
"Hey! Who are you calling a pig? Are you still trying to insult your third uncle with your clever words? It seems like you're asking for a spanking. Second Brother, you wouldn't mind if I gave this youngster a good thrashing, would you?" Chen Faang said, rolling up his sleeves and looking ready to discipline Chen Bai.
"Please, be my guest, Second Brother. This young man's recent progress in his cultivation seems to have gone to his head. He could use some good old-fashioned discipline," Chen Lieh added with a hint of mischief.
"Ah! Dad, you're actually not taking your own son's side!" Chen Bai cried out, his face contorted in dismay. He quickly offered a sheepish smile to Chen Faang and said, "I'm sorry for any offense earlier. Third Uncle, please be the bigger person and let this one slide!"
Chen Bai's awkward demeanor had Chen Faang and Chen Lieh laughing so hard they were gasping for air.
Chen Bai joined in the laughter, and soon the whole room was filled with cheerful smiles.
Once the laughter subsided, Chen Lieh turned serious and asked Chen Bai, "Bai, how did you come by this information? You shouldn't be privy to such matters."
Chen Bai, ready with his response, adopted a secretive tone, "If I tell you, you must promise not to share it with anyone else. My master confided in me. He revealed that the Huo family is the puppeteer behind the scenes. The unique pill that Chen Yunfeng ingested was supplied by them as well. And Elder Mo? He's with the Huo family, and his cultivation has reached the Golden Core Stage."
Chen Bai's mysterious air left Chen Lieh and Chen Faang feigning astonishment. After a moment, Chen Loong spoke up with a groan, "Your master sure loves to gossip, huh?"
Chen Lieh, standing by, nodded emphatically, clearly in agreement.
Frustrated by their nonchalant reaction, Chen Bai stamped his foot and exclaimed, "Hey! Why aren't you two worried? This is serious! An enemy clan meddling in our affairs could spell doom for us!"
"Ah, now you sound like a kid. Kids should be spirited," Chen Lieh said approvingly, watching Chen Bai bounce around. "Don't fret. We've been aware of these issues and have had plans in place. You performed admirably in the Great Competition. Leave the rest to your Third Uncle and me. You go on and get some rest."
Relieved to hear his father had things under control, Chen Bai exhaled deeply. Then, remembering something else, he quickly bowed to Chen Faang, "Oh, and Third Uncle, I truly didn't mean to cause trouble for Mr. Xiaoxiao. I hope you won't hold it against me."
Whenever the topic came up, Chen Faang couldn't help but feel a tingle in his teeth, and his expression soured slightly. But almost immediately, as if a thought had struck him, he spoke with a warm and pleasant demeanor, "Don't worry, how could your Third Uncle possibly blame you? Teaching Mr. Xiaoxiao a lesson has helped him grow. At the very least, it settles the score for his past bullying."
Upon realizing that Chen Faang wasn't bothered by the incident, Chen Bai's youthful face lit up with an enchanting glow, leaving Chen Lieh and himself momentarily dumbfounded.
With the two still in a daze, Chen Bai cheerfully took his leave.
Once Chen Bai had departed, Chen Lieh and Chen Faang exchanged glances, each detecting a hint of surprise in the other's eyes.
After leaving Chen Lieh's place, Chen Bai remembered the pile of tasks still awaiting him. He quickly returned to his own residence to retrieve the items he had gathered from the Spirit Beast Mountain Range.
Boom!
An hour later, Chen Bai finished sorting and packing the items, his appearance a bit worse for wear. The thought of their value sent a thrill through him. But then, a serious concern crossed his mind: he couldn't possibly lug all these packages around to sell them. Even if he had no shame, the sudden influx of goods would raise too many questions. With no other choice, Chen Bai packed the most valuable items into a small bag and stashed the rest in the warehouse before setting out with the bag slung over his shoulder.
As he walked, people greeted Chen Bai now and then. Some, upon seeing him with his burden, eagerly offered to help carry it.
But as he approached the gate, Chen Bai was stopped in his tracks by an astonishing sight.
A lavish carriage was parked at the Chen family's entrance, drawn by two of the family's Spirit Beasts, the Scarlet Flame Horses. The carriage itself was adorned with intricate, majestic patterns, and about ten of the Chen family's servants were in attendance. One individual stood at the front of the carriage, peering inside with an obsequious smile.